sitio

[si-tee-oh] Spanish- noun

1. site, location
2. locality or place
3. building site
 

Contact:

Alison M. Turner, AIA

2837 N. Boxwood Dr.
Fayetteville, AR 72703
479-283-4112

alison@sitioad.com

Sitio architecture + design is a small design centered firm focusing on projects that highlight the natural and cultural specifics of the place in which a particular project is to be built.  Located in Fayetteville, Arkansas and established in 2008, sitio draws from the experience of owner and principle, Alison Turner, who has a studied, traveled and lived in a variety of unique places around the world including: Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy; the Konza Prairie in northern Kansas; Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn, New York; and Fayetteville, Arkansas.                     

Design Philosophy/Mission Statement:

Architecture should reflect the place in which it is built.  Much of architecture is aesthetically pleasing in its own right; sculptural, artistic, balanced.  However, if little thought or understanding is given to the setting or site of a project than even the most well designed buildings will not reach their experiential potential.  The name sitio was carefully chosen because we believe that architecture cannot be separated, but should be integrated into the place where it is built.  Place, in this case has multiple meanings.  In the most obvious, it is the place in which it is physically constructed; how is a particular site described in terms of climate, landscape, vegetation, access, view, etc.  But the larger meaning of place includes how a particular location is influenced by local culture, local design vernacular, and locally identifiable materials.

 The experience is more important than the “Architecture”.  We believe architecture is about the space and the experience that is created and not about the building.  People are physically and emotionally impacted by architecture every day, whether they realize it or not.  Architecture has the potential to inspire, elevate our mood, and increase our productivity.  It also has the potential to do the opposite; we’ve all been in dark, depressing spaces.  Understanding how and by whom spaces will be occupied is critical to our design thinking.

 Inside out and outside in.  When one moves through a project, there should be a synthesis, or cohesion of design elements that blur the boundaries between exterior and interior spaces.  When you are inside a building you are aware of the natural environment, either directly through views or indirectly by the introduction of natural light, shadow patterns, or ventilation.  Conversely when you are outside you still feel some sense of enclosure or connection to the architecture. 

 Sustainable architecture is part of what we do.  We believe sustainability is not just a buzz word, but as architects we have a responsibility to be mindful about the impact building construction has on our environment.  Sustainable principles are not design generators, but are integrated into our architectural thinking from site planning to the material choices.  We have a common sense approach to sustainability that is considerate of our client’s agenda and budget.

 We will not be living here- you will.  We value our relationships with our clients and value even more their collaborative input throughout the design process.  We also recognize that getting a project from design to construction takes a team of people from the owner, architect, engineers, consultants, and contractors and that establishing and maintaining good relationships and open dialogue is paramount to the success of a project both during and after its completion.