A full-service architecture firm
We work across residential, retail, and development, managing every phase from early design through construction administration.
Heitler Houstoun Architects is a firm led by four principals who are directly involved in the work and in the decisions that shape what gets built.
years of expertise.
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brands supported.
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families served.
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states worked in.
How we work
We are a full-service architecture and interiors firm working across residential, retail, and development, known for translating strong ideas into well-executed buildings. We are led by four principals who are directly involved in the work and in the decisions that shape what gets built.
We bring different ways of thinking to the same problem. One of us leads with narrative, shaping the story a space tells. Another focuses on constructability, translating ambition into something buildable. A third works through constraints, turning limitations into clear decisions. And the fourth operates at the level of detail that determines whether a space feels considered or unresolved.
These perspectives are not siloed, they are in constant dialogue. We challenge assumptions, refine ideas through multiple lenses, and carry that thinking consistently from how we operate as a studio into how projects are designed and delivered. The result is work that is both intentional and executable.
We work across sectors deliberately because that exchange strengthens the outcome. A solution developed for a retail rollout may inform a residential renovation. A constraint uncovered in a townhouse may sharpen an approach to a larger development. Each project benefits from this cross-pollination.
This shared approach ensures continuity across projects while allowing each to respond to its specific context. Clients benefit from direct access to leadership, a depth of experience across sectors, and a team that is aligned from the outset.
Throughout the process, clients work directly with the people shaping the design. We are engaged, responsive, and accountable from the first conversation through construction.
years of expertise.
+
brands supported.
+
families served.
+
states worked in.
Our team
Senior Principal
AIA, LEED AP
Josh Heitler
Josh approaches design through the lens of human experience, working backward from the end result. He is less interested in a signature look and more interested in getting the core ideas right for each unique project, then protecting them through every phase. That clarity has defined some of our most visible work: the original Drybar retail concept, the W Las Vegas Casino Resort, and high-end residences in both New York and California.
He trained at Harvard GSD and has spent close to three decades turning that foundation into practical design judgment, the kind that anticipates the real challenges early, crafting solutions before they become problems. Much of his work comes through long-standing relationships built over decades, with clients who return and refer others.
Principal
RA, LEED AP
Doug Houstoun
Doug reads projects through the lens of what is real: zoning, structure, budget, and schedule. Where other people see obstacles, he sees questions that require clear, direct answers. His design approach starts with understanding the actual boundaries of a project, then working within them carefully enough that the result feels free of constraint.
Before joining HHA, he worked at Gensler on large-scale commercial projects for major financial institutions. That experience gave him a clear understanding of how buildings come together, and it shows in everything from early feasibility conversations with investors to detailed construction oversight on complex renovations.
Clients rely on Doug when decisions carry long-term impact, when complexity needs to be simplified.
Principal
AIA, NOMA
Kimberly Coca
Kimberly approaches design as a response to how people actually live. She works with clients to define a project’s underlying narrative and translates it into spaces that are cohesive, functional, and built to endure.
With a background in affordable housing and community-based development, her work is grounded in performance, efficiency, and responsibility in design, principles that continue to guide her approach across sectors.
She develops branded interiors with precision and designed to scale, as reflected in her work with Vuori, Madison Reed, and Cityblock Health. Across retail, wellness, private residential and affordable housing, her work is defined by a focus on how spaces are experienced, shaped through proportion, materiality, and detail.
She leads teams from design through construction, working closely with clients and collaborators to ensure each project has a clear point of view and that the vision is executed with clarity, consistency and care.
Principal
AIA, NCARB, SAP
Allison Adderley
Allison approaches architecture as both a design discipline and a leadership role. Her work is grounded in the belief that strong ideas require clarity, alignment, and trust within the project team and with the client.
She guides teams through complex processes while maintaining a clear design vision across residential, retail, healthcare, and large-scale nonprofit work. Known as a strong client advocate, her involvement extends through construction. She coordinates with contractors on site and ensures the project is executed as intended aligned with client goals while protecting the integrity of the design.
At the core of her approach is a rigorous attention to detail, focusing on the moments that shape how a space is ultimately experienced and ensuring design intent is carried through without compromise.
With a background teaching design and construction technology at the University at Buffalo, she brings a depth of experience that connects design thinking with execution.
Alex Korby
Associate, RA
Nikki Elman
Project Manager, RA
Olivia Lau
Senior Project Manager, AIA
Claire Bainlardi
Job Captain
Paul Gomez
Job Captain
Lainie Pearson
Architectural Designer
Katharine Vavilov
Architectural Designer
Aimee Flanagan
Senior Architectural Designer
Aashka Shah
Architectural Designer
Christine Raftery
Office Manager
Jade Hu
Senior Architectural Designer
What we believe
Look at our work and you’ll see a wide range of projects shaped by a consistent approach: high-end Manhattan residences that feel calm and considered; multifamily developments that balance efficiency, value, and livability; retail concepts designed, prototyped, and implemented at scale without losing their brand identity; and renovations that respect a building’s history while adapting it for how people live today.
That range is intentional. We’re not driven by a signature style. We believe each project should reflect the people it’s for, not the architects behind it. Whether at the scale of a single residence or a larger development, our role is the same: understand the opportunity, define a clear direction, and carry it through every phase.
This requires careful listening, a deep understanding of goals, and the ability to translate ideas into built work through thoughtful design, disciplined coordination, and rigorous documentation.
We are direct, experienced, and accountable. We take the responsibility of getting it right seriously because good design only succeeds when it’s realized as intended.
Trusted architects since 1995.
Start a conversation
Whether you are beginning a renovation, exploring what is possible with a property, or looking for an architecture partner to grow with your brand, we would like to hear about it. The best projects tend to start simply, with an honest conversation about what you need.
Our work is grounded in leadership and collaboration. We build and guide the right team around each project, aligning consultants, contractors, and stakeholders toward a shared goal from the outset. As architects, we don’t just design, we lead the process, clarify decisions, and keep projects moving forward with focus and intention.
Every project starts with a conversation and it succeeds through the strength of the team behind it.
