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Millan Architects

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Millan Architects

Millan Architects crafts thoughtful spaces of enduring beauty and lasting value. Let us serve as your trusted architectural advisor.

Since 2001, Millan Architects has provided distinctive creative and architectural design solutions to residential, commercial and industrial clients. Our work can be seen throughout the country, from our acclaimed timber frame homes in Vermont and shore homes in New Jersey, to retail and office commercial spaces in Philadelphia. All of our projects are built on a foundation of open communication,

collaboration and creativity. Our skilled team of architects and designers use sophisticated technology and proven strategies to meet the aspirations and exceed the expectations of our clients. We strive to form long-lasting relationships with our clients, turning them into partners and collaborators. Together, we produce intelligent strategies and elegant architectural solutions.

05/22/2026

Architect Spotlight | George Nakashima

On May 24, we recognize the birthday of George Nakashima, whose work continues to shape how we understand material, craft, and expression.

Trained as an architect, Nakashima approached furniture with a deep respect for the inherent qualities of wood. Rather than refining it into uniformity, he revealed its character, allowing grain, edge, and form to remain present and essential.

Part of his lasting influence lies in this ability to draw out the identity of the tree itself. Each piece becomes both a functional object and quiet study of material.

This perspective resonates strongly with our own work. Our interest in exposed timber frame structures is rooted in the same principle: the transformation of a tree into shelter while retaining its natural presence. We are similarly drawn to live edge wood slabs, where the original contours remain intact. There is an instinctive response to these elements, a tendency to reach out, to trace the edge, and to engage directly with the material.

Nakashima’s work reminds us that design is about connection to material, to craft, and to the natural world.

05/20/2026

Project Spotlight | 910 East Main Street, Norristown

As part of our 25th anniversary, we look back to some of our earlier projects.

Adaptive reuse begins long before construction. It starts with understanding what a building is capable of becoming.

At 910 East Main Street, a circa 1930 former pasta factory built in Norristown, we were first engaged to evaluate the feasibility of transforming an industrial structure into Class A office space. The building offered strong fundamentals, generous ceiling heights, exposed timber framing, and long south and north façades that allow natural daylight to pe*****te deep into the interior.

Our initial work focused on assessing the existing structure, building systems, and code requirements, while identifying opportunities for high-performance improvements. Strategies such as geothermal heating and cooling, enhanced daylighting, energy-efficient systems, and the reuse of existing materials formed the basis for a sustainable path forward.

With a clear framework established, the project moved into full conversion. The design retained the building’s industrial character, brick exterior, heavy timber structure, and expansive windows, while introducing modern systems and a new organizational clarity. A former loading dock was replaced with a defined entry sequence, and site improvements extended the renewal beyond the building itself.

Through our sustainable design, the building qualified for 3 federal tax credits for energy efficient construction, including for HVAC systems, lighting, and the building envelope.

The result is a workplace that reflects both its history and its future. What was once a manufacturing facility has become a highly functional, light-filled office environment, demonstrating how thoughtful planning and design can extend the life of an existing structure.

05/18/2026

Sustainable Design | Kanchanjunga Apartments

Located in Mumbai, India, the Kanchanjunga Apartments presents a reconsideration of what high-rise living can be.

Designed by Charles Correa in 1970, the project departs from the repetitive nature of most residential towers. Instead, it introduces interlocking duplex units with double-height terraces, what Correa described as “bungalows in the sky.” These spaces function as private gardens, drawing from the verandas and courtyards of traditional Indian homes while adapting them to a vertical form.

This approach achieves several outcomes. It enhances cross ventilation and allows for natural light, introduces shaded transitional spaces, and creates a sense of privacy within a dense urban setting. The building’s orientation and deep recessed terraces respond directly to Mumbai’s hot-humid climate, reducing heat gain and supporting airflow without reliance on mechanical systems.

Beyond environmental performance, the project also considers how people live together. Split-level layouts and outdoor terraces create opportunities for interaction while maintaining separation, an arrangement that feels particularly relevant as cities reconsider the balance between density and livability.

For the United States, especially in regions with similar climates such as the Southeast and Gulf Coast, Kanchanjunga offers a compelling precedent. It suggests that high-rise housing can be both efficient and humane, and that passive design strategies can be integral to large-scale development.

As urban density continues to increase, the question is not simply how to build taller, but how to build more thoughtfully. Projects like this remind us that climate, culture, and daily life are fundamental drivers of design.

05/15/2026

Partner Spotlight | Glenna Stone Interiors

Glenna Stone Interiors brings a thoughtful, highly refined approach to interior design, one that balances beauty, function, and the lived experience of a space.

With a background in Interior Architecture and Design, Glenna and her team approach each project with both creative intuition and technical precision. Their work spans from early planning through construction, shaping everything from floor plans and millwork to lighting, materials, and furnishings. The result is a cohesive environment where every element is considered and aligned.

What distinguishes their work is a sensitivity to context. Rather than imposing a fixed style, they respond to the architecture, the material palette, and the client’s vision, layering texture, color, and proportion to create interiors that feel both elevated and comfortable.

We have had the opportunity to collaborate with Glenna Stone Interiors across multiple projects, including a spa fit-out, a high-end residence, and a corporate hospitality space. In each case, their contribution has brought depth and clarity to the design, creating spaces that invite use while maintaining a strong sense of identity.

We value this partnership and look forward to continued collaboration.

Learn more: https://vist.ly/54bcp

05/14/2026

2024 Code Update | NEC Outlet Requirements at Kitchen Islands

Building codes evolve in response to real-world use. While they can be dry and difficult to interpret, they affect our everyday lives.

Recent updates to electrical code requirements for kitchen islands reflect a shift toward improved safety and usability. Where outlets were once placed along the sides of islands, new guidelines now discourage this approach due to risks associated with exposed electrical cords.

Current requirements emphasize integrated solutions, such as outlets within countertops or concealed within cabinetry, designed to reduce hazards while maintaining functionality. You will not be able to install outlets on the sides of island cabinets.

For homeowners and designers alike, these changes reinforce a broader principle: good design considers not only aesthetics, but safety and everyday use.

05/12/2026

25th Anniversary Reflections | Campo Timber Frame Raising

As part of our 25th anniversary reflections, we revisit a project that captures the essence of building in its most direct form.

In 2003, we designed a home organized around a timber frame structure at its core, a simple three-bay composition defining the primary living spaces for kitchen, dining, and living. A loft above one bay anchors the volume, while carefully detailed joinery, including haunched shoulders and exposed trusses, gives the structure both clarity and strength. The frame itself was crafted from green oak by Jack Witherington of Methods & Materials Building Company, and finished with a planed and oiled surface that reveals the character of the wood.

What distinguishes timber frame construction is not only the material, but the act of raising it. On a single day, the structure emerges. Sidewalls are assembled horizontally, then lifted into place. Beams and braces connect the frame, and finally the principal trusses are set, completing the essential form of the house in less than twenty-four hours.

We were fortunate to take part in that raising, alongside the builder, his wife and crew, the homeowners, and a small group of collaborators. There is a particular satisfaction in that shared effort, in seeing the structure take shape, and in working directly with materials that carry both weight and history.

More than two decades later, the home continues to serve its owners well, its timber frame holding not only the structure, but the life and memories that have unfolded within it.

05/10/2026

This Mother’s Day, we take a moment to recognize the influence of women in architecture, both within the profession and beyond it.

The history of architecture includes a number of pioneering women whose work shaped the built environment, often under challenging circumstances. Their contributions continue to inform how we think about design, leadership, and the role of architecture in daily life.

At the same time, we acknowledge the many mothers, such as our clients, collaborators, colleagues, and our own families, whose perspectives shape the spaces we design. Homes, workplaces, and communities are ultimately reflections of the people who inhabit them, and the values that they share.

For more information about the architects that have redefined the craft, we welcome you to explore: https://vist.ly/53q5n

Image credit: from the architecture blog link above.

05/06/2026

Project Reflection | South Moon Under, Philadelphia (Opened 2007)

As part of our 25th anniversary, we look back to some of our earlier projects.
For South Moon Under, a regional retailer that began as an Eastern Shore surf shop, we reimagined a two-story building and basement into a three-level retail environment shaped by movement, light, and layered experience.

The design brought together contrasting influences, urban rawness, modern transparency, and an eclectic sensibility, into a cohesive whole. By opening the existing structure and reworking its volumes, we addressed a common challenge in narrow, multi-floor retail spaces: how to draw visitors naturally from one level to the next.

New glazed openings on both the south and north façades introduced balanced daylight while improving visibility into the store. Internally, shifting floor plates and the introduction of a mezzanine created a sequence of interconnected spaces. An open stair, functioning as both circulation and a light well, carries daylight down to the basement level, transforming what is typically a constrained retail area into an active part of the experience.

At the upper level, a suspended colored glass installation by a local artist provides a focal point, reinforcing the project’s integration of architecture, light, and craft.

While the Center City location has since closed, the project remains an example of how thoughtful spatial intervention can reshape both perception and use and animate the shopping experience.

Collaborators: Jeff Schoellkopf Design, otto design group

05/04/2026

Preservation Reflections | National Preservation Month

May is National Preservation Month. This is a time to recognize the value of existing buildings and the role they play in shaping our communities.

Preservation is not simply about maintaining what exists. It requires a thoughtful process of understanding a building’s history, identifying what must be protected, and determining how it can continue to function in the present. When done well, it allows structures to evolve without losing their identity.

Across our work, this approach takes many forms. At The Mask & Wig Club in Philadelphia, extensive upgrades to the structure, systems, and accessibility were carefully integrated within a circa 1894 historic performance space, preserving its character while ensuring its continued use. At Sarah Furnace, ongoing efforts focus on the adaptive reuse of a 19th-century industrial site, balancing restoration with a new program that brings the property back into active use. In smaller-scale residential projects, such as historic home renovations, the work often involves modernizing systems and rethinking layouts while respecting original materials and craftsmanship.

Each project presents a different set of conditions, but the underlying principle remains consistent: meaningful preservation supports longevity. It allows buildings to remain relevant, useful, and connected to their original purpose, even as that purpose evolves.

National Preservation Month serves as a reminder that the built environment is not disposable. With careful design and collaboration, existing structures can continue to contribute to the life of a place for generations to come.

04/29/2026

Preservation in Progress | Sarah Furnace

Work continues at the Sarah Furnace site, where progress remains closely tied to both weather and the realities of historic construction.

Winter conditions lingered longer than expected, slowing exterior work. During periods of improved weather, installation of underground site utilities (including water, gas, electric, and geothermal systems) moved forward. Underground utilities have now been roughed in at both the Barn and the Mansion.

Within the Mansion, structural work is advancing methodically. Reinforcement of the floor system has begun, proceeding upward from the basement. At the same time, stabilization of the stone foundation beneath the two-story north porch has been completed, securing a critical portion of the structure.

As with many preservation efforts, progress is incremental and responsive. Each phase builds upon careful evaluation of existing conditions, ensuring that the long-term integrity of the buildings is maintained while preparing them for future use.

04/27/2026

Longwood Gardens | The Birdhouse

At Longwood Gardens, the treehouses extend beyond observation, offering new vantage points within the landscape. The Birdhouse presents the forest from above, placing visitors within the trunks of the tall mature woodland.

Drawing from the language of traditional fire towers, a winding stair ascends around a tulip poplar, gradually revealing shifting views of the ground below and the branches above. The ascent becomes part of the experience, alternating between distance and proximity to the tree.

Along the way, the narrative of the forest is made visible. A standing hollow trunk and a fallen log mark different stages in the life of a tree, reinforcing the cyclical nature of growth and decay. Subtle details, from shaped door pulls to live-edge seating, add a crafted dimension that complements the raw setting.

From its elevated perch, The Birdhouse offers both perspective and insight, framing the forest as a living, evolving system.

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15 W Highland Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
19118

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Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

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+12152481244

Website

http://www.millanarchitects.com/

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