Design Build Architects

Design Build Architects, working out of Charlestown, pairs architecture and construction services under one roof — the idea being that clients don't have to hand off between separate design and construction teams. Its site says it focuses on residential renovations, additions, and new construction with an emphasis on passive-house and energy-efficient work, and it lists Certified Passive House Builder and PHIUS Certified Builder credentials. The written record — dozens of five-star Google reviews running from 2022 through early 2026 — splits into two threads. One is residential design-build: a 2024 review described a deck remodel that impressed the homeowners' neighbors, a 2025 review described a new kitchen with added cabinet and counter space, and a 2023 review described a full gut renovation of a Boston condo from demo through design and build. The larger thread, concentrated in reviews from 2025, is helping Boston restaurant and cafe owners navigate the city's Outdoor Dining permit program — site drawings, applications, and approvals that reviewers repeatedly called fast, including one client (El Centro Boston / La Neta Boston) who said in an early-2025 review they'd worked with the team for about five years. Worth knowing: a couple of the five-star reviews read more like personal character references than project accounts — two use nearly identical wording about having known the firm's principal, Arick Dyrdal, for years, rather than describing actual work. The company also notes that for insurance purposes it operates alongside a sister entity, Design-Build Boston Construction, LLC, though it says in practice the two function as one business. This looks like a strong fit for a residential addition, renovation, or passive-house project, or for a restaurant/cafe owner working through Boston's outdoor dining permitting — though anyone hiring for a first kitchen or larger remodel may want a couple of client references, since most of the specific project detail centers on decks, permitting work, and smaller-scope design rather than full kitchen builds.