Joseph Vance — Architect
“I love creating something beautiful and giving new life to old buildings. I believe buildings have souls. I love giving new energy to them.”
JVA has relished its role of doing the forensic research required to restore facades to their original grandeur to reflect the roots of structures that often date back to the 19th century. Far from being staunch traditionalists, JVA has embraced technology by employing 3-D software throughout the entire design and build-out process. Not only does this allow the architect to fully integrate building mechanicals and structure with design, but it provides JVA’s clients the more immersive experience required for them to envision the end result. They often say it looks just like the model.
“We do not have a signature style – it is not modern, traditional, or contemporary. Each project is the unique result of a particular client and space,” said Vance. “That said, all our designs are well-proportioned, focus on bringing in natural light, use warm materials, and are the product of good design. These tenets can result in any style.”
Vance’s commitment to New York City aesthetics isn’t just limited to his practice, however. The longtime Brooklyn resident helped fund the nonprofit North Brooklyn Park Alliance in 2005, which raised funds to rebuild, improve, and expand public parks in North Brooklyn. Vance has also served on the Greenpoint Waterfront Association for Parks and Planning and the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative board.
By limiting his firm’s workload to just a handful of projects a year, Vance, a self-described “control freak,” ensures his personal involvement in every facet of his clients’ buildings.
“Many times you see design that is beautiful, but it isn’t practical. When something is not practical, you do not move through it with ease, so it satisfies only the visual, not the functional or the emotional,” Vance says. “Good design is a well-proportioned space that’s thorough down to the last detail. For us, there is no other way of working.”
— Excerpt from New View: A Curated Visual Gallery: Twenty Magnificent Homes by Northeast Architects
Photography by Mikiko Kikuyama
Photography by Mikiko Kikuyama
Photography by Mikiko Kikuyama