skaala architecture, LLC

Dave Johnson and skaala did an excellent job of designing a house for us that is beautiful, functional and fit our budget. He sad down with us and took the time to really understand what we wanted. He was then able to combine the aesthetics, engineering and building process to complete the project.

Dave Johnson and skaala architecture are an incredibly talented and amazingly versatile architectural team, producing the highest quality work product with creative flair, masterful ingenuity, and exacting attention to the smallest detail. When we hired the skaala team to design a small Shingle-style home in Camden, Maine, we were immediately impressed with the vision and skills that Dave Johnson, in particular, brought to the project. He was deliberate, thorough, resourceful, professional, responsive, upbeat, and ever-so patient in all aspects of his work--from design concept, to drafting visualization, to final plan execution and on-site supervision. Key to Dave's success is a native ability and set of well-honed interpersonal skills to work exceptionally well and effectively with the entire range of project managers and service providers, including general contractors, construction crews, electricians, plumbers, masons, HVAC installers, landscapers, and building inspectors, and many more. Dave also has an uncanny ability to simplify confusingly complex technical applications, mechanical systems, and construction terminology and "translate" them into easy-to-understand concepts and, at the same time, offer practical advice and sound solutions throughout the decision-making process. He works harder, with greater determination and perseverance, than anyone else on the project team to get the job done well, on schedule, and within budget. We cannot offer skaala and Dave Johnson greater or higher praise than to say that they exceeded all expectations in the performance of their duties and that we would not hesitate to recommend skaala architecture to any prospective clients seeking expert and awe-inspiring architectural design work and full-service support for their homebuilding projects.

Worked for several months on this project. Amazing ideas and ability to understand what the client is looking for. Everything from the stone detail and wood floor designs was meticulously thought out. Talented company.

Working with Dave was an absolute joy. His attention to detail, creative solutions and love of modern architecture came together into a home that my family will enjoy for years.

Dave Johnson at skaala architecture, LLC was a pleasure to work with from the very first day. I found Dave while perusing a Maine design magazine in the winter of 2015 in which he was featured in a short write-up about an energy-efficient house he designed and built with his brother-in-law in Maine. I emailed Dave that night with some details about the project and I got a phone call at 10 a.m. the next morning. Dave was already on site taking pictures of the snow-covered property! He called me to discuss the possible project and we clicked instantly. He was incredibly helpful in guiding us thoughtfully through all of the different design and materials considerations. He introduced us to suppliers – both local and global - with innovative, energy efficient products. Dave taught us and the builder about many new techniques; we all left the project infinitely better informed and with the house we all absolutely love. There are so many things about this house that we adore, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention in this glowing review that Dave is the one who designed the incredible, four-story, single-piece stair that winds all the way up through the house to the office overlooking the ocean at the very top. This stair alone was an enormous project with tremendous complexity and Dave worked diligently for months with Rockport Steel to bring it to fruition. It is merely one example of his dedication and commitment to both the client and the design. Dave is a passionate architect and we found it an absolute pleasure to work with him. We highly recommend and will definitely retain Dave for our next project. I recommend you do the same.

We never intended to live in a dream house. Good, functional, and thoughtful architecture would have been fine. But our home on coastal Maine is so beautifully designed that the builder uses it to advertise to clients! Working with Dave Johnson at Skaala was nothing less than a superb experience. Through the design phase until the last drop of paint, Dave was a reassuring presence. When we moved in we already knew every corner of the house intimately and three years later it continues to give us pleasure and a true sense of home.