Bonham & Douglas Architects

Bonham & Douglas Architects eat + work + live Architecture is about balance. These are the juxtapositions we work with on every project.

It is the balance of sustainable materials for sound building and the integration of the dynamics between people and institutions, of building and neighborhood, and of form and function.

Few details get us as excited as great stairs. With the completion of Leavitt Hovey, we were able to bring a custom stai...
06/11/2026

Few details get us as excited as great stairs. With the completion of Leavitt Hovey, we were able to bring a custom stair and railing design to life, and it has us reflecting on a few past projects where stair details became some of our favorite parts of the design.

Linseed Road's sculptural runs, the industrial-meets-warm lines at Boiler House, and the geometry at Shelburne Springs each gave us a chance to turn a functional element into a defining architectural feature.

Grateful for the opportunity to keep exploring these details, project after project.

LINSEED PROJECT: photo by Brandon Dupont (https://www.brandondupont.com/)
SHELBURNE SPRINGS PROJECT: photo by Brandon Dupont (https://www.brandondupont.com/)
LEAVITT HOVEY: photo by Leigh Chodos (https://chodosinc.com/)
50 ROUND HILL ROAD PROJECT: Photo by Jim Gipe

A challenge we frequently face is how to adapt unused industrial spaces into something desirable for the community.The A...
06/04/2026

A challenge we frequently face is how to adapt unused industrial spaces into something desirable for the community.

The Abercrombie Building, previously a liquor warehouse, was redesigned to serve as an office, using National Trust Historic Preservation Tax Credits to help fund the project. The result is a unique, loft-like workspace that preserves and enhances the original timber frame and brickwork.

See more here: https://www.bd-arc.com/our-work/abercrombie-building

Photos by Leigh Chodos (https://chodosinc.com)

Earlier this month, we had the ribbon-cutting for our renovation of the Leavitt-Hovey House for Greenfield Savings Bank....
05/28/2026

Earlier this month, we had the ribbon-cutting for our renovation of the Leavitt-Hovey House for Greenfield Savings Bank. The main house was designed in 1797 by influential Architect Asher Benjamin, but most of the historic character dates back to 1908 when the building was renovated and expanded to serve as Greenfield’s Public Library.

New glass walls preserve sight lines through the historic library interior while the new central staircase creates a connection between the new entrance and the main floor. Stay tuned for some dramatic before-and-after pictures.

Thank you to the contractor, Mowry and Schmidt, and all of their subcontractors, for their stellar work on this project!

Photography: on Instagram

Back on '98 when we were restoring the Calvin Theater, a local guy walked in off the street, curious about the work unde...
05/07/2026

Back on '98 when we were restoring the Calvin Theater, a local guy walked in off the street, curious about the work underway.

We told him the plaster was in dire need of repair, but we hadn’t yet figured out who had the right expertise to take it on.

As luck would have it, Nick had worked with plaster for years in his youth. He offered to help and ended up doing an incredible job.

Stories like this are part of what makes Northampton so special: a place where a neighbor’s curiosity, kindness, and know-how can show up at exactly the right moment.

A few years back, we were asked to create a new entry space for the Smith College Conference Center that would open up t...
04/30/2026

A few years back, we were asked to create a new entry space for the Smith College Conference Center that would open up the previously uninviting entry into a new, light-filled, and welcoming entrance facing campus.

Our focus was on creating a stronger connection between the programming inside the center, and the campus beyond. A cantilevered canopy of steel and translucent panels extends toward passersby, inviting them to gather on the front stoop.

Expansive glazing and integrated handrail lighting work together to welcome visitors into the center, also providing views of the busy street from inside. The center was also made accessible through the addition of ramps and pathways!

Thanks to Keiter Construction for your quality work on this.

📷: .media on IG

Learn more: https://www.bd-arc.com/our-work/smith-college-conference-center

We’ve been uncovering some hidden architectural treasures during our renovation on Main Street in the heart of Northampt...
04/09/2026

We’ve been uncovering some hidden architectural treasures during our renovation on Main Street in the heart of Northampton.

As layers come away, intricate vintage wallpapers are being revealed, with details that haven’t seen the light of day in decades.

It’s hard not to imagine the people who once lived here and what Main Street looked like through their windows back then.

Although only temporary, this dining facility served as a highly functional and thoughtfully designed environment, servi...
04/02/2026

Although only temporary, this dining facility served as a highly functional and thoughtfully designed environment, serving over 900 students at Deerfield Academy during the time when the permanent dining hall was renovated and expanded.

Large-scale temporary structures often feel like empty warehouses, expansive and disconnected from the people who use them. We countered this by focusing on the "human zone" - the space from the floor to 10 feet up. This is where the occupants experience the space most directly and the design can have the greatest impact.

We used a series of visual anchors, with the internal walls, furniture placement and lighting location creating distinct rooms within the hall. A bold color strategy reinforces the effect. The school’s vibrant color palette is used on these lower walls to keep the eye grounded and create a sense of intimacy, even with massive ceilings overhead.

Render to Reality: Visualizing the built spaces of our projects is an essential part of our design process. We model eve...
02/26/2026

Render to Reality: Visualizing the built spaces of our projects is an essential part of our design process. We model everything from furniture to lighting to understand the feel of each space. What started as lines, light, and material studies is now a space ready for community and connection. Swipe through to compare our renderings of the Hatfield Rally House with the completed facility, now open in Hatfield!

on IG
📸 : Altitude413

https://www.bd-arc.com/our-work

Site visits like this remind us why the most sustainable building is often the one we already have.We’re in the midst of...
02/12/2026

Site visits like this remind us why the most sustainable building is often the one we already have.

We’re in the midst of a deep energy retrofit of a 1920s home, taken all the way back to the original exterior sheathing, to set it up for the next 100 years (and then some). Reviewing details on site, like continuous exterior insulation connections, is critical to getting performance right.

With the right approach, this project is on track to exceed even the most stringent Massachusetts energy code, proof that existing housing can meet modern standards without losing its soul.

https://www.bd-arc.com/our-work

The Hatfield Rally House just got an upgrade thanks to the hand painted mural work of Jess from Hired Hand Signs! Helpin...
01/29/2026

The Hatfield Rally House just got an upgrade thanks to the hand painted mural work of Jess from Hired Hand Signs! Helping visitors with way-finding throughout the building and bringing energy to the space that emphasizes the fun of the Rally House community! Love to see another of our projects get the finishing touches from Jess.

Address

196 Pleasant Street, Ste 300
Northampton, MA
01060

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+14135850641

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