FIRM PROFILE
At Christina Griffin Architect, we promote creativity and individualism in design through a collaborative process with the client. Established in 1988, our projects range from renovation, restoration and new construction of private residences to public and commercial projects. We are a civic-minded firm known for community projects including a nature center, a library park, a school playground, a downtown plaza, a firehouse expansion, and affordable housing. The firm has adopted principles of sustainable design that have been incorporated in many recent projects, including River Town House, the first Platinum rated LEED for Homes certified project in Westchester County.
At Christina Griffin Architect, creativity and artistry is intrinsic to
our designs. Characteristic themes of our work include light and airy
interiors, gracious proportions, integrated indoor and outdoor spaces,
and the balance of architectural forms and materials with the surrounding
environment. Our designs seek to elevate the quality of life, whether
in creating a welcoming communal space, a comfortable and serene living
area, or an assembly of dramatic architectural forms.
Our design methodology begins with an analysis of the client’s goals
and a feasibility study. The project team conducts a site visit, reviews
zoning and survey information, examines contextual features of the site,
and interviews key building users. Parameters for design, scope and cost
are assembled, and various design options explored, for review at a series
of client / architect meetings. Throughout this process, the project evolves
from initial concept to a formula for construction, translating design
objectives into a physical structure. Our team approach continues during
construction, emphasizing close communication with client, contractor,
and architect, and working towards achieving a leading standard of aesthetics,
function, and high-performance construction.
PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT
CHRISTINA GRIFFIN A.I.A. LEED AP is an award-winning architect who has owned her own firm for 25 years. She studied at Syracuse University and the Architectural Association of London, receiving a Bachelor of Architecture in 1979. Christina Griffin has been a registered architect with the State of New York since 1985, and is a member of the Westchester Chapter of the A.I.A.
Christina obtained her LEED AP (Leader
in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation in 2009, and is a member
of the US Green Building Council. In 2012, she received her certification
as a Passive House Consultant from PHIUS
(Passive House Institute of United States).
From 1996 to 2007, Christina was the Chairperson for the Hastings Architectural
Review Board. In collaboration with a Design Guidelines Committee, Christina
wrote the Hastings Design Guidelines for the commercial district in the
Village of Hastings-on Hudson, which was adopted in March 2011. She is
a former board member of the Westchester Chapter of Habitat for Humanity,
designing the first Habitat affordable housing project in Westchester.
In 1998, Christina received an A.I.A. Citation for Recognition of Architectural
Excellence for the renovation and extension of Protection Engine Company
No. 1, the firehouse in downtown Hastings.
Christina specializes in the development of sustainable and eco-friendly
designs. She co-founded the Green
Building Professional Consortium, a development company to build and
promote environmentally conscious buildings. GBPC developed a two-unit
townhouse called River Town House in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, which received
the first Platinum LEED for Homes certification in Westchester in 2009,
and a Westchester/Hudson Valley A.I.A. Design Award in 2010.
Her most recent LEED for Homes certified project, the first in the City
of White Plains, won another Westchester/Hudson Valley A.I.A. Design Award,
as well as a HOBI Award (Home Builder's Association of Connecticut) for
the Best Energy Efficient Green Remodel, in 2012.
As a member of the of the Educational Committee for the Westchester Chapter
of A.I.A., Christina helped develop a proposal for the AIA Sustainable
Design Database – which was chosen as the winner of the 2011 A.I.A.
N.Y.S. Empire State Challenge. She created a program on sustainable design
for teenagers called the Exploring Architecture - Youth Workshop, which
was held in the summer of 2009. She is currently working with the Hastings
Green Building Code Committee to write a sustainable building code for
the village.
Westchester Home featured an outstanding example of one of her modern
homes in the 2005 article, “Glorious Home”. In 2012, she won
top honors in the magazine’s Design Awards Contest. That same year,
Christina was selected by Westchester Magazine as "The Architect"
in "People to Watch, 22 Stars on the Rise". She is also featured
in the magazine’s Spring 2013 issue, “Great Architects –
the County’s 13 Top Master Builders.”
cg@christinagriffinarchitect.com
PROJECT DESIGNER
SUZANNE LEVINE, LEED AP is a designer who joined the firm in 1999. She is involved in all aspects of the practice including design, construction document preparation, project management and administration. She is a member of the Hastings Design Guideline Committee, which drafted design priorities for downtown Hastings. Prior to joining Christina Griffin Architect, Suzanne was a studio assistant in New York, working as an archivist and photographic printer, as well as a coordinator for a large-scale public sculpture project.
Suzanne's early career began as a writer and editor for publications on the arts, politics and health. She authored a book on political activism (Riverhead Press, 1995), and has written a series of children's books on world mythology for Franklin Watts. Suzanne has a BA in English from Boston University. She obtained her LEED AP accreditation in 2009, and is currently working toward her license in architecture. sl@christinagriffinarchitect.com
ARTISTIC COORDINATOR
JOSEFA MULAIRE provides layout & coordination of presentation materials and building permit submissions. She is the webmaster and photographer for our firm. Her photographs of historical buildings in downtown Hastings were included in the Design Guidelines.
Josefa is a founding member of the Farragut Middle School Playground Committee, spearheading the site planning and design of a recreation space for the students of Hastings-on-Hudson. Josefa is a visual artist with a BA in theater from Bard College, and an MFA in photography from the School of Visual Arts at Syracuse University. Her artwork (www.josefamulaire.com) has been exhibited throughout the United States.
Before joining Christina Griffin Architect, Josefa ran the digital photography department at Dementi Studios in Richmond, Virginia, and was the Art Director for Theatre-in-Action in Tribeca, New York. jm@christinagriffinarchitect.com
CONTACTS
tel:
914-478-0799
fax: 914-478-0806
10 Spring Street, Hastings-on-Hudson,
NY 10706
info@christinagriffinarchitect.com
