Origin Story
Our founding members, Matthew E. Juros and Kristin R. Naumann worked in iconic Boston and Cambridge architectural firms during the 1990’s. The sophisticated design approaches and project delivery methods we learned during those years still shape how Fishbrook works today.
In early 2004 we opened Fishbrook Design Studio in the repurposed hayloft of an 18th century barn overlooking the Fish Brook in Boxford, MA. In 2011, after eventually outgrowing our space, we swapped our view of the Fish Brook for a view of the Merrimack River in next door Haverhill, MA. And we finally found our home, our community. This fundamentally drives our identity and our work.
Communities at the Core
We value engagement with the communities where we live and work. It’s a big part of who we are. Our studio is located in the gateway city of Haverhill, MA. This pocket-sized city is a bustling center of urbanism, art and politics. It is just big enough to have a vibrant and growing downtown, an active artists community and a city government that is both sophisticated and inclusive.
The majority of our clients and projects are in Boston, Cambridge and beyond but we are in Haverhill up to our elbows: we work with local developers, nonprofits and local governments. Although we're likely to be found in front of the city council representing clients, it's not unheard of to find one of us attending city council meetings just to take part.
How We're Different
We approach each project with agility and rigor. In our case, size really does matter: founding principle, Matthew is intimately involved in each project. We are highly efficient in production and attentive to client and contractor alike. As we’ve evolved--never more so than in the last two years--we’ve always showed up to every project as architects, artists, and neighbors and stayed true to our core values:
Core Values
IDEAS:
The quality of an idea is more important than the person to whom it is attributed. We create, debate, synthesize and, above all, execute quality ideas impeccably.
HAND VS. MACHINE:
In the design world, a hand-drawn line communicates quality; an organic soulfulness. A digital line communicates information and delivers with precision. Both are important to us.
RIGOR:
The looseness of our creative process is balanced by our professional practice, where code compliance, constructability, and budgetary requirements rule.
