The Sandbox Studio

What The Sandbox Studio does

The Sandbox Studio (DBA: SANDBOX) is a privately held, boutique architectural design and engineering firm founded in 2001 and headquartered in Truckee, California. The firm specializes in custom residential architecture for luxury mountain and resort properties, with deep expertise across mountain contemporary, transitional, and traditional design idioms, supported by sustainable design practices including LEED-certified work with native Sierra Granite and reclaimed barnwood. Its core offering is comprehensive architectural design and engineering services, including site analysis, schematic design, design development, construction documentation, and construction administration, delivered as project-based professional services to a small set of high-net-worth individual clients, families, and select developers across California, Nevada, Colorado, Utah, and Hawaii.

The firm operates with a lean team of approximately 12 employees under Principal Scott Gillespie, drawing clients primarily through portfolio-driven marketing, client referrals, and established relationships with premier regional builders such as Mark Tanner Construction, Crestwood Construction, Heslin Construction, NSM Construction, Big D Construction, and Greenwood Homes. Revenue is generated through quote-driven professional service agreements for each custom home project, supplemented by a growing Commercial/Resort Design vertical covering beach clubs, mixed-use developments, and hospitality structures, plus interior design coordination in partnership with firms such as MOXIE Design Studio and Sarah Jones Interior Design. Notable clientele includes Alyssa Milano, Dave Bugliari, and Atlanta Braves CEO Derek Schiller, and the firm has received multiple design awards for projects including the Tahoma Lakefront Estate and the Tahoma Boathouse.

Name

The Sandbox Studio

Legal name

The Sandbox Studio

Website

https://thesandboxstudio.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Sandbox Studio is a boutique architectural design and engineering firm founded in 2001 and headquartered in Truckee, California, specializing in custom luxury mountain homes across California, Nevada, Colorado, Utah, and Hawaii. The firm serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and select developers through project-based professional services with a 12-person team under Principal Scott Gillespie.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Truckee

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Architecture and Design Services: Full-service architectural design and engineering for custom residential homes, including site analysis, schematic design, design development, construction documentation, and construction administration. Revenue is project-based, earned through professional service agreements for each custom home project.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Sandbox Studio is an architectural design and engineering firm that creates custom luxury mountain homes, offering full-service design from site analysis and schematic design through construction documentation and administration. The firm specializes in mountain modern, transitional, and traditional residential architecture across premier resort communities in California, Nevada, Colorado, Utah, and Hawaii, and also provides design for guest houses, boathouses, and commercial resort properties.

Product overview

The Sandbox Studio is an award-winning architectural design and engineering firm offering comprehensive custom residential design services for mountain properties. The firm specializes in mountain modern, transitional, and traditional home designs, with services including custom residential architectural design as the core offering, supplemented by specialized design services for guest houses, boathouses, and commercial resort properties. The company also provides interior design coordination to ensure cohesive execution of custom features throughout their projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Residential Architectural Design Comprehensive architectural design and engineering services for custom mountain homes, including site-specific design, structural engineering, and project management from concept through construction documentation. Targeted at high-net-worth individuals and families commissioning custom luxury residences.
• Mountain Modern Home Design Specialized design service for contemporary mountain architecture featuring clean lines, modern fenestration, exposed steel structure, and natural materials such as wood, stone, and concrete.
• Transitional Mountain Home Design Design service blending traditional mountain aesthetics with contemporary elements, incorporating warm finishes, custom details, and modern amenities while maintaining rustic character.
• Traditional Mountain Home Design Design service for classic mountain architecture featuring heavy timber, natural stone, reclaimed materials, and traditional building forms adapted for modern living.
• Guest House Design Custom design services for detached guest houses and casitas, typically featuring full living amenities, multiple bedrooms, and architectural continuity with main residences.
• Boathouse Design Specialized floating structure design for lakefront properties, featuring custom detailing with reclaimed materials and architectural style matching estate properties.
• Commercial/Resort Design Design services for commercial mountain resort properties including beach clubs, mixed-use developments, and hospitality structures.
• Interior Design Coordination Collaboration with interior designers and specification of custom interior features including cabinetry, built-ins, fireplaces, and finish materials to complement architectural design.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple design awards received for projects including Tahoma Lakefront Estate and Tahoma Boathouse
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Mark Tanner ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrimary builder partner for multiple Martis Camp projects including #418 Mountain Contemporary home. Mark Tanner Construction (MTC) is a premier custom home builder in the Truckee/Tahoe region.
• Crestwood ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBuilder partner for Martis Camp #82, a striking contemporary mountain retreat. Specializes in high-end custom mountain homes.
• Heslin ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBuilder partner for Lahontan Homesite #484, a rustic mountain retreat overlooking the golf course.
• Tony Hardy ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBuilder partner for Martis Camp #50 Mountain Modern Guest House, completed in Summer 2013.
• MOXIE Design StudiosecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInterior designer partner for multiple projects including Lahontan #378 and Clear Creek Tahoe #206, providing interior design services for luxury mountain homes.
• Sarah Jones Interior DesignsecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInterior designer partner for Martis Camp #435 and Aspen Family Retreat projects, specializing in mountain and resort home interiors.
• Advance Design & ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBuilder partner for Clear Creek Tahoe #206, a 4,506 sq ft transitional mountain home in Carson City, NV.
• Big D ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBuilder partner for Morningstar at Tuhaye project in Kamas, UT (Park City area), an 5,800 sq ft mountain modern contemporary home.
• NSM ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBuilder partner for Martis Camp #523, a 6,900 sq ft transitional mountain home.
• Rickenbach ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBuilder partner for Sugar Pine Lakefront Estate, an 8,367 sq ft contemporary transitional home at Lake Tahoe.
• Greenwood HomescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBuilder partner for Kukui'ula #70 in Kauai, Hawaii - a tropical island luxury home at the private Kukui'ula golf club.
• Vance Fox PhotographysecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerPrimary photographer for many SANDBOX projects including Martis Camp #156, Lahontan #283, and Martis Camp #82, providing high-quality professional photography essential for portfolio marketing.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Carney Logan Burke Architects: Jackson Hole, WY-based firm specializing in luxury mountain residential architecture across the Rocky Mountain West. Direct competitor in the same luxury mountain home niche as Sandbox, serving similar HNW clientele in premier resort communities.
• Olson Kundig: Seattle-based architecture and design firm renowned for luxury custom residential and mountain/modernist homes. Directly comparable to Sandbox in serving HNW clients with bespoke, design-forward residential projects emphasizing craft, materials, and indoor-outdoor living.
• Lake|Flato Architects: San Antonio, TX-based architecture firm known for sustainable, site-responsive residential and resort design. Comparable to Sandbox in their focus on indoor-outdoor living, natural materials, and LEED-aligned design practices for luxury clients.
• Studio B Architecture: Aspen-based architecture firm specializing in luxury mountain contemporary and transitional homes. Direct competitor in the Aspen market, which Sandbox also serves, with similar project scale and client profile.
• JLF Architects: Wyoming and Colorado-based firm with deep expertise in luxury mountain residential design. Comparable in project type, scale, and client demographic to Sandbox's mountain architecture work.
• Poss Architecture + Planning: Aspen-area architecture firm specializing in mountain contemporary residential design. Comparable to Sandbox in their specialization in modern mountain architecture and service to luxury resort clients.
• Pearson Design Group: Idaho-based architecture and interior design firm serving luxury mountain and lakefront residential clients in Sun Valley, Coeur d'Alene, and beyond. Comparable in scale, specialty, and HNW client focus to Sandbox.
• Peter Zimmerman Architects: Pennsylvania-based luxury residential architecture firm serving HNW clients with custom estate and mountain-style homes. Comparable in their bespoke, detail-driven approach to high-end residential design.
• VIP Architecture: Truckee/Tahoe-based architecture firm designing luxury custom mountain homes in the same resort communities Sandbox serves (Martis Camp, Lahontan). Direct local competitor with comparable project type and client base.
• Centre Sky Architecture: Montana-based luxury mountain architecture firm specializing in custom homes in Yellowstone Club, Big Sky, and other western resort communities. Direct peer operating in the same luxury mountain residential market as Sandbox.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-sandbox-studio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Sandbox Studio