Headframe Design
Architecture and Consulting
High-quality, high-value architectural design
A full range of architectural design and consulting services for new build, renovation and adaptive reuse projects.
Services
Conceptual design through construction administration
Residential - single and multi-family
Commercial
Design
Capital project review
Design review
Site selection
Permit facilitation
Consulting
Owner advocate for project management and oversight
Owner Representation
Headframe Design takes an inquiring, client-centered approach to all projects. Our first step in collaborating is thoroughly understanding a client’s vision and aspirations. We see our work as placemaking, designing buildings that engage with their site-specific environmental, historical, and cultural context while satisfying the project’s programmatic requirements. We strive to design buildings that are beautiful, durable, and energy-efficient while fostering the well-being and comfort of the occupants. To address the unique challenges of building in mountain communities, Headframe Design believes that integrating design and prefabrication offers opportunities for cost, quality, and schedule advantages. In keeping with our passion for computational design, we leverage design technology for efficient design processes.
Approach
As a licensed Architect and the Owner of Headframe Design, Michael Stesney brings his wealth of experience earned over three decades in Colorado's design and construction industry to the firm. He has worked at some of Denver's leading architecture firms, and his portfolio showcases a diverse range of successfully completed projects, demonstrating thoughtful and high-value design. Recognized for crafting elegant technical solutions, Michael integrates robust building science expertise and deep construction knowledge, particularly evident in his extensive work on complex renovations, adaptive reuse, and building enclosure projects. Beyond his architectural practice, Michael is also a seasoned computational designer and researcher. He recently conducted Department of Energy-funded research with an off-site structural panel manufacturer, developing computational design tools that promote market adoption of Zero Energy Ready homes.
Expertise
A childhood spent fascinated by building and drawing in Massachusetts led Michael to a degree in Architecture at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Study abroad programs in Turkey and India cultivated his deep appreciation for the diverse architectural histories of the world. Career opportunities and the lure of the mountains called, and Colorado became home as he began his career in Denver. He learned and practiced his craft at some of the state’s most well-regarded firms. Michael raised his family while enjoying mountain sports and backpacking journeys with his children around the world. Always learning and innovating, he pursued a degree in Computational Design at Carnegie Mellon University after over two decades in architecture. Along the way, he never lost his passion for drawing and painting and has become an accomplished oil painter. In 2024, love, beauty, and trails of all kinds drew him to Leadville. Michael now applies his unique background as an Architect, artist, computational designer, and off-site construction expert to his practice in Leadville, CO.
About
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