How Bonsai Design Build’s architect-led process enables it to push the boundaries of contemporary home building 

Bonsai Design Build (Bonsai) was founded in 2013 as an architect-led development firm. Owner, Josh Oqueli, outlines the company’s goals: “We began by developing our projects and built up a small portfolio. We then started receiving inquiries for client-based work and have been busy ever since. Most of our projects consist of single-family home additions, remodels and new builds. 

“As an architect-led design and build company, we are different from most design and build operations. The traditional approach is to act as a general contractor and bring in a third-party architect as one of the subcontractors. Our approach merges the two industries which tend to be very separate and brings a new level of professionalism to projects. In construction, relationships with architects can be contentious, often leaving the customer stuck in the middle.

“The great architects like Antoni Gaudí and Frank Lloyd Wright would manage their own construction projects. For whatever reason we have moved away from this model. We’re trying to bring it back because it makes for a much smoother process and enables us to deliver incredible architecture.” 

Restoring good bones 

Josh then reflects on the inspiration that the company draws from the ancient Japanese art of Bonsai, and how that relates to the design processes: “It’s about patience. Designing and building require a lot of patience. Often, we are working with old buildings, and you must look at them and see the possibilities of what they can become. This is very similar to Bonsai; the great Bonsai masters can take a rough looking tree from nature and through years of nurturing can craft into something beautiful. The process of architecture, design, and construction can be lengthy if you are going to create a beautiful building. There are many similarities.” 

Josh then expands on some of the historical work Bonsai has become known for: “Denver has a good stock of Victorian era homes. We have many neighborhoods with housing stock of this kind, and we’ve had the opportunity to work with rehabilitating these great old buildings that have a very classic feel. Unfortunately, there are many cases of these buildings being demolished for modern replacements that I call stucco boxes. They are developer driven buildings designed to simply maximize square footage. 

“One of the things we like to point out when approaching this kind of work is that there is nothing more sustainable than breathing new life into these old buildings. The bones of the building are already there, and often the structures are very good. With a little love these buildings can be rejuvenated to the point where they will be enjoyed for another 100 years. 

“One of my favorite projects we’ve done in this vein was in a neighborhood called Congress Park here in Denver. The location is in a landmark building district, so we had to work with the landmark district to make sure we are not destroying the façade and the windows fit seamlessly with the existing building. We rehabilitated the exterior and completely gutted the interior of the building. From the outside you wouldn’t know anything had happened and then inside you have a brand-new modern home with all the amenities, including new insulation, new windows, air seal, there is a new kitchen, we also vaulted the attic, so it has a mezzanine. It was a beautiful project that we are very proud of.” 

Josh goes on to outline some of the innovative techniques the company has adopted in response to the growing demand for sustainable solutions to common challenges homebuilding faces: “We have done several projects where the house is attached to a greenhouse. This approach builds on the principles utilized by Earthship™ buildings. The benefits of incorporating the greenhouse include providing a passive heat sink, air filtration, and a means to easily grow food. We’re also exploring ways to utilize greenhouse additions to recreate wetland processes to process sewage. 

Efficiency principles 

“We also use Passivhaus principles. This is a system that was developed in Germany, but there is now a US version. When all the requirements are met you are left with a super-efficient building that doesn’t leak or lose energy. We can apply these principles to a wide range of buildings all the way up to the full extent of Passivhaus construction. Remarkably these buildings don’t require much energy. As people, we are cooking, showering, boiling water, and so on, and that heat and humidity stays in the building, meaning you don’t require much more input to keep it comfortable. We’re using these principles to make our houses as efficient as possible.” 

Regenerate and sustain 

Josh then highlights an exciting upcoming project the company is working on: “Cherry Creek is a very high-end neighborhood in Denver where we are looking to acquire some land for a multi-family project. As well as the financial opportunities, this will also provide us with the means to explore some cutting-edge bio-texture ideas and approaches. This encompasses any biological processes that we can integrate into the architecture, such as catching rainwater and using that in the building. It will be a huge effort to acquire the necessary permits and will require some trial and error. You couldn’t explore these concepts in an affordable housing project because you don’t have the financial cushion that a high exit price provides. If you really want to push the envelope it is going to incur some costs; people are willing to pay a premium for an expertly designed final product. 

“This represents our broader effort to establish a new housing typology that is meant to regenerate and sustain. You can make these houses completely off grid; by utilizing conjoined greenhouses to convert solar energy into heat, reusing rainwater, you then use the nutrients extracted from the filtration of the water to grow food. By incorporating Passivhaus principles and solar panels, we can produce all the energy the building requires.” 

Josh then concludes by looking to the future: “In the next five years we really want to push the boundaries of architect-led design, being more selective about the clients we take on in order to steer the firm towards being more of a private development firm.”   

www.bonsaidesignbuild.com