Not only is a good builder an important part of the process, Stinson notes, but a support staff of creative, talented, and passionate individuals from architects to interior designers round out the Charles R. Stinson office and help make it all possible. “I couldn’t do this work without them,” he says.
Stinson further captivated the Olbrichs when he sketched with his colored pencils “what was already what we had in mind. He was able to read us and quickly showed us on paper what our dream house looked like,” Olbrich says. “For us, Charles was the right choice.”
Bob and Judy, for whom Stinson is designing a home in Colorado, agree. “We were immediately drawn to the clean lines and pure beauty of how his buildings relate to the site,” Bob recalls. “We were also enamored with his use of natural materials and the way they’re seamlessly integrated to flow from inside to out. Frank Lloyd Wright often described his own work as ‘organic.’ We think that term also applies wonderfully to Charles’ designs. They are modern and yet warm.”
They described being “mesmerized” as they toured Stinson’s houses. “One feels at peace just being inside them,” Bob says. “And each of the homeowners lit up as soon as they saw Charles. They quickly began reliving stories about the design and construction, and how Charles helped shepherd them through the whole process. At that point, we knew he was going to be our architect.”
Stinson’s design philosophy is inseparable from his accessibility and warmth, his playful perseverance, his perennial optimism, and his delight in every project. And while his practice continues to expand to all reaches of the globe, he remains committed to his local community where he continues to live and work in the same buildings he designed almost 20 years ago. Local projects, such as the Lotus Lake neighborhood, an entire development of Stinson homes in Chanhassen, Minnesota, continue to draw his attention and inspire new ideas like the use of “green” materials. As his signature style evolves to integrate these green technologies and the architectural visions of national and international clients, Stinson says he’s ready to allow new possibilities to reveal themselves.
“Architecture is about the invisible, like faith,” he says. “It’s about manifesting people’s dreams.” With sketchbook and colored pencils in hand, he’s traveling the world, making dreams come true.
