Barry Downs and Richard Archambault met in 1954, fresh out of architecture school. After several years of working together at the firm of Thompson Berwick Pratt and Partners, the two decided to launch their own partnership. Downs/Archambault & Partners (now DA Architects + Planners) was born in 1969. Houses were a mainstay of the firm in the early days, and were an important training ground for others who joined the firm later.

Barry Downs remembers:

“In the 1960s we built on narrow lots with simple and affordable post and beam houses. We designed houses that pushed up through the trees, that revolved around the idea of the big room, surrounded by the garden, and the view of the changing seasons. We used large, custom-made windows in the kitchen, so mothers would enjoy the time they spent cooking. We liked to design everything in the house that we could - down to the furniture, placemats and lanterns. We were able to build our own houses for $13,000 on a $4,000 lot in Dunbar.”

On small projects, the client was deeply involved, the need to work with the landscape was evident, and there was frequently an opportunity to innovate. The experienced architects developed their new firm and its working style through these first projects. From their early experiences, the firm developed the hallmarks of its approach. These included a focus on community, the involvement of end users, the strong hands-on ethic of senior architects, and a project management system that emphasized quality and professional project delivery. Today, although Barry Downs and Richard Archambault have retired from the firm they founded, their values remain the essence of DA Architects + Planners, and placemaking remains at the heart of the firm’s philosophy, and incorporates new concepts such as ecodensity and sustainability.