Built work · 2019—present

Projects that treat the plan as an argument

Each entry below links design intent to construction reality: not hero shots alone, but the compromises that make a small building credible. We include scope, climate, and the social context of the site because compact architecture is never abstract—it is always anchored in procurement and craft.

Residential · Infill · 62 m²

Courtyard latch house

A wedge-shaped lot beside an older masonry block required a plan that turns the narrow face into a generous entry while keeping bedrooms away from late-night street noise. We used a masonry spine for thermal mass and hung a lightweight upper level in timber to reduce foundation loads. The interior palette stays within sand and stone tones so that small rooms feel continuous rather than chopped into trendy vignettes.

Construction sequencing mattered: services run in a straight vertical chase so subcontractors do not carve ad hoc channels through insulation. The result is a quiet interior and predictable heating bills—metrics residents notice more than square centimeters.

Interior nook with built-in seating and natural light.
Built-in seating turns a leftover corner into usable volume without a furniture purchase cycle.

Workshop + dwelling · Hybrid structure

Steel spine studio

The client needed a ground-floor metalworking shop with a discreet apartment above, separated by mass and air gaps rather than marketing slogans about “loft life.” We detailed a steel moment frame that doubles as a chase for dust extraction, then wrapped living spaces in insulated assemblies that do not rely on the workshop envelope for thermal performance.

Daylight enters through high clerestory glazing to preserve wall space for tools below. This decision reduced glare on work surfaces and prevented a common mistake: glass walls that look good in renderings but ruin task lighting.

Open studio workspace with desks and natural light from windows.
Workspaces reward predictable rhythm: structure first, then services, then surfaces.

Retrofit · Apartment · 48 m²

Thick wall apartment

Removing a corridor freed enough area for a real dining zone, but the gain would be lost if we failed to handle sound between the new kitchen and sleeping alcove. A thickened wall hides ducts and provides bookshelves on the living side, while acoustic batts and resilient channels keep nighttime noise tolerable when one resident works late.

Finishes are matte and repairable: stone-toned plaster at wet areas, oiled wood at touch points, graphite metal at openings. The palette reads calm in morning light and does not rely on a single statement wall to “carry” the design.

Warm living area with sofa and layered textiles.
Retrofits succeed when new routes feel inevitable rather than clever.

How we document work

Velden publishes measured drawings excerpts, not entire sets, to respect client confidentiality while still showing how details propagate through sections. We annotate failures as openly as successes: a gasket detail revised after blower-door tests carries more educational value than a flawless press release. If you are planning a similar scope, use these entries as interview material—ask another architect how they would handle the same junction.