Jeffrey L Miller Architect custom tailored designs From his first project, his grandmother’s house, through word of mouth, Jeffrey L Miller has expanded his clientele to a variety of projects across the Pacific Northwest.
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Jeffrey L Miller from his grandmothers house and word of mouth, this oregon-based firm now dominates the pacific northwest. by Joel Cornell
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hen designing the architecture for your next business park or apartment complex, it’s good to have a whirlwind of ideas and an office full of hands working to get big things done. When designing your family’s own upscale residence, you want an attentive, artistic and personal touch: the very
method in which Jeffrey L Miller Architect, PC specializes. In the late 1970s, Jeffrey Miller studied art, architecture and engineering in many places, including Boston University, the University of Washington and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He went as far away as Rome and returned to his roots in Portland, Ore.
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Upon becoming a licensed architect in 1982, Miller designed and built his first project as a one man operation: a new home for his grandmother. “Pictures of the house showed up in the Portland newspapers,” said Miller, “and I immediately started getting work from others who were impressed by the design.” Fall 2010 3
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PREVIOUS PAGE: Bany Residence, West Linn, Or. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey L Miller Architect, P.C. TOP LEFT: Miller Residence, Portland Or. Photo by Sally Painter Photography. TOP RIGHT: Hinnen Residence, Portland Or. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey L Miller Architect, P.C. BOTTOM LEFT: Henningaard Residence, Gearhart, Or. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey L Miller Architect, P.C. BOTTOM RIGHT: Popma Residence Front, West Linn, Or. Photo by Sally Painter Photography.
From here, JLMA took off and became one of the most successful upscale residential architects in the Oregon area. For each and every project the firm takes on, Miller still strives to put the same attention to detail that he put into his grandmother’s house so many years ago. “People want that personal relationship with you when you’re designing their home.” To date, the vast majority of JLMA’s business has come via word of mouth. “We still have yet to do any advertising,” said Miller. “Only because of the recent economic downturn have we begun to put up our business signs on our houses. For a long time, we couldn’t handle any more work if we hoped to maintain the deep personal involvement with each project the firm is known for. “My first projects were for relatives, then for friends and then friends of friends, and now our reputation brings us our clients. We are especially fortunate to have repeat clients who return to us to do remodeling or an entirely new house elsewhere.” Working as the sole principal with a total staff of seven, Miller is typically the one who does most of the designing, which he still does by hand. “My training occurred before computers were common in our field so I depend on my staff to put the design work into the computer and refine the details. We communicate regularly throughout the process to be sure that we stay in line with the client’s vision.” Though trained in contemporary architecture, Miller’s practice has focused mostly on traditional architectural design which is the preference of his clientele. Initially, clients call Miller and schedule an interview to see if his firm would be a good fit for them. From there, Miller is personally involved with most every project each step of the way.
MARVIN CHORSEMPA & LARZON, P.C. Marvin Chorzempa & Larson, PC represents clients throughout Oregon and Washington. Emphasizing the defense of the design and construction community, their attorneys also assist clients with contract and business formation, general business advice, and collection matters. MC&L pride their selves on their commitment to excellence for both client and community.” For more information, visit www.mca-law.com. Fall 2010 5
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“We have meetings to establish the program for the home and discuss the style of home the client is considering,” Miller said. “We’ll then go through several sketching phases until they are comfortable with the design. I then work with my staff as they prepare the construction documents. Once they are approved by the clients the documents go to our contractors for bidding. “Our relationship with contractors is the most critical of all. Constant, clear communication with them is critical to the success of a project. We always strive to be a part of all dialogue concerning the project as we are better able to see the impact any change might have on the final result.” Early in his career, Miller learned the benefits of working as the sole principal. “When I was an apprentice for a larger firm, I saw how much compromise was required to get a project built. For example, my firm was hired to design a large hotel in downtown Portland. Our design team’s first concept was brilliant. But by the time it had gone through countless revisions from the multiple designers involved, the contractors, the client and city officials, it became a far less successful design.” Ever since, Miller has striven to retain some creative control over the design process. “Nothing’s more personal in design than the design of a home,” Miller said. “Developing that personal relationship with the client is vital. The client needs to trust your ability to execute their vision and be confident that you have their best interests at heart. Sometimes it can be a challenge to convince a client their input isn’t always workable. They rightly have the mindset of ‘my house, my decision’, but having a special rapport with them facilitates the process that allows their dreams to become reality.” JLMA is designing several new residences currently, including some particularly remarkable designs. One of their current renovation projects is to bring a classic Southern California ranch house back to its original mid-20th century look. “The 60s and 70s weren’t exactly kind to classic architecture on the West Coast,” said Miller. JLMA’s intent is to take the home that looks ‘remodeled’ and return it to its original look. One unique Portland home is being specifically built for the purposes of observation: it is being constructed on a steep hillside, and includes a 24-story observatory. The client has a special love for Classical architecture, so the creation of such an enormous tower in the Classical architectural vocabulary is quite a challenge. “It is these challenges,” said Miller, “where a client’s fantasies can be expressed beautifully through serious architectural forms that stimulate creativity in our firm. It is this creativity that motivates the passion that members of the firm have for their work. ALT ABOVE: Enyeart Residence, West Linn, Ore. Photo by Sally Painter Photography. LEFT: Ehlen Residence, Bend, Ore. Photo by Indivar Sivanathan.
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