Our Team
Graphite Studio is a design firm located in Amherst, Massachusetts, focused on high-performance residential design and energy-conscious retrofits. We’re a small-but-mighty studio with big ambitions, lots of connections, and a commitment to learning and growth.
Andrew Webster, AIA, CPHC
I love designing homes.
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Do you own a house that's ready for some major work?
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Are you buying an old place in a perfect part of town?
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Do have a new construction dream you're itching to hatch?
I'm interested.
A client told me once to add "What do you fight about?" to my list of questions for homeowners. For some families, it's the need to protect the late sleepers from the banging and clanging of the early risers. For others, it's the need to find a solitary place to get some evening work done or a sunny spot to enjoy lunch.
Whether it's a deep energy retrofit or a new home built to Passive House standards, I love most the process: the winding way we discover together what will really make a project sing. I relish the problems we can solve with a small addition or a second story, a new porch or a gut rehab. If we've also got a failing boiler or a basement that's never been useful, we've got a real challenge I'd love to dig into.
I'll work with you to turn "complicated" into "doable" and get you un-stuck on your path to the house you dream of.
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Licensed as an Architect in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
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Trained with the Passive House Institute of the US (PHIUS) - Certified Passive House Consultant #1900.
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Served as co-chair for NESEA's Building Energy Boston Conference and now serve on the Board of Directors.
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Taught Sustainable Design and Green Building at Greenfield Community College, in the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Department.
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Written for Fine Homebuilding, the Northeast Sun, GreenBuildingAdvisor and the Berkshire Eagle, and been written about in Architect Magazine and elsewhere.
Molly Solano
I started interning with Graphite Studio my senior year of college while attending The University of Massachusetts - Amherst. I am excited to join the team full-time as a Junior Designer and engage in the world of architecture!
The field combines analytical thinking with creativity and finding the balance. If you can dream it, there's a way to make it work. I love that each part of the process is a puzzle piece to a bigger picture. Although some pieces are harder to place than others, when it comes together at the end, it is the most rewarding feeling to have made someone a home rather than just a house.
My favorite part is interacting with clients and utilizing my minor in psychology to understand what people need/want in a space in regards to their lifestyle and individual personalities.
Let's get out the pencil and paper and get designing!
Anita Ghorbani
I started my internship with Graphite Studio during my first semester in my second year of the Master of Architecture program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and I'm excited to be a member of the team.
What excites me most about this role, is the opportunity to engage directly with clients, understand their needs and desires for their spaces. This understanding is pivotal in tailoring environments that reflect each client's lifestyle and personality.
The study of architecture is intriguing. There is a unique satisfaction in creating houses where people can feel safe and valued—a place for meeting with loved ones. The idea that any goal may be realized via creative thinking is truly encouraging. My job encompasses many aspects of the architectural process, from working with clients and establishing initial concepts to refining drawings in CAD for construction and, finally, seeing these plans become a reality.
Collaborations
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Graphite Studio is proud to be part of the community at the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association. Andrew is currently serving on the Board of Directors and is a Liftetime member.
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We're business members of NESEA's Building Energy Bottom Lines peer business network, working to develop best practices across the Triple Bottom Lines of people, planet, and prosperity.
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Andrew is a co-convener of Bottom Lines' Anti-Racist Action Group.
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We're part of a community of PHIUS practitioners committed to design with the climate in mind via an evolving standard for high performance homes across the globe, with one certified Passive House (Ames Hill Passive) and a design-certified home (Mountain Park) which awaits its solar roof for full certification.
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We're an Architect Trade Partner with Vermont's Efficiency Excellence Network and a member of Vermont Green Building Network.