What we are

Founded in 2004, coLAB studio operates as architects producing single-family homes, multi-family, commercial, and institutional buildings; and as artists making studio art, public art, and experimental installations.

Providing thoughtful and balanced projects, whether they are Architecture (warm, active, scientific, externalized “Yang” energy) or Art (mysterious, transitioning, sensing, internalized “Yin” energy.)

We utilize Biophilic Design & and Building Science to furnish beauty & function in each project to create data driven designs with a touchy-feely edge.

We draw from a freelance cohort of repeat collaborators; building and site scientists, biomimicry experts, artists, planners, digital design specialists, and a poet; on a per project-basis.

Our studio has delivered projects up to 85,000 sf and $15 million construction budgets. We have won over 55 major awards including Arizona Firm of the Year by AIA Arizona in 2023.

We strive to be the most environmentally conscious studio in Arizona, having already produced multiple high-performance, regenerative, and net-zero-energy buildings.

  • "This project spanned three years from start to finish, and every interaction the Garden had with coLAB studio and 180 only served to strengthen our conviction that we had chosen the right team and no one else could have delivered the exceptional building(s) that met, and frankly exceeded, our very high expectations."

    Kimberley McCue, Project Lead Desert Botanical Garden

  • “The saying goes that it takes a village to raise a child but in a way we never talk about the multiple stakeholders that it takes to produce a great building, I think that the Hazel Hare Center for Plant Science shows that the process of getting something built as well as the outcome of a fantastically well-designed and well-crafted building, is a great duality and the team behind it should be very proud of what they have produced and how they have produced it.”

    - AIA awards jury of peers

  • “It was AMAZING!!!!! Wow! What an incredibly designed, artistic, gorgeous, sustainable, state of the art area! I can’t wait for the rest of it to be done. This really is so HUGE! ...We all loved it.”

    — trustee of the Desert Botanical Garden after taking a tour of the new Horticulture Center

Services

  • Housing

    Single Family Homes & Multi-Family Developments

    …for those looking for something truly unique, highly environmentally sound, durable, healthy, and comfortable.

  • Commercial Architecture

    Institution, private business, education, religious, etc

    …high quality design & construction that are unique, environmentally sound, durable, comfortable, and are built within budgets.

  • Art

    Public Art & Studio Art

    Unique artworks for each location. Durable, cultural, dynamic, bold, innovative, and beautiful.

projects

info

who we are

Two partners & a deep cohort of repeat collaborators allowing us to have the right people for any project

Matthew Salenger - coLAB Partner, Regenerative Development TRP Certified

Sonja Bochart - Biophilic Design, Regenerative Development TRP Certified

Sherwood Wang - digital design + fabrication

Ron Phares - Poet

James Trahan - architect & general contractor

Erin English, PE - water/site/habitat/LEED

Past Contributors Include:

Karl Eicher, Brett Marinoff, Rachel Marie Frail, Sean Hartigan, Annette Park, Kate Horvat, Allie Riley, Kameron Selby, Brandy Burdick, Katie Gates, Aaron Forbes, Maria Batista, and Maria Talavera, and Abel Clutter.

Austin Trautman - performance envelopes

Contact us

Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!