Barnes Coy Architects is a 20-year-old firm which has realized over 250 projects throughout the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. The firm consists of 15 people, including 12 architects divided among three offices: Bridgehampton, NY; Vail, CO; and NYC.
The firm has remained relatively small, allowing the principals, Robert Barnes and Christopher Coy, to stay closely involved in every facet of the design work. This is not the case with larger residential firms, where clients are routinely assigned associates to work with.
The firm is large enough to produce complicated drawings which are heavily detailed but always informed by experienced design principals who are in direct communication with the client.
The design approach revolves around a simple and consistent philosophy. Forms are generated by the interaction between the site context and the individual program (i.e. requirements) of the client. This interaction always produces an original response that makes a successful project interesting and unique.
To implement this design philosophy, Barnes Coy uses state-of-the-art imaging and 3-D technology to create virtual models and renderings. This capability is used as an important tool in the design process, to help clients visualize the building and to facilitate the approval process.
The founding members of the firm are Robert Barnes AIA, who was educated at Georgetown University and Cornell University College of Architecture and has worked for DePolo Dunbar, Norman Jaffe AIA and Daniel Goldner AIA; and Christopher Coy AIA, who was educated at NYU and City University of New York College of Architecture and has worked for Thierry Despont, Naomi Leff and Associates, and Gwathmey Siegel Architects.
Early in the history of the firm, projects were not only designed but also built by the firm, which acted as a construction manager. This strategy was adopted because builders during the 80’s and early 90’s had difficulty understanding and accurately bidding on innovative designs. While this is no longer the case, the firm prides itself on its technical knowledge of construction and practicality in the arena of budgeting and use of materials. In this tradition Barnes Coy maintains a strong on-site presence during the construction phase of the project, monitoring the work carefully, sketching details in the field when necessary, and reviewing and approving the builder’s invoices before they are submitted to the owner.
The culture behind the firm’s success in achieving the highest standard of execution is that no one cares more about the project, including the Owner, than the Architect. This is the owner’s assurance that good design creates value.
