"At the time of ground breaking, I, among many others, was extremely pleased and satisfied with Mr. Rodell's performance as our architect. However that satisfaction was magnified considerably by our experience of the construction process itself. Mr. Rodell handled every detail and thoroughly minimized the impact of the construction upon my office and the day to day operations of our organization. Plus, the building itself, now in service, has exceeded our expectations."

"Simple, clean, direct, affordable - in the tradition of good Scandinavian design."

"Perhaps Sam's most outstanding characteristic is his incredible ability to truly listen."

"The Fernan Ranger Station is an important facility for us, and your design incorporates a number of features that we frankly did not think could all be included. We are hearing feedback internally that this project is the best office building the Forest Service has anywhere in the nation."

"Time after time people come into our studio and ask who did the architecture and interior design as they feel this studio is one of the nicest in the Northwest. We love our building."

"Idaho home proves great design can come in small packages."

"Sam is a true thought leader. His design is rooted in a deep sense of place. He has an affinity towards progressive materials and energy efficiency, yet never loses sight of the purpose of the project. Select Sam if you want a dwelling that not only works, but keeps working though the passage of time."

"Sam has proven to me he is a person of great integrity. I trust him and know he will get the job done in a manner that meets the needs of the many parties that are involved in the development and construction process."

"Sam simply emanates artistry and expertise. I had no idea what to expect, but somehow I knew he was the one to bring my vision into life. I wanted to follow his lead."

"I have received incredible value from Sam on every project. He is diligent, thorough, professional, endlessly creative, and as responsive to client needs as any professional I have ever worked with - not to mention just plain fun."

"Sam demonstrated an uncanny ability to translate thoughts and dreams into realities that surpassed our expectations. We now have a truly unique home - so warm and livable yet often described by others as a work of art."

"Your work was exceptional for more than design excellence. Your attention to detail resulted in a contract package that has recieved many compliments for its thoroughness. The specifications and drawings made the construction contract much easier to administer than might otherwise have been the case, and the project was completed without a single contractor requested change order."

"Sam is an architect, with all the knowledge that goes with that, but I think of him as a three dimensional designer. I am a two dimensional designer and so I know the process of design, of exploring in an open and sometimes wildish sort of way before honing in on what fits, what is produceable given the realities of budgets and schedules. I appreciated Sam's abilities to meet the unexpected in a direct and forthright way. In any design project there will always be something that goes sideways on you - how we work with it when the unexpected surprises arise says a lot about who we are. Sam has a positive outlook and really owns the project. We felt so well supported in the project."

"I have been involved in residential, commercial, and industrial construction as a general contractor and developer for fifteen years. During this time I have worked with numerous architects; never have I worked with an architect like Sam Rodell."

"Mr. Rodell provided architectural and construction management services for several small and large projects that I did, ranging from 100,000+ SF retirement communities to work on my personal home.  Sam is creative, organized, knowledgeable and trustworthy. I highly recommend him for commercial and residential work."

"We were later interviewed by an author working on a book about architect/client relationships. She was astounded that we enjoyed our project so much and would do it again for the sheer pleasure of it."

"Imagination, meet Sam Rodell. His mantra: “Yes, I can do that, and what else would you like?”

"Sam demonstrated creativity, adaptability and a profound understanding of both the creative process and construction demands. He was able to adapt to the changing conditions that occur in all large construction projects while maintaining the balance between the art of design and demands of financial and construction realities. He also was able to work and communicate effectively with the diverse and often highly opinionated cast of characters that form the different development and construction teams."

"Best Architecture Firm" - Gold Award, readers poll.

"The thing I remember the most about the design experience was how amorphous, vaguely sketched ideas on our part would be rendered into several potential and elegant solutions by Sam. In the end when I look at our home I can't tell what idea came from me or my wife or from Sam. It doesn't matter of course, we just love the results."

"Sam is knowledgeable, reliable, and professional. I like that I can contact him directly anytime I need to.  He is responsive to my needs and questions. He was very patient with us as we worked through design and continues to be patient with my questions and concerns as we build.   Although design is complete and we are now in the process of building, he continues to contribute his time and talent on a personal basis visiting the building site. He appears to have a great working relationship with our builder and they work well together.  I highly recommend Sam as an outstanding architect."

"Sam placed our house so it is nestled in amongst the land and the trees so that we have close up view of trees and grasses, mid range of the dock and water edge and distant views of the hills across the lake. The house feels lke part of the land and the weather. It looks and feels like it belongs there, like it grew from there. That was key for us.

This place holds a kind of beauty that seeps into us, even on busy or hectic days. It softens us. We become more receptive."

"Sam is reflective, thorough, intense, perfection-seeking, academic, artistic and available.  His systematic approach is  devoted to achieving the greatest potential for his client, integrating deep study and a multitude of broad skills.  He is serious, but appreciates a good laugh and a healthy working relationship. I have total trust in him as a professional."

"...Sam Rodell's work reflects a creative marriage between his client's desires and the environment at hand.  He possesses numerous degrees in architecture, and is well regarded for project management skills and integrity."

"Sam's design process is not typical. It is, however, far more effective at producing results that truly match the client's needs and wants."

"We selected you for two reasons: Your high degree of sensitivity to the unique characteristics of our site, and your very thorough design process that would explore our complex needs and provide a design meaningfully responsive to them. The design you provided for the Fernan project exceeded our expectations in both of these regards."

A brief summary of the skills I have observed over the years working with Sam:  A strong desire to exceed customer expectations; effective listening skills; creative innovative approach to design that focuses on the needs and desires of the customer and the intended use; effective project management skills including establishing and managing budgets, developing contracts, and managing change orders; strong interpersonal skills such as dispute mediation; meticulous attention to detail that saves time and money on every project he has designed and managed.

"I developed my initial respect for the high quality work done by Sam building several commercial retirement communities with him. Based on those experiences, my wife Wendy and I choose Sam to be our architect when we built our "dream" home.

Sam guided us through a design process that helped both mature our vision and fill in the many details required to build a home that is both beautiful and a joy to live in.  Friends and family love the beauty and the comfortable warm feeling.

Our home was recently featured in Spokane  Coeur d'Alene Living magazine with an emphasis on how the architecture blends so effectively into the surrounding environment, extending the indoor living environment into the outdoors. Sam definitively delivers beyond expectation."

"I am filled with gratitude for the process that began when we first purchased the land I now reside on. Sam was there from the beginning when it was just a campground. He loved it as much as we did. Time and time again I was amazed with his genuine passion and engagement in the process of designing our home."

"Sam's process began with so much research. I'm sure much of this was invisible to us regarding the land and regulations and the ten thousand things. However, the research about us; who we are, how we are different from each other, what our core values are and our many likes and dislikes - that was an intensive study."

"Sam uses substantial creative skills to design visually refined, technologically superior architecture that harmonizes beautifully with the natural environment. He is sensitive to the client, committed to sustainability, and brings enormous creative wisdom to his process."

"Sam and his team are the best architects I have ever worked with. Their concern for my projects and attention to detail continue to amaze me. The effort invested on my projects is way above and beyond any standard I am familiar with."

"As we moved through the design process I was constantly surprised and thankful for Sam's consistent, patient, and insightful support through the myriad of decisions that lie between the blank page and a completed design."

"Many, many guests have visited and stayed here. I have grown used to what initially seemed like an unusual response when they would first arrive and walk into our home. A sort of awed silence envelopes nearly everyone. I have heard this often happens with great art and I view this home as a work of art. Only Sam could have made it so and I am forever grateful."

"Along the way, Sam educated us well as to the process and appropriate considerations for design and construction; we knew what to expect going forward as to price, process, and product. Sam also served as our general contractor, and was as diligent and thoughtful in construction as he was in design."

"Clients assert Rodell can virtually read and then transcribe their lofty imaginations into reality."

"I must be honest, it's hard to reduce my joy and trust in working with Sam Rodell to mere words. He is the ultimate professional."

"Sam immerses himself in the challenge with a deep understanding of architectural history, commitment to function, and resonance with beauty. These elements reveal themselves in every facet of his work."

"If brilliance resonates with you, Sam Rodell is your match."

"...Sam enjoys an impeccable reputation because of his strong work ethic, professionalism, courtesy, and remarkable creativity."

"Sam is a joy to work with and is extremely patient, thoughtful, brilliant, and creative. I would recommend him to anyone looking for an architect!"

"I am filled with gratitude for the process that began when we first purchased the land I now reside on.   Time and time again I was amazed with his genuine passion and engagement in the process of designing our home. He listened and listened. He became our teacher, helping us to see things from every angle and in ways we never imagined possible. He had amazing intuition and was so patient with us as we found our way through research, site analysis and design. No detail was overlooked."

"In Sam's process drawings are not produced until the research discussions are complete. However, when he first brought concept drawings to a meeting we were astounded. The design reflected all the values, priorities, needs and wishes we brought with us to the project. With minor modifications, the finished building was that shown on the first drawings. Not a wasted moment in the work."

"Mr. Rodell understood and responded to our very strict cost constraints.

During the design process, he was able to assimilate increased demands for cost containment due to statutory changes further limiting the construction budget. It is his ability to combine creative strength with practical insight which warrants my highest recommendation for Mr. Rodell's architectural services."

"Our home surpassed every dream and every time I walk in, I appreciate how beautiful it is. We cannot thank Sam enough!"