A treetop study in the Berkshires, on the second floor of a new carriage house, frames views of the surrounding woods. The honey-oak paneling brings warmth to the modern space, while the skylights pour in light from above.  The space serves as a guest room as well, with an adjacent bathroom tucked behind one of the invisible doors.  

Designed as a country retreat for a young couple from New York City, this compact project plays with the idea of a modern cabin. Containing 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms in under 2,000 sqft, the house exploits the use of glass and outdoors rooms to expand its virtual space and connection to nature. 

The aesthetics of the house reflect the nature of its owners; while very modest and private on the outside, it is full of light and openness on the inside.  

The project's interior design creates a youthful and relaxed atmosphere, while maintaining a timelessness and simplicity appropriate to its New England heritage.

Builder: Lou Boxer Builder.

Western Massachusetts American Institute of Architects, Honor Award, 2016.

With Kuhn Riddle Architects.

This 3,300 sqft building serves as a spectator pavilion for the new recreation fields in Florence, Massachusetts.  Prior to the town purchasing the land for public recreation, the fields had been farmland for over a century.  The form of the pavilion references the agricultural history of the site, as well as the outdoor nature of the program, by taking a modern approach to a classic New England barn.

The pavilion provides a strong, quiet backdrop for the activity on the fields, and offers shelter and seating for the players and spectators gathered there.  Strung between each pier is a built-in bench, providing spectator seating, and—on the side facing the parking lot—seating for those waiting to be picked up.

Spatially, the building explores the ability of modular forms to read as both solid and void.  

Builder: Inglewood Development Corporation.

This exterior porch addition and interior renovation transformed the first floor of a dormitory into a commercial kitchen, dining hall, kitchenette, and conference room on the Smith College campus.

The dining hall is the first of its kind in the country, serving exclusively gluten-free meals to students with food sensitivities.  

The new wrap-around porch creates wheel-chair access from two different locations, while maintaining the historic integrity of the building's design.

Builder: Keiter Builders.

Renovation of a 1,000 sf below-grade office space for the law firm Reall, Lucentini & Lucentini LLP.  This project focuses on capturing light and creating a warm, modern work environment that both renews and respects the existing materials of the building.  

Builder: Keiter Builders.

With C&H Architects & Parker Torres Design.

Morgan Studio worked with C&H Architects (prime architect) and the interior design firm Parker Torres to modernize community spaces in a number of campus dormitories on the Amherst College campus, including Plimpton House and Moore Residence Hall.

New lighting, finishes, furniture, and room layouts inject a sense of identity and fun into each common space.

Building renovations also included the addition of accessible entries and bathrooms, as well as upgrades to HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems.

Western Massachusetts American Institute of Architects, Honor Award, 2014.

With Kuhn Riddle Architects.

This major renovation of a historic church, coupled with a new addition, provides office space for both academic and non-academic departments within 20,000 sqft.

The facade of the new addition references the rhythms and patterns of the existing church building, without repeating them verbatim.  The decidedly modern articulation of new aluminium windows in the former church helps decouple its past religious program from its current use, while also strengthening the visual connection of the two buildings as one entity.

Builder: Aquadro & Cerruti.

With Kuhn Riddle Architects.

This 15,000 sqft building contains practice rooms for the marching band, storage space for instruments and uniforms, and offices for administration. It also includes a large indoor performance space that can accommodate the entire 300-person marching band.  

Highly efficient mechanical systems, super-insulation, aggressive glazing choices, and efficient lighting reduce energy costs for the University. The building received LEED Gold certification.

Builder: Eastern General Contractors

Western Massachusetts American Institute of Architects, Honor Award, 2010.

With Kuhn Riddle Architects.

Inspired by the tobacco barns and farmhouses of the surrounding area, this project was designed as a sustainable spec house for Tomlinson Builders. A single-story, 2,000 sqft home with 3 bedrooms, its open floor plan and flexible layout appeal to a variety of homeowners, from new families to recent retirees. 

The simple geometric forms of the home are both modern and traditional, crisp and inviting. 

To maintain the natural qualities of the site, outdoor spaces were conceived as small jewels of manicured space set into an otherwise uncultivated landscape.