Chris Fano

It took me many moons, a global pandemic, and a few formative life changes before I realized that while I love what architecture does and represents, the traditional model of practice is not for me. My curiosity in the profession has always been more on the right side of the brain: how the building moves you, what it was inspired by, what impact it has on the culture and land, and how it connects to the history and spirit of a place and its inhabitants.

Over the course of my 17 year career, I have designed straw bale, modular prefab, net-zero affordable, all-electric, and Passive House inspired homes. I’ve worked with some amazing community organizers to bring ecological housing to low-income communities, collaborated with international design teams to envision a sustainable future for an impoverished neighborhood, and brought dozens of homeowner’s visions to fruition.

This period of exploration has brought me to study and practice Regenerative Design, which combines all of these elements with a deep understanding of their relationship to both land and people. Nothing in nature exists alone, and I believe we are at our most healthy when we are in sync with our surroundings. Every place and every project is different, and so I strive to work with clients to find the tools needed to heal their own spaces, regardless of scale or budget.