Dunham Robinson is a full-service design studio founded by architect Rachel Robinson and structural engineer Michael Dunham. Our approach to design is based on merging the complementary principles from our respective fields. We specialize in high-end residential, hospitality projects, and cultural work.
Rachel’s architectural training and work history has given her an approach rooted in creativity and originality. Michael’s engineering work has introduced a highly technical approach with a focus on problem-solving. Blending these modes has resulted in an approach to architecture that is seamless, thoughtful, and inventive. Our work seeks the elegance of form meeting function; the balance of science and art.
We apply an imaginative and rigorous approach to all our projects, from the small scale of furniture to the large scale of ground-up construction. We delight in discovering and offering graceful solutions to each constraint and limitation. We often work in and around New York City, where we find ourselves working with historic buildings and adapting them in strategic ways to support contemporary lifestyles.
With each ground-up project, we reflect on the lessons we’ve learned from working with historic, well-constructed buildings, and take those principles and apply them to new construction. We use high-quality materials, and we work exclusively with construction partners who have the craftsmanship and capabilities to create a design that can last a lifetime.
Our clients have said they enjoy working with us because of our sophisticated, yet down-to-earth approach combined with innovative ideas that are grounded in construction know-how. We care deeply about creating successful projects, taking a fresh approach to the unique requirements of each one.
Rachel Robinson, AIA
Rachel Robinson is a licensed architect with a portfolio spanning residential, cultural, and hospitality projects at renowned firms including Toshiko Mori Architect, Selldorf Architects, and Rockwell Group. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia School of Architecture and a Master in Architecture degree from Harvard University Graduate School of Design. She also studied drawing in Vicenza, Italy, where she was inspired by the work of Carlo Scarpa and his meticulous attention to the interface between historic architecture and contemporary design. She has continued to refine and hone her expertise and enthusiasm for approaching the seemingly daunting yet infinitely generative interplay between new and old.
Michael Dunham, P.E.
Michael Dunham is an experienced structural engineer in the façade and lightweight structures industry. His knowledge of the innate properties of building materials has informed his approach to design and detailing across scales from bridges to furniture. Michael’s early training was with the pioneering German engineering firm SBP, and he later went on to work as the in-house engineer for a specialty glass contractor before becoming a senior associate in the New York office of Arup. He has worked on projects ranging from the cable- and glass-supported facades of One World Trade Center and Columbia Business School in New York to The Wingtip Bridge, a 582-ft span pedestrian bridge in the Appalachian mountains. He attended Colorado State University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering before moving to New York City to complete a Master of Science degree in Structural Engineering at Columbia University.