Rooted in Community, Driven by Design
The past few months have been nothing short of busy and rewarding for our DMHA team. From exciting new projects breaking ground to community events, we’ve hit the ground running in 2025. Here’s a recap of recent highlights and updates.
AIA Design Recognition for Swamp House
In December of 2024, our team received an AIASB Honorable Mention Design Award for the Swamp House project. Designed for a vacant lot in the Santa Ynez Valley, the Swamp House is inspired by the site’s surrounding rural aesthetic. In locating the guest house on the property, it became necessary for the home to be built along the west edge of the site, away from the flood zone that inspired the moniker “Swamp House.” The home is designed with a minimalist aesthetic, balancing openness and privacy to reflect the expansive landscape of the valley. Given the rural nature of the site and the client’s “off-grid” goals, the residence runs on a full solar array with battery back-up, propane generator, and a water storage tank served by an onsite well. Receiving the Honorable Mention Design Award is truly a gift — Ryan and our team are thankful to be recognized for this gorgeous residential project.
Reflecting a spirit of collaboration
In January of 2025, we received the Santa Barbara Contractors Association 2025 Design & Architectural Excellence Award for our Cabrillo Commercial Project. An award from an organization like SBCA is especially meaningful to us as it reflects the spirit of collaboration between architects and contractors. We consider ourselves privileged to have worked with Young Construction on this award-winning project. Every detail is a reflection of the communication and collaboration between our teams. Thank you, SBCA, for this noteworthy recognition, with a special shout out to Ed, Ryan and DMHA team members in collaboration with Henry Lenny, as well as Young Construction for being excellent partners!
Noteworthy Press | SB Southcoast Chamber of Commerce Magazine
We were especially honored to be featured in Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce Magazine this past February. The article, “Rooted in Community, Driven by Design” highlights the history of our firm, design philosophies, commitment to sustainability, and our love for this community. We believe that an important factor leading to our success has been our commitment to give back to the community around us—the same community that has supported us from the beginning.
“Yet DMHA’s impact extends well beyond its architectural achievements. As an integral part of the Santa Barbara community, the firm collaborates with local educational institutions
and supports various nonprofits… This ongoing dedication to the South Coast reflects a genuine love for the area- a sentiment that’s deeply felt by the team, many of whom have lived, raised families, and built lasting relationships here. Their efforts to serve on nonprofit boards and engage with local causes exemplify their commitment to making Santa Barbara a vibrant, flourishing community.”
AIASB Emerging Professional design crawl
We love having the opportunity to host AIASB’s Emerging Professional Design Crawl at our office. This meaningful event is an opportunity for students, recent graduates, and newly licensed architects to network and receive mentorship from industry leaders. After every event, we leave encouraged and excited about the future generation of designers.
Linden Avenue Scheduled to Open April 24th
It’s difficult to express the feeling of seeing projects progress from ideas and renderings to physical spaces. We consider ourselves lucky to design places that bring people together and create a sense of identity and connection throughout our County. Linden Avenue is just one example of this meaningful process. We are thrilled that the project is now complete and new restaurants – including Third Window, Tina’s Pizza, Dart Coffee, and Corazón Cocina! With the scheduled April 24th opening date just a couple weeks away, businesses are putting in the final touches on the freshly constructed spaces. We can’t wait for this new, lively hub in Carpinteria!
Grateful for Our Community
We are very grateful to the Santa Barbara community and to our team members and partners, for the opportunity to do what we love and value everyday — design thoughtful and innovative architecture. As we wrap up the first quarter of 2025, we look forward to the rest of the year ahead with anticipation and excitement. Here’s to continued success, strong community partnerships, and beautiful new projects!