Neiman Taber Architects

MISSION

 

Neiman Taber Architects is a full service architecture firm specializing in urban housing. Our work is characterized by a unique focus on issues of livability, affordability, community, and access to housing for all.

 

Livability

We specialize in contemporary architecture that is uniquely responsive to the climate of the Pacific Northwest, exploring the challenges and opportunities that arise when we build here. Our work reflects particular attention to the specific aspects of our of climate that makes Seattle unique: Our gray skies, our persistent rain, and that wonderful time of the year when the gray and the rain recede and our homes can open up and connect to the outdoors. Our work is a continual exploration of configuration, material, and technology that produces buildings uniquely suited to their place and time.

 

Affordability

We employ a range of strategies to pursue affordability in the housing we design.  For many projects, the emphasis is on creating small unit housing where space efficiency and land utilization creates housing that is less expensive than a conventional project.  We work with local government to participate in incentive programs that produce units with discounted, stabilized rents.  We design housing with unit diversity that creates niches for a range of housing needs, and we look for opportunities to partner with non-profit organizations to pair our housing with services and cultural resources that can enhance the lives of residents.

 

 

 

 

Community

In our work, we look for opportunities where living together in dense housing can become a positive experience that connects people to one another and builds community among residents. At a variety of scales, from courtyard townhomes to micro apartments, we have pioneered new approaches to urban housing.  In addition to traditional architectural services, we have begun to develop some of these projects ourselves, offering us the opportunity to push the edge of the envelope as far as we can. .

 

Access to Housing for All

In addition to our design and development work, Neiman Taber is deeply involved in public policy around housing issues. As architects we have a unique understanding of the real-world effects of the rules governing design and development.  We also have a unique skill set, in that we can not only advocate for certain policies, but we have the skills to illustrate the outcomes – to show and tell.

We advocate for policies that help our housing supply catch up with the growth in our region, to alleviate the bidding war for scarce housing that has for many years kept our housing market artificially inflated, exacerbating issues of inequality and squeezing our most vulnerable populations. In addition to supply, we also advocate for policies that will break down exclusionary zoning policies that make it difficult for renters and people of limited means to live in desirable neighborhoods.  In short, we advocate for more housing for more people in more places.