About

About our approach.

We are an architectural and design firm that believes in the power of good design, and work closely with you to bring the project vision and ideas into built form. We create thoughtful designs, digging into the specifics and leveraging opportunities, to create delightful contemporary places. We emphasize a sustainable approach, utilizing green building techniques, considering the larger environment and context, and balancing the project priorities with constraints.

We value a very collaborative approach with our clients. Together we will work through multiple options and vet a range of approaches and solutions. As needed, we involve engineers and consultants, and coordinate the various disciplines for a comprehensive design. We emphasize clear graphic, verbal, and written communication, and carry this attention to detail and collaboration throughout the design and construction process.

About our services.

Every project is unique, and we customize our services to fit your project needs. Our main offerings typically fit into two common scenarios:

Concept design, for when you are trying to figure out what to do
Full architectural services, for when you have a project or renovation you would like to design and build

And of course, there are always the project or needs that don’t fit into either of these two buckets! We tailor our services for each project depending on its specific requirements. The best way to get started is with a conversation. Get in touch via the contact button and let’s schedule a time to chat.

concept design

Concept design is a good fit if you know your current setup isn’t working, but you aren’t sure if the solution is to renovate, add-on, or re-build. We will evaluate the local zoning ordinance and the existing conditions, determine with you the key project goals, and generate a range of design options for meeting your goals. These options are documented in plans or massing studies, and will give you a clear understanding of multiple ways your project can be realized so you can make an informed decision on how to best proceed.

full architectural services

Full architectural services take you from initial concepts through your project’s design, documentation, and construction. In a snapshot, the process starts with existing conditions documentation and a zoning review. We create multiple options for how to approach the project and develop the design with you. We work together to select products, materials, and finishes. We coordinate any required engineers and consultants and fold their work into the design. We generate the drawing sets for pricing, construction, permit, and any special permits and variances. We aid you in contractor selection and stay involved throughout construction. We are with you every step of the way from start to finish.

About our firm.

Christina Marsh (surprise!) is the founder of Christina Marsh Architects, LLC. She brings twenty-two years of architectural experience to the firm, and is deeply invested in the successful execution of projects on behalf of the firm’s clients. With experience in residential, institutional, educational, and commercial design, Christina is well-versed in the complexities of the built environment and its multiple perspectives.

Prior to establishing Christina Marsh Architects, Christina was a co-founder of Atelier et Alia, an award wining Newton-based architectural design firm whose residential projects were featured in the Boston Globe Magazine, New England Home, and Boston Home. Earlier in her career, Christina worked at several award-winning Boston and San Francisco architectural firms, including Payette Associates, Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects, Studio Bondy Architecture, Fougeron Architecture, and SMWM (now Perkins & Will). Her projects from this time include the San Francisco North Beach Branch Library in a dense urban neighborhood, the 175,000-square-foot Williams College Hopper Science Center, and the Cornell University Kimball Hall lab renovation.

Christina is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and co-chaired the Boston chapter’s Small Practice Network committee from 2018 to 2022. Christina has taught undergraduate and graduate architectural design studios at California College of the Arts and at Wentworth Institute of Technology, and is a visiting critic at several architecture schools. Christina is a Town Meeting member and sits on the Library Building Committee for the design and execution of the new library in Belmont. In her free time, she loves pursuing art projects in multiple mediums, expanding her cooking repertoire, and traveling with her family.

Christina Marsh, AIA LEED BD+C

Master of Architecture, Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, M.I.T.

Licensed Architect in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and California

LEED Building Design and Construction accredited professional