Atelier Charest + Associates is dedicated to the responsible design-build  of community-oriented projects. aC+a’s brand of architecture, interior and product design is best described as gentle minimalism. The studio is led by principal Robert Michel Charest working alongside apprentices – primarily current and former Elon University students.We are a Bona fide holistic design-build practice in two respects: Firstly, we define—emphatically—the physical act of building as a natural extension of the design process, as opposed to merely transcribing construction documents into a built structure during the construction phase. The latter approach inevitably short-circuits in situ opportunities typically not revealed during the production of abstract drawings and scaled models. For example, a build site may reveal opportunities to take advantage of views unforeseen in the original design, or the possibility to improve interior details that emerge as a structure is being built. Secondly, our studio undertakes every single aspect of a design-build project except for the work required to be performed by licensed contractors [typically electrical, HVAC and plumbing]. The challenge of all architecture projects is that the “devil is in the details”. Our philosophy affords us the opportunity to explore details over an arc of time equal to the entire duration of a design-build [from site design and work to product design/fabrication and installation and everything in between].

 

Charest is also Associate Professor of responsible design and building arts at Elon University, a program driven by the core values of responsibility and innovation. From Montréal, he holds a post-professional Master of Architecture in History and Theory from McGill University, a Bachelor of Architecture from Université de Montréal and an Interior Design Diploma from Dawson College. He was previously affiliated with Université de Montréal’s École de Design Industriel, The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Department of Interior Architecture. Charest is a licensed general contractor in North Carolina, previously licensed in Québec, Canada and a NCIDQ certified interior designer. An apprenticed master carpenter, Charest has 40+ years of experience as a design-builder and fabricator.