From first idea to project direction — everything you need to define your vision and test its potential.
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Discovery call
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Advisory visit or video consultation
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Custom brainstorming workshop
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Visioning study
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Architectural survey
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Preliminary audit (due diligence)
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Architectural and/or urban feasibility and capacity study
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Investor package
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Architectural schematic design
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Site schematic design
Our mission
Local Approach, Global Perspective
Every project starts with its context. Our best work fits seamlessly into its environment, like it's always been there and always will. Timeless.
From our global perspective we have developed a hyper local approach. The best ideas cross-pollinate across cultures, but the best buildings belong to their place. Drawing on artisanal craft, traditional bioclimatic techniques, and contemporary environmental innovations-– we learn from everywhere to build for here. We create places that are authentic and informed, sometimes nostalgic, but always relentlessly optimistic about the future.
Every project begins with an intense contextual site study. We look at context from every angle and scale— from a site’s region, neighborhood, material sources, evolving climate, and especially its history. We go beyond data points to understand the local culture and community. Moving fluidly between architecture, urban design, and landscape, we reveal possibilities unique to each place.
Responsible and Joyous
We are convinced that people need spaces with conscientiousness. More than ever, architecture must play a role in bettering our world. We created Sierra to respond to this need, for people and brands that need spaces with meaning-- spaces that are responsible and joyous.
We understand that beauty must be functional. Respect for nature and resilient responses to climate aren't constraints; they reveal better design. We care about making diverse, healthy places. We care about honoring your story through the art of building.
We are specialists in our values and generalists in our practice. No project is too small or too large, but must resound with meaning and purpose. We work with clients and collaborators who share this hopeful spirit.
Great projects have missions. We accompany our partners from early concept through built completion to discover how good design achieves that mission. Our goal: architecture that moves people and belongs to its place, making your new project culturally rooted and engaging to stand the tests of time.
Our values are your values
Stories
Behind every project is a story. Our role is to reveal that identity in the built form. We are listening to your voice and your history that will make your project unique.
This mindset and communication approach creates authentic down-to-earth projects rooted in their place and time, special projects in their own right.
Résilience
We must think at a regional and global scale to make responsible decisions for future generations. Resilience is planned for. We prioritize design to last a lifetime. We believe in using architecture and urban design to make a more just, equal and accessible quality of life for years to come.
Local
We may be an international Atelier, but our global experience has taught us the importance of local values. We work hard with urban diagnostics and community surveys to integrate the context of every project, be it urban, climatic, or socio/economic.
We also know every place has different materials and construction methods. Ideas cannot be copy/pasted from place to place. A respect for artisanal creation and tradesmen in every location creates quality.
Minimal
Function = beauty.
We want to talk about volumes and uses to make the most optimal space. Decoration is not architecture. We search for the essence of your use to create comfortable and functional spaces.
Ideas, emotions, and uses can be expressed with materials. The most humble, modest re-used and locally sourced materials can create the biggest impact.
Écosystèmes
Every action we take can have an impact on our natural environment. We aim to create space with and with respect for Nature, to link people with the outdoors, and to positively influence the ecosystems around us as much as possible.
The sun and light are part of nature. These elements are obligatory integrations in any project to anchor a project in its environment and take advantage of the beauty of natural light.
Communities
We make spaces for people (duh!).
We think about the user, and design based on a person who will use the space. Communities and the public deserve well thought-out and safe places to share and play, with values of inclusiveness and diversity.
How we work
Sierra's creative approach is anchored in professionalism and communication.
We're building something together — with you, for you. Every project involves thousands of micro-decisions that impact budget, timeline, and even the way the sun hits your terrasse during your evening “apéro.” Whether this is your first built project or you’re a professional, our goal is to reduce decision fatigue and guide you at every step, making sure you feel heard and understood.
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Early and consistent clarity around direction, deliverables, and calendars is essential to communicate cost and timeline effectively and transparently. We use coordinated meetings with set agendas and follow-up minutes, shared document drives, and structured workshops to keep you in the loop and keep momentum.
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The reality of built projects is that things change and goals shift. Misaligned assumptions between consultants and stakeholders are common — our communication process is designed to catch them early, compress feedback cycles, and reduce costly late-stage changes.
Sierra's value lies in drawing on climates, vernaculars, and customs from across the globe to find the specific, right, local solution for your project. Our role is to defend the interest of your project — often by revealing creative opportunities beyond the initial brief.
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You may have imagined an addition, but a reorganisation of your current space could give you everything you need. You may have imagined a restaurant opening next week, but permitting timelines might mean a temporary pop-up keeps revenue flowing during the transition. We bring creative solutions to whatever challenge you're facing to make your project come to life. We'll point you in the right direction when the answer lies outside our expertise.
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We’re in your corner to help solve unexpected conditions or changes and to see the project through. Navigating codes and permits is part of our expertise. When regulations require adjustments, we find solutions early and keep you informed every step of the way. The team excels in translating not only language (with native French and English-speakers on staff) but also cultural nuances in the French building system.
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Every client needs different tools to understand architectural work. We produce high-quality visuals throughout the process (3D renderings, diagrams, technical drawings, notes, and more), using everything from sketches and scale models to BIM and AI. We communicate a specific list of deliverables at each phase so you can know what to expect.
Our founders, Éléonore and Carrie, are involved in every project as Project Directors, supported by Project Managers or Assistants as the complexity requires. They remain accessible and available throughout every project to ensure quality and consistency.
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We're based in Paris/Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Bordeaux, with “outposts” in Réunion and New York where we partner with trusted local architects and builders. We work comfortably in hybrid mode. However, good built projects require site visits and a local team, and we can help you assemble one when needed.
Our services
