SMOOK Architecture & Urban Design, Inc.

We hired Smook Architecture to design an addition to our small house on a narrow lot in a historic neighborhood near the center of our central Massachusetts town. We were looking to add a two car garage with adjacent mudroom, and a great room with a storage area and small half bath on the second level. We wanted the great room to be suitable for a range of activities from family reunions to parties to musicians playing chamber music (the space will include a grand piano and track lighting on exposed beams, with RGBW LED lighting reflecting off of the ceiling). The slope of the site meant that the addition had to attach to the existing house at the midpoint of the stairway between the two levels of the new addition which was a creative challenge. We also wanted to be sure that the addition did not overpower the existing house which is a modest Colonial style bungalow. Clay Smook and Patrice Fotino had wonderful ideas about how to give the addition a pavilion-like appearance that would barely be noticeable from the street, yet took advantage of expansive rear property views of the surrounding trees and neighborhood. They were flexible to work with and adapted a number of suggestions we gave them to make the layout utilize the footprint more efficiently while providing a generous sized great room with spectacular windows that make it feel like a treehouse. They also picked up on design cues from the the existing front enclosed porch and created a facade design that is both Craftsman-like and modern, including a daring asymmetrical and cantilevered bay window area that broke up the facade and interior in a fun way, opened up extra views, and yet not requiring any additional foundation. They were right to emulate the roof angles of our existing house, but were willing to start from a lower than usual ceiling height to keep the overall height below our existing house's peak. We were impressed by the quality of their portfolio when we picked their company, and the result confirms our decision. We're happy to recommend Smook Architecture.

We have worked on projects designed by Clay Smook and his team, and as a 36+ year established builder in Central Ma, have always found it a pleasure to deal with Clay as well as his staff. They have been professional and helpful at all times, and always ready to help when or if a question arises.

Exceptional designer. Has great sense of scale and understands development intricacies of higher end projects. Very responsive and good at interpreting client input and needs.

I have worked with Clay and his team on several projects over the years. Their attention to detail when it comes to selecting windows and doors for their clients homes is unmatched. They are concerned about the cost as a much as they concerned about the aesthetics of the windows and doors, something that not all firms are capable of balancing.

I have worked with Clay on multiple projects during the design phase of construction. His attention to detail and comprehensive drawings are truly a welcome site. He office staff very friendly and open to ideas and genuinely listen to feedback. I would highly recommend him to existing clients, friends, or family as his designs transcends homes.

We hired Clay and his firm to design an addition and fix the floor plan of our 1960's ranch. Smook and his team delivered above and beyond what we hired them to do. Our revised layout is stylish yet functional. Clay and his team were easy to work with and gave us a design to fit our budget. We highly recommend Smook architecture. Our renovation would not be possible with out them.

Erratic in the conceptual design phase. Clay came up with disparate designs that either did not meet our requirements and budget or were odd-looking residential properties. The culmination was a commercial-looking design retrofitted for our country residence. He should never have taken the work from the start when we originally told him we would not tear down our house. Instead, once we hired him, he kept trying to convince us verbally, and with his designs, that we should raze the existing house.

Smook architecture did a very fine job designing our new custom home. We found Clay and his team easy to work with and they were very professional, responsive and efficient. Clay is very experienced and creative and was able to listen to our needs and wants in order to deliver an outstanding design. Communications were frequent and open and overall we were very satisfied with the experience and result.

Working with Smook Architecture currently on a new home project. Clay and his team came highly recommended from a commercial architect colleague and he has been a perfect fit for us and our project. We have a schematic design for our home that truly meets all of our functional requirements with grace and style. Clay's design sensibilities speak for themselves through his project portfolio but his passion for his work is what really sets him apart. As importantly, Clay listens well, is responsive to feedback, and has no problem with designing to a budget. We look forward to breaking ground!

My wife and I hired Clay and his team this summer to design an addition to our cape style home in Hopkinton. From the very beginning Clay was clearly listening to what our needs were for this renovation. We were very impressed with how quickly Clay's team came up with a design that not only gave us everything we were looking but also provided multiple design options to choose from. Throughout our bidding process all of our sub contractors commented on how detailed and well done our plans were which has made their jobs easier. Anytime I had a question Clay was quick to respond which helped move our process along. We would highly recommend Smook Architecture for anyone looking for a creative, responsive and most of all professional architect.

Clay is always a pleasure to work with. He is willing to think outside the box and engage in creative problem solving....exactly what one wants in an architect. For residential or commercial, he is a go-to professional.

As a former consultant working at Smook Architecture & Urban Design I have a first hand experience of how much care goes into every project that they touch. They are obsessed with quality while at the same time staying within budget and meeting the client's expectations and deadlines. The professional quality renderings and drawings that they produce convey the project ideas clearly and always impress clients and the regulatory agencies that need to review them. Clay is always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that his clients are happy and satisfied. I would have no hesitation in recommending Smook Architecture & Urban Design to work on your next project, I know you will be impressed.