Living Shelter Architects

What Living Shelter Architects does

Living Shelter Architects is a Pacific Northwest sustainable architecture firm founded in 1992 by Terry Phelan and headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, with operations now based in Seattle through its 2022 integration into Board & Vellum. The firm provides integrated architectural design services for custom homes, remodels, additions, aging-in-place modifications, and community/master planning, with a core specialization in sustainable methods including passive solar site orientation, geothermal heating and cooling, straw bale construction, and Passive House-certified design. Its project portfolio includes several regional "firsts," notably Seattle's first carbon-negative Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit, King County's first permitted cottage development, and a Yakima net-positive home whose owners have reported zero energy bills over three years.

The business operates as a professional services practice charging 5-12% of construction cost for full architectural services, with the first hour of consultation offered free. Customer segments are primarily individual homeowners seeking sustainable, healthy, and resilient residential architecture, with secondary work for non-profit organizations (e.g., Pasado's Safe Haven) and community developers (e.g., Selah Vista Homes, Rainier View Homes). Go-to-market is sales-led and community-driven, built on direct consultations, referrals from the green building community, participation in regional events (Northwest Green Building Slam, Living Future unConference), podcast appearances, and earned media coverage in Seattle Times, Dwell, and Fine Homebuilding. Since April 2022, the firm has operated as a sustainability-focused studio within Board & Vellum, a larger multidisciplinary design firm, and founder Terry Phelan retired at the end of 2024.

Name

Living Shelter Architects

Legal name

Living Shelter Architects

Website

https://livingshelter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Living Shelter Architects is a Pacific Northwest architecture firm specializing in sustainable residential design, including passive solar, geothermal, straw bale, and Passive House projects for individual homeowners, non-profits, and community developers. Founded in 1992, it now operates as a sustainability studio within Board & Vellum following its 2022 acquisition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Residential Remodelers (236118)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Custom Home Building (IMAFABAC), Whole-Home Interior Renovation (Non-Structural) (HSAPAEAC)

Keywords

• Sustainable architecture
• Residential design
• Passive house
• Net zero homes
• Straw bale construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Issaquah

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Full-service architectural firm providing residential design, remodels, and sustainable building consulting. Fees based on percentage of construction cost (typically 5-12% for custom homes) plus hourly rates for consultations. Services span six phases from initial meeting through construction administration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Living Shelter Architects provides full-service sustainable architectural design for residential, community, and non-profit projects. Core services include custom home design, remodels, additions, aging-in-place modifications, and master planning, delivered through a six-phase integrated design process. The firm specializes in passive solar design, Passive House standards, straw bale construction, geothermal systems, and net zero/positive energy home design across the Pacific Northwest.

Product overview

Living Shelter Architects is a Seattle-based sustainable architecture firm that offers integrated architectural design services focused on sustainable residential practices. Founded in 1992 by Terry Phelan, the firm specializes in passive solar design, net zero/positive energy homes, straw bale construction, aging-in-place design, adaptive reuse, and community master planning. In 2022, the firm joined Board & Vellum to form a new studio focused on sustainable practices. The firm's project portfolio includes the Net Positive Custom Home in Yakima, Net Carbon DADU (Seattle's first), Crescent Creek House, Selah Vista Homes, and various straw bale projects. Key specialties include Passive House certified design and LEED-accredited services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sustainable Architecture Services Integrated full-service architectural design covering custom homes, remodels, additions, and aging-in-place modifications, delivered through a six-phase integrated design process emphasizing passive solar, healthy materials, and energy performance. Targeted at homeowners, non-profits, and community developers in the Pacific Northwest.
• Straw Bale Construction Design
• Passive House Design
• Community and Master Planning

Quantifiable outcome

• Net Positive Custom Home owners reported zero energy bills after three years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Board & VellumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Living Shelter Architects joined Seattle architecture and design firm Board & Vellum on April 1, 2022, forming the base of a new studio focused on sustainable practices. Terry Phelan led the sustainability team until her retirement at end of 2024. The partnership combines Living Shelter's 30 years of sustainable design expertise with Board & Vellum's integrated services in architecture, interiors, and landscape architecture. Both firms share values around sustainable practices with credentials including LEED, LFA, and CPHC.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• David Baker Architects: San Francisco firm focused on sustainable, community-oriented residential and mixed-use architecture; comparable in combining green-building expertise with mission-driven community/multi-unit housing work.
• Board & Vellum: Parent firm and direct comparable — Seattle-based multidisciplinary design practice offering architecture, interiors, and landscape architecture with shared LEED/LFA/CPHC sustainability credentials and an overlapping custom-residential and community client base.
• Olson Kundig: Seattle-based architecture firm with a comparable mix of custom residential and small commercial work, known for highly crafted, context-driven design that overlaps with Living Shelter's premium bespoke residential positioning in the PNW.
• Mithun: Seattle-headquartered integrated design firm with strong sustainability credentials (Living Building Challenge work, net-positive buildings) serving residential, community, and institutional clients — directly comparable in mission and region.
• Lake|Flato Architects: San Antonio-based firm recognized for sustainable, regionally rooted residential and community architecture; comparable in mission (net-zero/regenerative design) and project mix of custom homes and community design.
• Miller Hull Partnership: PNW (Seattle/Tacoma) architecture practice with a deep sustainability track record, including net-zero and Living Building projects; comparable custom-residential and community design practice with similar regional focus.
• ZGF Architects: Large PNW-rooted architecture firm with sustainability leadership (LEED Platinum portfolio, net-zero expertise) serving healthcare, civic, and residential clients — overlaps with Living Shelter's net-zero/healthy-buildings mission at greater scale.
• Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects: San Francisco-based practice with a strong sustainability and net-zero portfolio across residential, civic, and community projects; comparable client values and emphasis on performance-driven sustainable design.

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with deep sustainability expertise and a strong net-zero/healthcare/education portfolio; overlaps on sustainability credentials and clients but operates at much broader scope and scale.
• HOK (now Populous/HOK): Large global design practice with sustainability leadership across building types; competes for larger commercial and institutional projects that intersect with Living Shelter's net-zero expertise but at far greater scale and breadth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LivingShelter
• Instagraminstagram.com/livingshelterpodcast

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Living Shelter Architects