PETER AUSTIN MATTHEWS

Architect

Peter Matthews has several decades of experience designing and building houses.  His fondness for home design began with the family weekend house overlooking Carmel Beach, where the workshop, paint studio, garden and kitchen - were often humming with creativity.  His father, a leading SF adman, branded the Sea Ranch – a 1960’s era, eco-minded retreat on California’s north coast – making architect, Charles Moore and landscape architect, Lawrence Halprin some of his early design heros.

Peter trained with architects Michael Graves and Rafael Moneo at Princeton, where, earning undergraduate and Masters degrees, he graduated Magna cum Laude and with High Honors.  His first building, a computer research center at CMU, was featured on the cover of ARCHITECTURAL RECORD and won numerous national awards.  The PAMA design practice was established on Nantucket, where, as a member of the Nantucket Planning Commission, Peter proposed the Nantucket Comprehensive Plan, the island’s first master plan – which advocated for green planning principles.

Establishing PAMA in NYC in 2000, the practice focus shifted to ‘arts and education’ projects for commercial and institutional clients.  The projects include Affirmation Arts, the first project in the newly-formed Hudson Yards District, which was featured in ARCHITECT and other magazines - and numerous projects for The Dalton School and Fordham University.  For more info, visit: www.matthewsmoya.com

In this new chapter of residential design, PAMA is excited to develop fresh approaches to some age-old, design needs.  PAMA intends to explore the fertile, creative ground between traditional and modern design.  This design fulcrum has great potential for a nurturing home in a fast-paced time of ever-more high-technology.

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As an amateur historian, Peter is passionate about mixing traditional and modern design, investing in both and finding fun ways to cross-fertilize them. He considers the House Plan and the whole house to be totally integrated conceptually with the garden.