History of Baird Architects
Matthew Baird Architects, founded in 2002 by Matthew Baird, FAIA, is an architecture, planning, and design firm with offices in New York City and Mount Desert Island, Maine. Baird, who received his undergraduate degree in Architecture from Princeton University in 1987 and his Master of Architecture degree from Columbia University in 1992, has worked in the offices of notable architects such as Mitchell Giurgola, Michael Graves, Richard Meier, and Tod Williams and Billie Tsien before starting his own firm.
The firm has grown to include 18 architects and planners and has completed projects in the US, Europe, and Asia. Their work ranges from large campus programming and planning to detailed architectural designs, all united by a commitment to exceptional design. Matthew Baird Architects is known for its sensitivity to economic and environmental concerns, generating novel building forms and planning concepts.
Matthew Baird Architects has completed a diverse range of projects, showcasing their commitment to exceptional design and sensitivity to context.
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Company Culture at Baird Architects
The firm also places a strong emphasis on sustainability, not only in their designs but also in their office practices. They strive to create eco-friendly and energy-efficient spaces, reflecting their commitment to environmental responsibility.
Our work ranges in scale from large campus programming and planning to compelling architectural detailing, all united by our commitment to exceptional design. Our investigations into the unique cultural and material language of each project are tempered by a sensitivity to economic and environmental concerns, and we exploit these constraints to generate novel building forms and planning concepts.
Overall, the company culture at Matthew Baird Architects is centered around collaboration, sustainability, and a passion for innovative design. This creates a positive and inspiring work environment for their team.
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Architect-US is proud to work in close contact with Baird Architects and to be able to ensure the firm gets to know and work with amazing young architects like Ines Gulbenkian, whom we helped get a job and process her Visa through our Job+J1 Visa Program!
Inês Gulbenkian
Inês Sarmento Gulbenkian is an accomplished architect with a diverse educational background and extensive international experience. Holding a Master’s degree in Architecture from the Royal College of Art in London, she has participated in high-profile projects like MANIFESTA 12 and contributed to global exhibitions such as Aires Mateus Life. With a strong foundation in both architectural design and technical execution, Inês has co-founded architectural practices in Lisbon and worked alongside prestigious firms such as John Pawson Ltd. Her career is marked by a blend of creative leadership, technical expertise, and a commitment to socially impactful architecture.
Baird Architects’ Selected Projects
Greenwich Street Townhouse – New York, NY
This townhouse design blends a contemporary, minimalist approach with its location in the historic West Village. Drawing inspiration from the industrial, rough-edged character of the Meatpacking District, the exterior features a single prefabricated steel façade that can be installed quickly, providing privacy and a sense of enclosure. Inside, the design contrasts this with a warm, simple material palette. The home opens up with a three-story glazed curtain wall on the east side, allowing light to flood the interior. The layout includes a clerestory skylight that brings in top light, and floating stairs enhance the airy feel by allowing light to flow freely throughout the space.
Photos by Baird Architects
Dutchess County Art Barn – Millerton, NY
The Dutchess County Art Barn, located on a 110-acre estate in Millerton, New York, is designed with a material palette and layout inspired by the surrounding natural environment. The project repurposes a prefabricated agricultural building as its main structure, with a residential interior integrated into this rural loft space. The approach to the house begins at the base of a hill, travels up a winding wooded road, and culminates just below the summit where the house is situated. The barn structure combines two materials: corrugated Cor-ten steel and polycarbonate. Mahogany-framed windows and a curtain wall provide a contrast to the industrial aesthetic. The polycarbonate panels allow natural light to diffuse into the expansive art gallery. During the day, the trees surrounding the building cast dynamic shadows on the translucent walls, which glow at night.
Photos by Baird Architects
Firehouse No. 4 – New York, NY
Completed in 2015, this extensive renovation transformed a 19th-century Upper East Side firehouse and its adjoining carriage house into a single-family residence. The project preserved and restored the original façades, as well as the ground floor’s vertical grain decking and timber beams, while completely replacing the interior structure to meet the needs of a young family. The cellar and garden levels were fully excavated to create an open entertainment space, with a walkable glass skylight above that connects the two buildings. A contemporary glass penthouse at the top of the house allows natural light to penetrate deep into the interior and provides access to a landscaped rooftop garden.
Photos by Baird Architects
We will be posting more projects by Baird Architects in the upcoming weeks and months, so keep an eye out for more of their incredible work! Every Friday we will be posting a new Featured Company, so join us again next week!
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