Vail Valley Home Magazine
Seeing it Through

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Vail Valley Home, March 2025 · Written by Kimberly Nicoletti

“Seeing It Through” makes the case for keeping an architect involved during construction. Brian Sipes, founding principal of Sipes Architects in Minturn, says the construction phase typically accounts for only about 15% of an architectural fee, slightly more on renovations, yet it brings nearly as many decisions as design: materials become unavailable or more expensive, and site conditions often differ from what the drawings assumed. He describes the architect, contractor and owner as three parties that keep each other in balance, and the architect as an advocate who protects the client’s budget and vision. Examples include a home addition offset to avoid shallow groundwater and existing footings, and an accessibility ramp at Matsuhisa’s Cherry Creek restaurant that became a feature with a laminar water column.

“Architects ensure the project is on budget, on time and true to the vision.”
— Brian Sipes

Published in Vail Valley Home. The full article appears below.