Thoughtful architecture for the people
and places of the Pacific Northwest

Architecture begins with listening

I spent years working on some of the most technically demanding projects in the industry — large-scale data centers, complex commercial buildings, and multi-team coordination across millions of square feet. That work taught me how to manage complexity, hold a standard, and deliver under pressure.

Now I bring that same discipline and clarity to a very different kind of practice. Jura Architects is a community-focused studio rooted in Anacortes, Washington, working with families, small businesses, daycares, and neighbors on projects of all sizes. The rigor is the same. The scale is personal.

I believe that good design should be accessible — not reserved for those with the largest budgets. Every project deserves careful thought, honest materials, and a designer who listens before drawing.

What hard work trained me to do

Before starting Jura Architects, I worked on projects where the margin for error was thin and the stakes were high. That experience built a foundation I bring to every project, no matter the size.

  • Large-Scale Coordination

    Managing multi-disciplinary teams across projects spanning millions of square feet.

  • Technical Documentation

    Producing precise construction documents that hold up under scrutiny and keep builds on track.

  • Building Envelope

    Understanding how structures meet weather, light, and air — the details that make buildings last.

  • Code Compliance

    Navigating building codes, zoning, and permitting so that good ideas become buildable realities.

  • Fast-Paced Delivery

    Meeting aggressive timelines without compromising quality or coordination.

  • Client Advocacy

    Translating a client's needs and vision into clear direction for contractors and consultants.

How I work

Design is a conversation. I work collaboratively with every client — you are part of the process from the first sketch to the final detail. Your life, your site, your habits, and your budget shape every decision.

  1. Listen

    We start with your story. How do you live? What does your family need? What does this place mean to you? I ask questions before I draw lines.

  2. Explore

    Together we study the site, the light, the neighbors, and the land. I present options — not a single solution — so you can see the possibilities and help direct the path.

  3. Design

    Drawings develop through honest conversation. We refine until the design feels right — not just to me, but to you. The goal is a home or building that belongs to its people and its place.

  4. Build

    I produce thorough construction documents and stay involved through permitting and construction. The clarity I bring from years of complex technical work means fewer surprises and a smoother build.

Design philosophy

A home should feel like it grew from its site — shaped by the light, the trees, the way the rain falls.

My work draws from Scandinavian modernism and the particular character of the Pacific Northwest. Clean lines, honest materials, natural light, and a deep respect for landscape. I call it Scandi modern PNW — but every project is different, because every client and every site is different.

Outside of architecture, I make things with my hands: floral arrangements, wood turning, painting, embroidery, clay. I love combining old treasures and found objects with modern simplicity. That instinct — mixing warmth with restraint, inherited things with new ones — runs through everything I design.

The goal is never a style imposed from above. It is a space that belongs to the people who live in it and the place where it stands. Thoughtful, quiet, and built to last.

Sauna Road

My great-grandmother and great-grandfather traveled from Finland and met at a Finnish dance hall in New York City. They eventually settled in a small town in New Jersey and named their road Sauna Road. They invited Finnish friends to move to the same street, and slowly a little community formed — one house at a time, one family at a time.

My mother grew up nearby, walking to her grandmother's house after school. I grew up hearing about those walks and the world at the end of them: cardamom bread cooling on the counter, strong coffee always ready, the sauna heated, and the cold stream just outside. Pulla on the table. The smell of birch and woodsmoke.

Those sensory memories — inherited more than lived, but real nonetheless — shaped something in me long before I understood it. An appreciation for simplicity. For ritual. For warmth made with hands and honest materials. For the way a place can hold a family together across generations.

When I found Anacortes, something felt familiar. The mountains and water. The islands and forests. The quiet. It reminded me of the Finland I had only heard about — a landscape that rewards attention and stillness. The kind of place where architecture should listen to the land before it speaks.

That Finnish sensibility — the belief that a space should be simple, warm, and made with care — is in everything I design. It is not a style I chose. It is something I inherited, and something this place confirmed.

Who I work with

I work with people who care about their homes and communities but may not have considered hiring an architect. You do not need a massive budget to benefit from good design. You need someone who listens, understands your constraints, and helps you make the most of what you have.

  • Young families building or remodeling their first home
  • Growing families who need more space on a small lot
  • Daycares and early learning centers
  • Small businesses shaping a storefront or workspace
  • Teachers, healthcare workers, and service workers
  • Homeowners on forested, sloped, or in-town sites
  • Anyone who loves the outdoors and wants their home to reflect that

If you have a project and are not sure whether an architect is right for it — reach out. The conversation is free, and I am happy to help you think through your options.

Rooted in Anacortes

Jura Architects is based in Anacortes, Washington — on Fidalgo Island, at the edge of the San Juans, where the Cascades meet the Salish Sea. This is where I live and where I practice.

I am currently serving as the design architect for a new residential home in Anacortes and as the architect of record for my own home here. I know the local building codes, the permitting process, the soil, the weather, and the light. I know the community because I am part of it.

This is not a remote practice or a branding exercise. I am here — walking the sites, meeting the neighbors, watching how the seasons change the way a space feels. Place is not an abstraction in my work. It is the starting point.

Whether your project is in Anacortes, on one of the islands, in the Skagit Valley, or elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest, I welcome the conversation.

I share work in progress, material studies, and moments from the PNW on social media. Follow along for a look inside the studio and the landscape that shapes the work.

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Let's talk about your project

Whether you are just beginning to imagine a project or you have plans and need an architect, I would love to hear from you. The first conversation is always free — no obligation, no pressure. Just a chance to listen and see if we are a good fit.

I work with clients across the Pacific Northwest, with a focus on Anacortes, the San Juan Islands, and the Skagit Valley.

Get in Touch