The High Performance Build Part 1: Designing Buildings That Tell a Story
What makes a building truly high-performing?
Performance is about more than energy efficiency, materials, or construction techniques. Great buildings respond to the people who occupy them, the land they sit on, and the conditions they will face for generations.
In Part 1 of this three-part High Performance Build series on the Offsite Dirt Network, host Mark Wille sits down with Kelly Grace of Travis Price Architects to explore an approach to architecture rooted in storytelling, problem-solving, authentic materials, and long-term performance.
From Architecture School to the Jobsite
Kelly's path into architecture didn't follow a straight line.
After completing a four-year undergraduate program and two-year master's degree at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., she graduated in 2008—right in the middle of the recession. Architecture firms weren't hiring, so Kelly found another way to continue learning: construction.
She began working on Capitol Hill, primarily on renovations of early-1900s row homes. What started with involvement in kitchen design eventually developed into project management and hands-on exposure to how buildings actually come together.
At the same time, Kelly was determined to get her foot in the door at Travis Price Architects. She would work at the construction office during the day and then head to the architecture firm in Georgetown, spending her afternoons and evenings learning, listening, and contributing however she could.
That persistence paid off. Once she officially joined Travis Price Architects, she was prepared to hit the ground running, eventually becoming a partner in the construction company within five years.
Her experience highlights something that continues throughout the conversation: understanding architecture becomes even more powerful when design knowledge is paired with an understanding of construction.
Learning Through Washington, D.C.'s Historic Row Homes
Working on Washington's historic row homes presented Kelly with a unique education in renovation, building codes, zoning, and problem-solving.
Many of the homes were early-1900s brick structures connected by shared masonry party walls. Projects often involved complete renovations, adding third floors, roof decks, or framed additions while navigating modern fire and energy requirements. At the same time, many properties were located within historic districts, creating another layer of requirements. Every house presented a different puzzle. For Kelly, that problem-solving became one of the most enjoyable aspects of architecture: figuring out how to work within zoning and historic restrictions while still pushing a project creatively.
Architecture Begins With a Story
That same problem-solving mindset is central to the work Travis Price Architects creates today. Kelly explains that everything the firm does begins with storytelling. For custom homes, the process starts by sitting down with clients and listening. The team learns about their lives, experiences, personalities, and the stories they want their home to represent.
From those conversations, the team develops a short poem or haiku that becomes a reference point throughout the design process. Instead of beginning with a blank sheet of paper and asking, "What should this building look like?" the client's story begins to inform the architecture. The words start to evoke the building. That philosophy helps transform architecture from simply creating a structure into designing something deeply connected to the people who will experience it.
Designing With the Environment, Not Against It
One of the projects Kelly shares in Part 1 sits along the Potomac River overlooking a waterfall. The home's form responds directly to its surroundings. Its roof was designed around solar orientation, allowing southern light into the home during winter while blocking it during summer. The pathways, water features, rooflines, materials, and positioning of the home also respond to the site's natural characteristics.
Even the approach to the house reflects what is happening in the landscape. Kelly describes a meandering pathway leading toward a house that physically separates in a way that echoes how the Potomac River splits near the property and forms a waterfall. Rather than placing a building on the land without consideration for its surroundings, the architecture becomes part of the site's story.
Let Materials Be Materials
Another defining philosophy behind the firm's work is material authenticity. Kelly explains that the team doesn't want to disguise materials or decorate them into something they're not.
Wood remains wood. Metal remains metal. Structural elements become part of the architecture rather than something that always needs to be hidden. The team goes deep into the details—from structural steel and custom components all the way down to screw placement and shop drawings.
The result is architecture where craftsmanship and engineering aren't separate from the design. They're part of what makes the building beautiful.
Building for the Long Term
High-performance design also means thinking beyond what a building looks like on day one. Kelly emphasizes creating homes that don't make life harder for the people living in them. Durable materials and thoughtful design can reduce maintenance and allow homeowners to spend more time living their lives rather than constantly maintaining their homes.
It's an approach centered on longevity. As Mark points out toward the end of the conversation, durability matters—but beauty can also contribute to longevity. When people value a building and feel connected to it, they're more likely to care for it.
The goal becomes bigger than constructing something that simply stands. It's about creating architecture worth preserving.
This Is Only Part 1
From historic Washington row homes to custom architecture overlooking the Potomac, Part 1 of The High Performance Build explores how experience, storytelling, craftsmanship, materials, and the natural environment can come together in a single project.
And we're just getting started. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this three-part Offsite Dirt Network series as Mark Wille and Kelly Grace continue exploring the projects, ideas, and details behind high-performance architecture.
At the Offsite Dirt Network, we're creating trust, connection, and collaboration across the offsite construction industry by sharing the real stories, experiences, and expertise of the people moving the industry forward.
FAQs
1. What makes a building “high-performing”?
A high-performing building goes beyond energy efficiency. It considers durability, materials, maintenance, the surrounding environment, and the needs of the people who will occupy the space.
2. How does Travis Price Architects incorporate storytelling into its designs?
The team begins by learning about each client’s life, experiences, and personality. Those conversations help shape a story—and sometimes even a short poem or haiku—that becomes a reference point throughout the design process.
3. Why are materials and durability important in high-performance architecture?Thoughtful, authentic materials can reduce long-term maintenance while allowing a building to age naturally. By letting wood remain wood, metal remain metal, and structural elements become part of the design, architecture can be both functional and beautiful for generations.
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