Studio LODE | LINE explores the full potential of every project through a people-first lens. By uniting high performance with thoughtful craft, we deliver honest buildings that support everyday living and stand the test of time.
We are a practice grounded in care, clarity, and a genuine belief in creating work that matters.
OUR STORYStudio LODE | LINE was founded on a simple belief: architecture must get back to offering real, sensible and lasting value.
Too often, the building industry settles for minimum standards. We believe architecture profession has a responsibility to aim higher. Design, performance, durability, and occupant well-being are not competing priorities; they are most successful when considered together. By integrating thoughtful design, building science, and careful craftsmanship from the outset, we create homes that are more comfortable, resilient, beautiful and efficient.
Our work is grounded in the idea that good design is not an added luxury—it is a practical investment. Every decision, from site planning and spatial organization to material selection and envelope design, is evaluated through the lens of long-term value for both the homeowner, their goals and the built environment itself.
“The goal is simple: create buildings that are beautiful, durable, and healthy. Scale and budget do not define the quality of a project; the clarity of its purpose and the care invested in its execution do.”
Every project begins with listening. We work closely with clients, consultants, and builders through an open and collaborative process, focusing effort where it can have the greatest impact. The goal is not complexity for its own sake, but clear, purposeful architecture that feels good to inhabit and is built with care. Whether a project is large or small, our goal remains the same: to create architecture that enriches daily life while performing far beyond baseline expectations.
At its core, Studio LODE | LINE is about elevating the value of the built environment—creating places that are thoughtfully designed, rigorously detailed, and built to serve people well for decades to come.
APPROACHA CONSIDERED CRAFT.
Each project is shaped through an intentional iteration — refining form, assembly, and detail with care and clarity.
Guided by vernacular and client context, we work with honesty to create architecture where beauty and performance are inseparable.
The result is a design grounded, enduring, and deeply attuned to place and people.
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Passivhaus (Passive House) is a performance-based building standard with measurable targets for energy efficiency, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality. Through a highly insulated and airtight envelope, high-performance windows, minimized thermal bridging, and balanced ventilation with heat recovery, it dramatically reduces heating and cooling demand while lowering operational energy use and ecological impact.
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Low-carbon strategies focus on reducing embodied and operational emissions through informed decisions around materials, systems, and construction methods. Guided by climate, context, and project constraints, this approach supports more resilient buildings with a lighter environmental footprint over their full lifecycle.
A PERFORMANCE ELEVATED.
We aim to integrate Passivhaus principles and low-carbon strategies into every project we undertake.
The result is a resilient, high-efficiency architecture defined by durability, measurable performance, and enhanced occupant well-being.
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Passivhaus (Passive House) is a performance-based building standard with measurable targets for energy efficiency, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality. Through a highly insulated and airtight envelope, high-performance windows, minimized thermal bridging, and balanced ventilation with heat recovery, it dramatically reduces heating and cooling demand while lowering operational energy use and ecological impact.
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Low-carbon strategies focus on reducing embodied and operational emissions through informed decisions around materials, systems, and construction methods. Guided by climate, context, and project constraints, this approach supports more resilient buildings with a lighter environmental footprint over their full lifecycle.
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SERVICESWe work across architecture, interiors and the spaces in between — offering a considered, end-to-end design service.
We bring experience across a range of residential project types, including custom homes, renovations, additions, ADUs, and thoughtfully detailed interior transformations. Whether shaping a new build from the ground up or reworking an existing structure, the studio approaches each project with the same commitment to performance, craft, and clarity.
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Bespoke residential design services spanning new homes, additions, renovations, and small multi-residential projects, delivered through a comprehensive, principal-led process from early concept through permit submission and construction documentation, with construction-phase advisory as appropriate. Our work prioritizes climate, context, materiality, long-term livability, and meaningful performance outcomes—resulting in deeply considered, site-responsive homes.
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Focused design for renovations, ADUs, targeted additions, and interiors—providing clear architectural coordination without a full-service scope. Efficient, structured, and tailored to meet budget and timeline goals.
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A focused early-stage service combining site testing, yield and massing studies, and strategic advice to clarify development potential and constraints. Ideal for new property buyers, early-stage homeowners, or anyone needing clarity before moving into full design.
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Technical guidance for builders, owners, and design teams seeking clarity around building science, airtightness, insulation strategies, materials, and performance pathways. Best for clients or teams who want the “brains” portion of high-performance architecture applied to their project.
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Strategic planning advice, Development Applications, Complying Development, and coordination with planning consultants and authorities.
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Detailed documentation and consultant coordination, with support during builder selection, tender review, and construction, to maintain clarity and design quality through delivery.
PARTNERSHIPSAt Studio LODE | LINE, we’re inspired by meaningful collaborations and the chance to craft spaces that feel honest, welcoming, and beautifully resolved.
Clients come to us for many reasons: comfort, beauty, energy savings, healthier indoor environments, or simply a home that supports their lives with greater ease. Wherever they begin, we listen closely and guide the process toward an outcome that is intentional, thoughtful, and rooted in their goals.
Whether the work is a full custom home, a renovation, an ADU, or a simple refresh, we bring a warm, down-to-earth approach to every project, pairing clear communication with a positive, can-do spirit. Our team genuinely enjoys solving tricky space challenges, finding smart ways to stretch budgets, and shaping homes that feel personal, practical, and welcoming.
Equally important are the professionals we collaborate with — contractors, subcontractors, designers, fabricators, and artisans alike — who share our ethos of care, precision, and integrity. We seek and recommend partners who are skilled, intentional, and driven by a desire to create exceptional work together. When we align with the same values, we believe every collaboration elevates every project, transforming a well-designed home into a thoughtfully executed, long-lasting, value-driven experience.
SALLY GIMBERTPRINCIPAL
Sal is passionate about socially minded design practices and buildings that focus on quality over quantity — pairing robust natural materials with rigorous building science to create enduring spaces that perform well beyond minimum standards. She is driven by a belief that architecture can elevate everyday living while contributing positively to the broader industry and the communities it serves.
Raised on a 2,000-acre sheep and cattle property in rural Australia, Sal developed an early respect for land, climate, and resourcefulness. Those formative years continue to inform her approach to durability, stewardship, and building responsibly within demanding environments.
She studied at Pennsylvania State University, earning a Master of Science in Architectural Engineering with a structural focus and a Bachelor of Architecture as Class Valedictorian. She was awarded the Henry Adams AIA School Medal in recognition of academic design excellence and leadership. Her academic work centered on materiality, community-minded projects, and adaptability in buildings — themes that continue to guide her professional approach.
Sal began her career as an architectural technician in SOM’s Chicago office and later switched to a role in structural engineering with HOK in St Louis and New York, contributing to large-scale projects including JFK airport, Missouri-Baptist hospital, and the Colgate Palmolive research center while advancing sustainability initiatives within the firm. As a founding member of HOK IMPACT, the firm’s corporate social responsibility platform, she worked to elevate internal conversations around equity, environmental responsibility, and long-term performance — reflecting a broader commitment to strengthening practice standards for the betterment of the industry.
She later transitioned fully into architectural roles, leading the design and documentation of complex custom homes and high-end residential projects at the award-winning Michael Hennessey Architecture (MHA) in San Francisco. Across her work, she consistently seeks opportunities to raise the bar — integrating performance-driven strategies and thoughtful detailing that move projects beyond minimum requirements.
Her commitment to resilience and community engagement extends beyond traditional practice. Sally served on the ASCE Structural Engineering Institute Sustainability Committee and has published and presented nationally on disaster resilience and sustainable design. As Captain and Lead Structural Designer for Penn State’s Solar Decathlon team, she guided the design and construction of net-zero housing prototypes exhibited on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. She also worked with the American Indian Housing Initiative on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana, participating in hands-on construction and community-led housing efforts focused on adaptable, culturally responsive design. In October 2025, she founded the BS & Beer Truckee Chapter, a local forum that brings together builders, designers, and industry professionals to share knowledge, discuss building science, and strengthen connections within the regional construction community.
A Registered Architect in Nevada, LEED Accredited Professional (BD+C), and Certified Passive House Tradesperson (CPHT), Sal brings together structural insight, architectural craft, and performance-driven thinking. Her work is grounded in the belief that architecture should be meticulously crafted, thoughtfully realized to its fullest potential, and contribute positively to both people and place over time.
FAQs-
Every project begins with a listening-first, research-driven dialogue. We start by understanding your aspirations, lifestyle, and the qualities of your site. From there, we develop concepts that merge architectural beauty with climate-responsive performance, sharing these ideas through drawings, models, and immersive visualizations. Collaboration with you—and with consultants, builders, and craftspeople—remains central throughout, allowing the design to evolve with precision and clarity.
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Project timelines vary depending on scope and complexity. A custom new home typically requires 8–12 months for design and documentation, followed by 14–18 months of construction, while renovations or additions can take 4–12 months for design, with construction duration closely tied to project scope. From the outset, we provide a tailored schedule and engage with general contractors as early as possible, outlining key milestones so you can plan with confidence. As a creative design team, we also explore opportunities to meet desired timelines, whether through prefabrication, off-site manufacturing of building systems, modular construction, panelized assemblies, or advanced sequencing strategies, always seeking solutions that balance efficiency with high-performance design and construction quality.
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Soft-cost design fees are presented with clarity from the outset so you understand how the work is organized and how the services support your project. Our fees reflect the level of detail, coordination, and building-science expertise required for each phase and are structured in one of two ways: hourly billing, where you pay for time spent on design and coordination, or a fixed-fee proposal that corresponds to a clearly defined scope and set of deliverables.
Throughout the process, we maintain open communication around progress, timelines, and decision milestones. This approach keeps expectations aligned, supports thoughtful planning, and allows the design to move forward with transparency and confidence—without surprises.
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We approach budgets with clarity, transparency, and a strong respect for your financial goals. Early in the design process, we work closely with clients to align scope, performance targets, and desired outcomes with the overall budget. As the design progresses, we continue to evaluate systems and material choices through clear cost comparisons, outlining pros, cons, and long-term impacts so each design decision is grounded in both value and intention. This allows clients to understand the budget as the design evolves—avoiding surprises and supporting steady, informed buy-in throughout the process.
We also collaborate with estimators and builders at key milestones to test design decisions against real-world costs and refine the path forward. Detailed schedules, phased cost checks, and proactive communication keep the project predictable, responsive, and aligned with your goals. Our priority is to protect both the design integrity and your investment, helping you make confident decisions from concept through construction.
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We see design as a conversation. Regular reviews and open communication invite your feedback at each phase, from initial concepts through detailing. This iterative process helps refine the design so that the completed home is both architecturally distinguished and authentically yours.
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Successful projects are built on strong relationships among all team members, integrating craft, technical expertise, and design intent, and our design team thrives when collaborating with builders experienced in high-performance construction practices, delivering an efficient, high-quality, and seamless build. Our preferred approach is to introduce clients to three qualified builders early in the design process, while also welcoming collaboration with any contractor you may have in mind. We present the project to these builders and invite them to begin a valuation process, reviewing budget and construction costs in parallel with the design. We then encourage an initial dialogue so you can feel confident in the selection process. We find that successful partnerships are built on mutual respect and clear communication rather than cost alone, and working with a contractor who understands your goals — listens and collaborates with care — is critical.
CONNECTTruckee, CA 96161
Homelands of the Washoe (the Wašiw, the Washo, the Waashiw, or the Washeshu) Tribe
Monday to Friday, 10am - 4pm
+1 253 678 0196
sally@studioLODELINE.com
