Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Heinbeck.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jason. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
You know, it’s funny. I was just going through some papers in my office and I found a blueprint of the first house I ever designed…. when I was 16 years old. I’m 42, which means I’ve been designing peoples homes for almost 26 years now. I can’t believe I’ve been lucky enough to have been doing this for so long!
I grew up in Michigan, went to school there, and got my first architecture job there, but I moved to Boston around 2000. I started at a rather large firm, 220 people (I think) at the time. But it didn’t quite work for me. I tried a smaller office of 6 people, which was a nice size, eventually an even smaller office of 3 people, and then finally I think I’ve found the perfect size in an office of one. Just me.
I’ve been in JP for twelve years now. It’s home, and since there is so much building going on these days, it’s also where I do a good amount of my work as well.
Has it been a smooth road?
Well, they say you “practice” architecture for a reason. It’s because you’re not going to step right out of school, into an office and know exactly what you want to do, or what exactly you’re going to really be good at. I started at a large office, wearing a shirt and tie, and sat in front of a computer all day. I was good at what I did, but I didn’t find it fulfilling.
I like where I’m at now, I like talking to clients in their kitchen and listening to what they want for their house. I like crawling in people’s attics to see if we can take a dirty, dingy, forgotten space, and make it a part of the home they can live in and use. It’s the best when a client thinks they need to put a huge addition onto the back of their home to make it work for them, but then I come back with an idea simply reorganizing some spaces, or finishing a existing basement, or adding some new windows, taking down a wall, or whatever it is, but totally transforming an existing space to meet all their needs, and making that happen in a way that they simply didn’t expect or think of.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the jason heinbeck | residential design story. Tell us more about the business.
I do residential design, I help people make their homework for them. Whether its a small apartment and you need more storage space or a condo and you want to get more out of your outdoor space, or if you really need to rethink your entire home, I just love helping people figure these things out.
At the beginning of every project, no matter how small, I encourage people to think about their entire home, and what they want no matter how big or small, silly or aspirational…. I think it’s essential to just spend some time and think things through. And why is that? A couple of reasons: 1) You never know what opportunities might present themselves. Something you thought that might be unobtainable, might, in fact, be a practical part of the project.
Also, if I know whats on your mind, I might come up with a solution that meets more of your needs than the original scope of the project. Its just never a bad idea to plan before you build. It always works out for the best, which leads me to 2) Pretty much everything in your house is connected to everything else, especially plumbing! I often meet with a client who wants a new kitchen.
Often, right above the old kitchen, on the 2nd floor is an equally old bathroom that they want to fix “in the future”. But the pipes usually run through the kitchen, and into the bathroom. And how terrible would it be if you went to renovate your bath in a few years, only to have to rip out the ceiling of your newly renovated kitchen? By planning ahead, you’ll only have to pay for things once. And sometimes can make all the difference in the world.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Architects and designers come in all shapes and sizes, and they cover a lot of different areas of building. But one thing we all need to have a handle on is “green building”. No matter what size project I do, if I’m touching an exterior wall, you can bet that the wall will be the best insulated, most air-tight, best performing, most energy-efficient wall in your entire house! I always go through a checklist of energy efficient items when meeting with people.
Not only for energy efficiency but also just for quality of life. I’m really big on making sure to inform clients on how to insure their house is properly insulated, on how to take advantage of natural light, proper air-circulation, making sure their basement is dry so to help eliminate odors, mold, etc… It’s just part of what I do, and part of what I think is important for anyone involved in building.
Pricing:
- The first hour is always free.
Contact Info:
- Address: 10 Park Ln
Jamaica Plain, MA - Website: heinbeck.design
- Phone: 8572056413
- Email: jason@heinbeck.design
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