a modern design firm,
minimalists at heart
im•bue (verb) :
1] to inspire or influence thoroughly;
2] to permeate with meaning or quality;
3] to team with the best residential design firm in the mountain west
Fresh out of architecture school and ready to work, we were immediately disillusioned by the amount of soulless architecture being produced. Rather than follow the traditional path at a large firm, we designed our own studio with purpose and intention.
Every project is thoughtfully selective so that a principal partner at Imbue Design will shepherd each client through the creation process. The exercise and commitment of designing a home is a team-based collaborative effort, and we are here to guide you from concept to completion.
Since 2008, we've been rubbing elbows with likeminded clients, contractors and consultants, doing what we love — imbuing architecture with meaning.
four design principles
Imbue Design grew from a simple promise to ourselves that the work shaping our days is also the work we are proud to stand beside for years. Based on four guiding principles, each custom project is imbued for the specific site and the discerning client.
Only work we love
We politely walk away from projects that do not move us. If we cannot be fully in love with the work, we can not take it on.
Portfolio quality, every time
Every commission is treated as signature work. If it would not sit comfortably in our portfolio, it does not enter the studio.
Meaning, without pretense
Architecture should feel clear and grounded. Our work holds real meaning without slipping into stuffy theory or opaque jargon.
Protect the first principle
We never compromise on the promise that started Imbue: only pursue work we truly believe in.
meet the principals
-
Christopher J. Talvy
Talvy, born and raised in New England, spent much of his childhood cheating death. Whether it was soapbox derbies, high voltage wiring, or a life threatening chocolate overdose, he tenaciously pushed the boundaries. To keep him out of trouble, his parents focused his energy constructively: his mother’s artistic heritage influenced him towards art and music; his father, an electrical contractor, employed him in the family business.
Ten years later his love for construction and creativity channeled his educational endeavors toward architecture and art at the University of New Hampshire. Later, an infatuation with recreational outdoor adventures brought Talvy to Salt Lake City where he graduated with a master’s of architecture from the University of Utah. If you have spent considerable time in Utah’s local canyons, more than likely your paths have crossed. Whether skiing, climbing, or designing, Talvy is passionate about all his endeavors. -
Matt Swindel
Many of us took the proverbial 'family trip' at some point in our formative years - Matt grew up traversing the country with the family in a Volkswagen Westfalia, camping and exploring the western United States.
Traveling aids one to gain perspective on people and places, and the environments in which they exist. These opportunities and range of experiences helped to guide Matt into a generalist's mindset of miscellaneous, yet fruitful knowledge (broad bits of information prove useful in the pursuit of architecture and design).
To conceptualize you must have basic knowledge...to plan you must be able to organize...to create you must have passion. Take these elements together and a resonance will be formed, allowing the generalist to become a specialist.
Matt holds a master degree in architecture from the University of Utah, which was dutifully earned along side his fellow partner at Imbue.
Recognition
While we design for our clients, we are humbled when industry peers recognize the work.
start a conversation with imbue
construct
your narrative
We are selective with our collaborations, seeking partners who share our reverence for the site, the material and the meaning.