Who We Are
We are licensed architects.
Experienced ones. Residential and commercial architectural professionals, each with 20+ years in practice and a portfolio of countless projects. Lisa and Adam Christie are Portland-based architects and creative design partners who know exceptional architecture takes broad conceptual thinking, meticulous planning, and technical expertise.
Lisa Christie, Principal
Lisa has an eye for details.
You may not notice exactly what has been carefully considered in your space, but you will feel the difference.
Lisa has the ability to succinctly articulate a vision—an innate strength she nurtured from an early age. In particular, her love of architecture emerged from family time spent exploring open houses in her neighborhood, where she collected floor plans and figured out how to make them better. A problem solver and a planner, Lisa relishes the puzzle work of design.
Lisa graduated from the University of Virginia with both a BS in Architecture and Master of Architecture. After graduating, she gained valuable experience in large firms with complex commercial projects. However, a desire for more personal involvement in every phase and detail of a project, guided her to launch Christie Architecture with Adam in 2004. Lisa is a licensed architect in Oregon and Washington.
Her hands and mind are always busy, whether sewing, quilting or digging in her garden.
Above all, success for Lisa is when clients feel so at home in their new space, they can’t even remember the challenges it posed before.
Adam Christie, Principal
Adam relishes space, movement and the unique conditions of architecture.
For him, the inherent challenges and opportunities of site and space make each project unique. Most important, Adam delivers well-considered structures no matter the typology. For instance, he has worked on hospitals, museums, university buildings, houses, athletic facilities, industrial warehouses, and interior renovations. Moreover, these projects have ranged from deeply urban in major US cities to remote and rural. His deep understanding of building systems allows him to tune his designs to place and project.
Adam graduated from the University of Virginia with a BS in Architecture and from Columbia University with a Master of Architecture. He is a licensed architect in Oregon and California.
While contractors sometimes lift an eyebrow when Adam talks about visual texture instead of dimensions or specs, Adam has found spending time with them on site assures each project meets all expectations.
Adam likes to get outside when he can. You will likely find him skiing, cycling or fly fishing.
Alexa Esguerra, Intern Architect
Alexa makes beautiful things happen.
Growing up in an artistic family, Alexa has always had creative juices flowing. She enjoys painting and building homes via The Sims and is a Portland State alum with a BS and Master in Architecture.
She approaches her work with inventiveness and advocates for sustainable practices. For example, her thesis investigated the reuse of plastic waste as a housing construction material. In addition, Alexa relishes the details of every project. Whether residential, commercial or baked goods, she is always looking for ways to add the right touch of artistic flair.
Alexa is putting in the hours and tackling the challenges needed to pursue her architectural license. She looks forward to joining the esteemed community of Portland architects. Outside of work and studies, she spends time with her niece, plays the guitar and enjoys embroidery.
We are a Portland-based office that values honest people, quality materials and good design. Furthermore, we are client advocates and collaborative team players. We love exploring new opportunities, resources and industry connections.
Reach out to us — let’s work together.