“Devin is exceptional. Besides being very easy to work with, he was pleasant and always available. Thanks to him I have a gorgeous home! I highly recommend!!!!!”
— CAROL HAMMOND (CLIENT)
Devin Kimmel
AIA, ASLA
Managing Principal
The head of our team is Devin Kimmel, AIA, ASLA. A licensed architect, Kimmel specializes in high-end custom architecture and in historic preservation.
Kimmel and his talented team have decades of experience planning, designing, and renovating high-end custom homes, historic mansions, waterfront estates, and horse farms. They also design memorials, academic campuses, sporting venues, and restaurants.
The main advantage that Kimmel has over other architects is that he was trained as a landscape architect as well as an architect. This combination of architecture and landscape results in a holistic approach to design, where nature is not an afterthought but an integral part of the process. His ability to artfully integrate buildings into their landscapes separates Kimmel from the rest.
Also visible in Kimmel’s designs is his substantial knowledge of classical forms and architectural history. He has traveled to Europe numerous times to study and sketch and has a great understanding of classical proportions and detailing.
Knowing tradition, however, does not imply that he feels bound by it. Kimmel is an expert in traditional forms, and frequently designs traditional-style architecture, but he also develops plans for award-winning modern buildings. He says that even when designing a modern building, it is history that helps him to decide when and where to bend or even break traditional rules.
Kimmel feels that he has accomplished his mission not when he designs a building that fits perfectly within a specific style, but when the client looks at the design and says, “Yes, this is me.” To achieve this feeling of recognition, the architect actively listens to his clients and encourages them to become members of the design team.
“It is their building, not mine. I am the pencil in my client’s hand so that they can feel that the house is just for them. It’s my job to give architectural form to their vision,” reasons Kimmel. That is why, Kimmel says, the designs of his firm are so varied: because their clients are so varied.
Kimmel has accumulated an impressive list of awards. In 2019, the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the American Institute of Architects chose him as “Architect of the Year.” He was the only Annapolis architect included in the selective list.
Before obtaining this award, his architectural skills had been recognized in a number of opportunities. In 2018, he was named "Top Architect H&D Portfolio" in a special issue of the magazine Home & Design dedicated to professionals with “proven record and experience to design the house style of your dreams.” His design of a waterfront house was selected as a top design by Houzz, and was featured in articles by Annapolis Home magazine and by Dering Hall. In an open competition for a national monument, his classical memorial was one of five designs selected as finalists down from 350 alternatives. He was also commissioned to lead the preservation of a Maryland mansion built in 1705 by the Cloverfields Preservation Foundation. The University of Maryland honored him with the top design award when he graduated as a landscape architect, and then with the top design award when he received his Master of Architecture (Faculty Award for Design Excellence). He won a professional scholarship to study in Rome based on his professional design and drawing ability. Even his drawings frequently obtain recognition in specialized environments.
Devin grew up in Bel Air, Maryland. After attending both undergraduate and graduate schools at the University of Maryland, he settled in Annapolis. He resides there with his wife and son, walking to work every day to his studio in Annapolis.