testimonials

Craig Arthur Westcott / Former Assistant Head of Darrow School / Canaan, NY

“Hargidon combined a deep sense of place with superior design skills to bring decades of vision to fruition at Darrow School through several major building renovation and renewal projects over the course of multiple years and capital fundraising efforts. Blending a hypersensitivity to integration of the Shaker palimpsest and modern deep energy retrofitting, Hargidon guided a creative process that delivered the best of both worlds and has set the stage for further development of the campus physical environment. Projects were executed on time and budget and designers remained real-time responsive throughout the entire experience.”

Katherine Shao / Homeowner / Beverly, MA

“The process of working with Hargidon was creative, collaborative, and fun. They were thorough and attentive to many details, and provided expertise and direction when it was needed. And they were mindful of my budget without compromising on what ultimately mattered - good design and a thoughtful, even artful use of space. I highly recommend them!”

Kristen Cotter / Homeowner / Beverly, MA

“Mike was great to work with. His design ideas were both innovative and practical. He looked at our 170 year old space with all its limitations and re-imaged it into what we needed for modern living, making it fresh and modern and yet appropriately historic all at once.”

Marc & Jane Beasley / Homeowners / Beverly, MA

“Mike did an expert job designing an addition for our house. We started with a series of valuable discussions that helped us uncover several possibilities to address the traffic flow and layout limitations of our home. Mike impressed us with his brainstorming skills which resulted in several ideas that made us excited to move forward with the project. We enthusiastically recommend Mike to anyone seeking an architect who has mastered collaborating with clients and turning ideas into solutions.

Mike excelled at listening attentively to us regarding how we live in our house and asked poignant questions leading to what a dream house scenario would be. He took time to do research and offer recommendations and insights as to how we might improve our lifestyle by altering the flow of traffic within the house compared to the way prior generations may have utilized the space. We were delighted by his insight.”

Daniel Beck / Cognitive Therapist / Brookline, MA

“My small office could not accommodate a physical separation between the ‘business’ and ‘therapeutic’ functions, so Mike helped me create a ‘psychic’ separation through the use of furniture placement and colors. He also helped me think through the process of how my patients would experience the space; how they would enter, where they would sit, what they would see....He was there every step of the way from initial concept to final installation. All of this was done on a very modest budget for design, furniture and fixtures.”

Clayton Cheever & Jackie DeLisi / Homeowners / Boston, MA

“Mike was a huge help as the architect of our complete kitchen overhaul. He brought the right approach that helped us really make the most out of space within our limited budget. He consistently brought creative ideas to the table that were right in line with our priorities. We couldn’t be happier with the process, how it stayed within our means, and gave us a clear path for future improvements. We definitely encourage anyone looking for creative, economical, environmentally conscious design to work with Mike.”

Nancy Wolf / Head of School / Darrow School, New Lebanon, NY

“Thank you for the wonderful job you did in bringing new life to the Science Building. What a success! . . . The Science Building is a real Hit! I love it.” “I really love the science building. I smile every time I walk by it.”

John McNally / Commercial Building Owner / Hudson, NY

“Hargidon Architecture + Design and the rapid execution by Mike helped me come up with a set of finished floor plans for a comprehensive renovation of 2000 sq ft retail-commercial space at 1 Warren Street in Hudson, NY. Their suggestions regarding traffic and circulation flow were a great help in locating the position of facilities and storage. Mike Hardiman always facilitates smooth solutions to thorny problems. I’d use Hargidon on my next project.”

Geoffrey H. Richon / Geoffrey H. Richon Co. Inc, General Contractors / Gloucester, MA

“My company worked with Mike on an addition / renovation project in 2009, which converted a bland ranch style house into a contemporary with open space, and all new mechanical systems. There were several challenges given the minimal structural value of the existing building. With the use of steel columns and LVLs we suspended a second floor addition perpendicular to the original structure doubling the living area. Mike’s drawings were complete and accurate and his ability to be on-site with answers in a timely manner was invaluable to the process. Having been in the construction business for over half a century, it is always a relief to work with a skilled architect who is not an ego-tect. I would recommend Hargidon to anyone without reservation. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any further inquiries.”

James Baker, FAIA / The Forge Company

“Mike’s primary design role was to develop systems for prefabricated housing and specialist structures. He developed several prefabricated systems for BAA (the operator of UK’s primary airports e.g. Heathrow). He also developed the design of three-dimensional modules to be incorporated into major social housing projects in and around London. He worked closely with our engineers, the Michael Barclay Partnership and his open, forthright, design procedures and creativity contributed to the success of many of of these projects. His CAD skills in the development of these projects was outstanding, some of his work product for these projects have become icons in this speciality, with design images reproduced in numerous publications. Several projects on which he was a key member have received significant awards in their field. Michael is creative, skilled, dependable, and hard working. As a result of his contributions to the company he was appointed a Director, with a part ownership, in late 2003.”