About
Founded in 1995, Hubbell & Hubbell Architects provides architecture and planning services to clients seeking sustainable solutions, innovative design work, and artistic detailing.
Our San Diego-based studio is unique among architectural firms in our ability to integrate sustainability with artistry, innovation, and tradition.
We are an experienced firm with an established reputation for personally serving our clients and professionally applying our expertise to a wide spectrum of projects—from residential home design and remodeling to public facilities such as churches, parks, and nature centers.
Having been a leader in the use of green building materials since 1995 including a specialty in straw bale construction, we have the knowledge and capability to offer custom solutions for each project.
Drew worked with the City of San Diego building officials to gain acceptance for post-and-beam, straw-bale construction with lime plaster, and Hubbell and Hubbell also created a special inspection program for City Inspectors to use when reviewing straw-bale construction. Since designing the first permitted bale structure in San Diego County in 2003, we have designed and permitted over 40 straw bale buildings in this county and are currently working on the first permitted straw bale home in LA County! We have also designed and completed several companion units and love working with clients to design these small spaces to accommodate their guests and tenants.
Whether it be with traditional or sustainable materials and techniques, the comprehensive organic design approach of Hubbell & Hubbell results in truly memorable works of thoughtful, artful architecture.
My architectural philosophy; is built on a foundation of respect. We enjoy our work because we sincerely believe in what we are contributing to the architecture world, and in turn, the world itself.
I respect materials in the broadest possible sense, including their origins and fate, which is why I am dedicating my current work to developing sustainable building practices using ecologically sound principles. I am committed to designing buildings that consume minimal nonrenewable resources within their lifetime.
I respect cultural history, which is why I have worked on projects to restore older buildings and neighborhoods, as well as on projects that acknowledge and include various cultural populations within our region. I am committed to pricing my firm’s designs so that our work is available to clients who share our values, regardless of the size of their income.
I respect personal history, which is why I have chosen to work with my father, artist James Hubbell. His life and work have been an ongoing source of both inspiration and pride, especially his deep care for the creative spirit in all its manifestations and his attunement to the language of landscape.
I respect the fundamental role of art in the practice of architecture, the way integrating an artistic use of natural shapes and materials can nourish the spirit through a feeling of connection with the earth.
I believe in respect for the human spirit. Our first duty as architects is to create spaces that celebrate the excitement and mystery of our world in ways respectful of nature’s laws, as well as in ways that connect people to nature’s nourishing beauty.
We enjoy using a wide range of natural and alternative green building methods such as Tridipanels, insulated concrete blocks, living roofs, adobe, passive solar design, rainwater harvesting, and natural plasters to design residential, commercial, tribal, non-profit, and companion units. We have worked on several projects with San Diego Zoo Safari Park and have worked with local Native American tribes to design cultural and education centers.
Over the years, we have been awarded with a Russian Medal of Architecture, Home for the New Millennium in the San Diego Union-Tribune, Sustainable Home of the Year in the San Diego Home & Garden Magazine, the Ruocco Award for Public Service, Excellence in Structural Engineering Award, 3 Orchid Awards from the San Diego Architectural Foundation, LEED Platinum Certifications, a Special Recognition Award from Citizens Coordinate, Notable Projects Home of the Year from the San Diego AIA Awards, and a Construction and Engineering Award in BUILD Magazine.
Facebook: @hubbellandhubbell
Website: www.hubbellandhubbell.com
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
We focus on respect for each client, attempting to provide each one with the best design possible while working not only within their budget, but also within a framework of profound respect for our planet and the natural resources found here. We meet with each client to see what their needs and design wishes are and then, after a proposal is approved, we work on drawings to present to the client to see how they would like to move forward. From there, we submit to the city and work with the permitting system to approve our clients' project.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
A large part of my education was growing up on the property with my parents and brothers constantly learning new building methods and contributing to the construction. I learned from those years the importance of building with local materials, resilient construction, and never using more than we needed. From there, I studied architecture in the US and Europe. Later travels to Asia and East Africa further expanded my design vocabulary and appreciation for solutions suited to local environments.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your services? If so, please share the details here.
It depends on the project because we work on a wide range. We are committed to pricing the firm’s designs so that our work is available to clients who share our values, regardless of the size of their income.
How did you get started in this business?
My parents, James and Anne Hubbell, prolific artists in San Diego County, bought land in 1958 and have been building on it ever since. Since age four, I have helped my parents build by participating in all aspects of construction, including laying adobe bricks, welding, setting mosaic tile, and framing.
What types of customers have you worked with?
A wide range of clients in the residential field with the desire to build sustainable and resilient homes, clients in the commercial field - one who wanted to design a vegan fast food restaurant out of a former gas station, clients in the non-profit sector designing educational centers like the YMCA, clients needing spaces for tribal cultural centers, clients from zoos needing spaces for a wide range of animals, and clients who want to build a companion unit for their home.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
My parents founded the Ilan-Lael Foundation nearly 40 years ago and needed a space for the non-profit organization to provide workshops, retreats, and a place where individuals from a variety of backgrounds can come together to relate to each other. At our firm, we worked with my father, James Hubbell, to design the Ilan-Lael Center, which is now the heart of Ilan-Lael and was completed last year in 2019. Nestled in the hills of Santa Ysabel, CA, it features our ability to make resilient designs come to life and was rewarded a new award category from the San Diego Architectural Foundation called the Collaborative Architecture Orchid Award in 2019.
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a pro in your area of expertise?
Think about your budget and your design needs and wishes. We work directly with our clients and want to know your daily patterns and desires for the future of your space.
What questions should customers think through before talking to pros about their needs?
What are your needs? What is your daily pattern? What spaces do you use the most? What are your design wishes? Do you have an interest in green building techniques? If so, what types? If you're interested in building a companion unit, what is the purpose? To house a long-term tenant? To house family members and friends short-term? Think about exactly what you want out of the spaces you are going to be talking to us about.