Our Story
From Inspiration to Creation: How Tropical Architecture Group Began
Our story began with a love for Kauai — its lush landscapes, natural rhythms, and effortless beauty. In 2003, we came here looking for a vacation home that reflected an indoor-outdoor lifestyle and the island’s spirit. What we found instead were houses that could have been anywhere in the U.S. — not tropical and missing the essence and sense of place of Kauai.
In 2004, we fell in love with a secluded 3.5-acre lakefront property on the North Shore, and, despite our roots and family being in Santa Barbara, we decided to move to Kauai, design our own home, and raise our twin boys, who were then only one year old.
We created our dream, blending indoor-outdoor living with tropical modern design — wide open spaces, water features and Zen gardens, outdoor pavilions, and Balinese woods — that celebrated “barefoot living” with the island’s warm, gentle breeze.
The ‘Bali Lani’ was designed unlike anything else that existed at the time and quickly caught attention. Word spread through the “coconut wireless,” and soon our work was featured on local and national luxury magazine cover stories, attracting design inquiries from across Hawaii and tropical islands worldwide. What began as a personal project became the birth of Tropical Architecture Group, Inc. (TAG), a firm rooted in island living, sustainability, and the art of creating spaces that truly belong in their surroundings.
Our Evolution
Designing Paradise, Mindfully
As our popularity grew across the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical destinations worldwide, we hired staff and traveled to exotic places, working long hours.
However, we moved to Kauai to enjoy life and have fun raising our kids; being busy and stressed was not a sign of success, no matter how much revenue was generated. So, we eased out of taking projects in other countries and the outer Hawaiian Islands and returned our focus to Kauai, where we could give each client our full attention and remain true to the lifestyle that first inspired us.
Today, our designs range from Pacific Tropical and Island Contemporary to Plantation and Asian-inspired styles — always personalized, always in dialogue with nature and the land. And our twin sons, now grown, are studying architecture and business, hoping to form the next generation of Tropical Architecture Group, Inc. (TAG)
Our Philosophy
We believe great design begins with listening — to our clients, to the land, and to the spirit of the place. Every project is a collaboration, transforming a client’s dream into a stunning custom design that reflects who they are and where they are.
- Harmony with nature — designs that flow seamlessly between indoors and out.
- Low maintenance living — so beauty feels effortless.
- Quality and integrity — from materials to relationships.
- Innovation and creativity — looking at things in new ways, continually evolving.
- Sustainability — to protect our future generations
- Joy in the process — because creating your dream home should be as fun and inspiring as living in it.
We prioritize:
For us, architecture is more than creating structures — it’s about the art of living well in the tropics, leaving a legacy for families that is special and unique for each client to enjoy for generations.