About us

To Be Done Studio harnesses the inherent good in people and the power of design to create sustainable solutions to the pressing problems that our world faces. We design and build spaces that uplift, inspire, and support the communities we serve.

We believe a relevant design practice must be accessible to all rather than to a few. To create long-lasting and impactful solutions to the multifaceted issues many communities in our country face, we work upstream and downstream of challenges, working with individual clients, organizations, and communities.

Architecture

We believe in the right of future generations to a vibrant, livable, and resilient built environment. Working alongside private individuals, grass-roots organizations, and large institutions, we develop sustainable solutions that fit the specific needs of our clients and partners. From energy-efficient and healthy housing for the un-housed to LEED Platinum Certified buildings or resilient disaster recovery solutions for large institutions -- we believe these solutions should be accessible to all.

Research

As designers, we are well-positioned as creative problem solvers; however, we can't wait for those problems to come to us. We actively seek out the most endemic challenges in our built environment, then convene local and technical experts to develop holistic, long-lasting solutions that can scale.

Craft

We make things. Why? Because we believe that sometimes the best way to positively impact people's lives is to bring about physical change. Sourcing, shaping, and joining materials keeps us connected to our work as architects and designers and ensures that our clients and partners can realize their visions.

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Process

Learn

We spend time learning about the space you want to create... What is it? What is it not? What idea is driving it? Who do we need to talk to to ensure we are well-informed? For community projects, who are the key stakeholders? Other architects may call this the “Pre-Design” Phase.

Other things that we may do in this phase:

  • Develop your building program (aka what ingredients do you want in your gumbo).
  • Hold a community /staff/neighborhood engagement meeting to open the conversation. We are a community-centered design studio with decades of successful experience leading community-driven design projects. We strongly believe community engagement is key to informed design for small and large community projects.
  • Develop project guiding principals (good architecture thrives within guides) that align with the “mission” of the project.

What does this look like?

  • A set of virtual or in-person meetings where we develop materials on virtual whiteboards, real whiteboards, pen and paper, or the dreaded spreadsheet.

Experiment

This is where we get to have fun. We will explore different concepts that test out the goals and constraints developed in the “Learn" phase. The wider the range of ideas that are developed, the better we can test the fit of our constraints, goals, and guiding principles. Other architects may call this the “Schematic-Design” Phase.

Other things that we may do in this phase:

  • Build a 3d model of your site. (we use BIM)
  • Do an in-person site visit / design session.
  • Hold additional engagement meetings if appropriate for your project.

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What does this look like?

  • We will present 2D sketches, diagrams and 3D models to explore design concepts.
  • Your conceptual budget may be refined at this stage or later stages.

Refine

In the “Refine” phase, we will take the selected design concepts, meld them into one final concept, and add details like materiality, structure, and all necessary engineering elements to ensure your project is successful. This phase is also known as "Design Development".

Other things that we may do in this phase:

  • Begin collaborating with a contractor. We can do this via a bidding process, or work with someone you already know and trust.
  • Begin work in earnest with our consultant team (Civil, Structural, Geotechnical, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and other engineers).

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What does this look like?

  • We will develop and present a set of near-construction ready drawings.
  • These drawings will be generated from a 3D model that you can walk or fly through (depending on your preference).

Document

In the documentation phase, we make more concrete (sorry for the pun) all of the design decisions that have been made in the previous phases, and develop a set of construction documents. These will include all of the drawings necessary to permit and complete the project.

Other things that we may do in this phase:

  • Additional budget/design refinement.
  • Coordination between all consultants.
  • Meet with any building officials necessary to provide project pre-approval.

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What does this look like?

  • A set of “blueprints”
  • …A number of review meetings…

Build

This is where the rubber meets the road. With building permits in hand, we begin construction. We stay very involved in the construction process. We can break this down into roughly 3 sub-phases.
  • Align: We work with the contractor and all subcontractors, to make sure we are in alignment on all parts of the project scope.
  • Review: We review the work as it is being done to make sure it meets the design intent and specifications embedded in the project.
  • Finalize: We work with the contractor to ensure everything is completed to the client's and building officials' satisfaction.

Team

Omar Hakeem

Founder & Principal

Omar’s work focuses on geo-political and socio-cultural frontiers and seeks to address the economic, environmental, and health challenge plaguing these communities.

Through these efforts, he has completed award-winning affordable housing, rapid response disaster housing prototypes, urban bike and pedestrian infrastructure, regional drainage improvements and community-based rural planning initiatives. Omar’s passion for design has taken him from the cloud forests of Costa Rica to the ravaged communities of the Gulf Coast and many places in between.

Omar was recently named one of Grist’s 50 Fixers for his Commuwork on climate-resilient housing solutions and sits on the American Institute of Architects’ Strategic Council and Climate Action and Design Excellence Committee. Omar holds a bachelor's degree in Architecture from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Masters Degree in Architecture and a Master of Science in Sustainable Design from the University of Minnesota. He is a licensed architect in numerous states.

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Mika Yamaguchi

Senior Architect

Mika Yamaguchi is an architect from the island of Maui with experience in residential, mixed-use, non-profit, and urban design. Through her work, she has supported community leadership utilizing engagement and visioning, focused on sustainable building practices, and cultivated meaningful relationships with collaborators and clients in the U.S. and Pacific. Mika is committed to process and participatory design and is always looking for new ways to facilitate future-forward projects that enhance people's lives and challenge social and environmental systems. With a background in psychology, careful listening, consensus-building, and cultural awareness are integral to her practice. 

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Mika is an advocate for equal access to quality housing, safe multi-modal transit systems, and vibrant public spaces - in cities, rural places, and on islands.

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Brandon Robles

Designer

Brandon is a designer whose work seeks to balance an affective and speculative potential in architecture—situating its process in narratives informed by social, political, and environmental contexts. Their current interests involve a direction toward collective/community stewardship within the realization of projects. They continue to pursue these realities of architecture that respond to and work for the communities+environments in which they exist.

Their experience has allowed them to collaborate on varying projects, ranging programmatically from commercial to residential. Bringing their strength and passions to supplement discursive practices. Notably, affordable housing projects, "New Neighborhood Block" and "H.P.H.S," synthesize housing potential with new construction methodologies. And recently, their contribution to the designs of NRDC's new Chicago office. They hope to continue their growth to realize these hopes for architecture and our built environment.

Caitlin MacKenzie

Project Manager

Caitlin combines her expertise in rural affordable housing development, institutional advancement, and architectural design to give full-circle support to each project. She holds a Masters in Architecture from the University of Washington. Her previous work with rural housing developers in Maryland and Maine, and as a grant and loan underwriter and grant program manager for national non-profits, helped clients negotiate complex funding pathways. Her seasoned skills in building community support, project development and management, and sustainable construction practice support stakeholders at every step of the design/build process.

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