About Durodeco

ABOUT THE COMPANY

durodeco is a design office co-led by architect Rachel Robinson and structural engineer Michael Dunham. Our approach to design is based on merging the complementary principles from our respective fields.

Rachel’s architectural training is design-oriented: centered on creativity and originality. Michael’s engineering work takes a highly technical approach with a focus on problem-solving. We quickly realized that blending these modes of thinking early in a project could result in more thoughtful, better executed designs. In the classic discussion of form v. function, our work is based on the idea that one cannot exist without the other, and that elegance is found when they coexist.

We apply an imaginative, yet rigorous approach to all our projects – at the small scale of furniture and the large scale of ground-up construction. We delight in finding graceful solutions within constraints. We often work in and around New York City, where we find ourselves designing within existing historic buildings and adapting them in strategic ways to support contemporary lifestyles. The adjacency of old and new is a space we find fascinating.

When we create ground-up projects, we reflect on the lessons we’ve learned from working within historic, well-constructed buildings. We take those principles and apply them to new construction with designs that are built to last. We use high-quality materials, and we look for construction partners with the craftsmanship capabilities to create something that can last another lifetime, with the ability to evolve and adapt over time for future lifestyles.

ABOUT THE PARTNERS

Rachel Robinson, AIA
Rachel Robinson is a licensed architect with over 10 years of experience working in New York and a portfolio spanning residential, cultural, and hospitality projects at firms including Toshiko Mori Architect, Selldorf Architects, and Rockwell Group. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia School of Architecture and a Master in Architecture degree from Harvard University Graduate School of Design. She also studied drawing in Vicenza, Italy, where she was inspired by the work of Carlo Scarpa and his meticulous attention to the interface between historic architecture and contemporary design. She has developed a niche expertise and enthusiasm for approaching the seemingly daunting interplay between new and old in her own work.

Michael Dunham, P.E.
Michael Dunham is an experienced structural engineer in the façade and lightweight structures industry. His knowledge of the innate properties of building materials has informed his approach to design and detailing across scales from bridges to furniture. Michael has worked on projects ranging from the cable- and glass-supported facades of One World Trade Center and Columbia Business School in New York to The Wingtip Bridge, a 582-ft span pedestrian bridge in the Appalachian mountains. He attended Colorado State University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering before moving to New York City to complete a Master of Science degree in Structural Engineering at Columbia University.

OUR SERVICES

We take a hands-on approach to our projects, offering full architectural and interior design services, custom furniture and millwork design, and specialty structural and façade engineering. We advise owners through the search for contractors, facilitate the budgeting and bid processes, and oversee construction through the completion of the project.

As licensed professionals in our respective fields, we draw on a combined 25 years of experience in the design and construction industry, with a particular focus on work in and around New York City. We are a certified woman-owned business in New York State. We strive to achieve innovative, yet approachable designs, always advocating for the best design possible and striving to work within any constraints nimbly and cheerfully along the way.

For inquiries, please contact us:

info@durodeco.com

212.548.3940


Featured PRESS

Kitchen of 350 sq ft apartment in nyc designed by durodeco and featured in dwell magazine

“THIS 350-SQUARE-FOOT NYC APARTMENT HAS PLENTY OF ROOM TO ENTERTAIN”

"We learned that in a home this size, every design decision needs to contribute both functionally and aesthetically to the space," Robinson says. "The details matter even more when every inch is significant, so we got creative with how to make the most out of everything."

OTHER FEATURES:

NEVER TOO SMALL

Our renovation design on the Upper West Side in Manhattan was the first North American project featured on Never Too Small, a channel showcasing small space living. This video feature walks through our design process and materials selection for making the most of a small space.