top of page
Introducing The Goldwater: An architectural vision in Old Town Scottsdale
NAU Bury Hall Renovation enters construction
Lonyi Village Masterplan Phase III begins
Introducing The Goldwater: An architectural vision in Old Town Scottsdale
NAU Bury Hall Renovation enters construction
Lonyi Village Masterplan Phase III begins
Introducing The Goldwater: An architectural vision in Old Town Scottsdale
NAU Bury Hall Renovation enters construction
Lonyi Village Masterplan Phase III begins
Introducing The Goldwater: An architectural vision in Old Town Scottsdale
NAU Bury Hall Renovation enters construction
Lonyi Village Masterplan Phase III begins
Introducing The Goldwater: An architectural vision in Old Town Scottsdale
NAU Bury Hall Renovation enters construction
Lonyi Village Masterplan Phase III begins
Introducing The Goldwater: An architectural vision in Old Town Scottsdale
NAU Bury Hall Renovation enters construction
Lonyi Village Masterplan Phase III begins
Introducing The Goldwater: An architectural vision in Old Town Scottsdale
NAU Bury Hall Renovation enters construction
Lonyi Village Masterplan Phase III begins
Introducing The Goldwater: An architectural vision in Old Town Scottsdale
NAU Bury Hall Renovation enters construction
Lonyi Village Masterplan Phase III begins
Introducing The Goldwater: An architectural vision in Old Town Scottsdale
NAU Bury Hall Renovation enters construction
Lonyi Village Masterplan Phase III begins
Introducing The Goldwater: An architectural vision in Old Town Scottsdale
NAU Bury Hall Renovation enters construction
Lonyi Village Masterplan Phase III begins
News //
Lonyi Village nears completion on Opportunity Center
The Lonyi Village Opportunity Center is designed as a catalyst for sustainable development and economic empowerment, combining environmentally responsible construction with meaningful workforce opportunities. By utilizing locally sourced materials and resilient building practices, the center reduces its carbon footprint while lowering long-term energy and maintenance costs. At its core, the initiative is focused on increasing access to decent work and equipping youth with practical, on-the-job technical and vocational training—helping address the critical gap for those currently without employment, education, or training. As a result, the center will strengthen the local economy, expand the pool of skilled labor, and create pathways out of poverty for individuals and families across the community.
Glendale City Hall and DCRP nears completion
As summer approaches, Lightvox Studio is proud to celebrate the grand opening of the Glendale City Hall Building on June 18, 2026. This milestone marks the culmination of four years of dedicated collaboration alongside the City of Glendale, Okland Construction, Holly Street Studio, and an incredible network of vendors and trades. The revitalized civic campus introduces a complete renovation of the City Hall Building and Council Chambers, a reimagined Murphy Park, and a brand-new outdoor performance amphitheater, establishing a vibrant civic center for the community.
Aspiring to be both a resource and a destination at the heart of Glendale, renovations to City Hall aspire to propel the workspace into its next 80 years with daylit open offices, state-of-the-art meeting spaces, and dedicated fitness and computer training spaces. Beyond the office, the design prioritizes public engagement; a new lobby and generous meeting galleries welcome visitors, while significant accessibility improvements ensure a truly inclusive environment for all citizens. Complementing the interior transformation, the new outdoor amphitheater provides a professional venue for live music, featuring state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems that will serve the city for decades to come.
To learn more visit:
Aspiring to be both a resource and a destination at the heart of Glendale, renovations to City Hall aspire to propel the workspace into its next 80 years with daylit open offices, state-of-the-art meeting spaces, and dedicated fitness and computer training spaces. Beyond the office, the design prioritizes public engagement; a new lobby and generous meeting galleries welcome visitors, while significant accessibility improvements ensure a truly inclusive environment for all citizens. Complementing the interior transformation, the new outdoor amphitheater provides a professional venue for live music, featuring state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems that will serve the city for decades to come.
To learn more visit:
The Design School at ASU concludes the spring semester with public exhibition
Students in Karin Santiago's ARC 102 and ARC 502 conclude the spring semester at the Design School at ASU with a celebratory exhibition. Students in ARC 502, an asynchronous studio bringing together students from around the world, spent the semester exploring the intersection of pedagogy and architecture, designing schools on compact, urban sites in Los Angeles, Miami and Phoenix. Their work culminated in complete designs which delve into structure, systems, and sustainability.
Events, Recognition, Project progress
Threads //
Energy modeling in civic buildings
When tasked with reimagining Glendale, Arizona’s City Hall Building, teams at Lightvox Studio and Holly Street Studio worked together to deliver a holistic sustainability strategy that tackled the structure’s multifaceted shortcomings. With deferred maintenance issues for the building envelope ranging from water intrusion at the basement level, to a leaky skin with poor thermal and acoustic performance, the team’s approach began from the outside in.
To ensure a data-driven transformation, the team partnered with sustainability and energy modeling experts, Group 14 Engineering of Denver, Colorado. Together, we utilized whole building energy models to gain real-time feedback on design iterations. Every aspect of the façade was refined for peak thermal performance, incorporating enhanced insulation, detailing for air sealing, high-performance glazing. The envelope is further protected by rain-screen wall construction, strategically placed with vertical fins, and recessed glazing at lower levels to provide shaded entries.
Within the building, program was optimized to enhance daylighting through a combination of open offices spaces and glazed private offices. These passive strategies were balanced with high efficiency mechanical systems and plumbing fixtures, supported by a centralized building management system to optimize building performance through continuous monitoring. Combined with the use of zero-maintenance exterior materials and low-voc interior materials, the building is designed for occupant health and high performance well into the future. The result is a building that is anticipated to achieve 72% energy cost savings, 30% reduction in domestic water usage, and 100% reduction in mechanical system water usage over the pre-renovation structure.
To ensure a data-driven transformation, the team partnered with sustainability and energy modeling experts, Group 14 Engineering of Denver, Colorado. Together, we utilized whole building energy models to gain real-time feedback on design iterations. Every aspect of the façade was refined for peak thermal performance, incorporating enhanced insulation, detailing for air sealing, high-performance glazing. The envelope is further protected by rain-screen wall construction, strategically placed with vertical fins, and recessed glazing at lower levels to provide shaded entries.
Within the building, program was optimized to enhance daylighting through a combination of open offices spaces and glazed private offices. These passive strategies were balanced with high efficiency mechanical systems and plumbing fixtures, supported by a centralized building management system to optimize building performance through continuous monitoring. Combined with the use of zero-maintenance exterior materials and low-voc interior materials, the building is designed for occupant health and high performance well into the future. The result is a building that is anticipated to achieve 72% energy cost savings, 30% reduction in domestic water usage, and 100% reduction in mechanical system water usage over the pre-renovation structure.
Passive design in residential architecture
When the owners of House on Ash discovered a forested lot just outside the city limits of Flagstaff, Arizona, they envisioned an off-grid sanctuary with a feeling of privacy but located only a few minutes from town. With mild summers and cool winters, the project provided the perfect opportunity to harness passive solar designs toward the goal of energy independence.
Led by Karin Santiago and Benjamin Mullings, the design team conceptualized the home as a modern shed volume, optimal for rainwater harvesting, with simple manipulations in the façade to create sheltered outdoor living spaces and well-defined entries.
The building’s performance is rooted in highly intentional orientation supported by detailed solar studies. By situating south-facing, full-height glazing under a generous overhang, the team maximized passive thermal gain from the low-angle winter sun while shielding the interior from intense summer radiation. The design carefully locates operable windows throughout the home for cross-ventilation during the summer months and utilizes a combination of passive strategies and hydronic radiant heated floors for heating during the cold winter months. In conjunction with enhanced insulation values, a cold-roof design, and careful consideration of framing to reduce thermal bridging, this balance allows the home to operate without the use of traditional HVAC systems.
Designed for resilience amidst an area at risk for wildland fires, the home utilizes fire-resistive materials including metal roofing and siding, heavy timber framing, and concrete masonry units. The roof is free of venting to prevent embers from entering the structure, and rockwool insulation provides non-combustible thermal comfort.
Led by Karin Santiago and Benjamin Mullings, the design team conceptualized the home as a modern shed volume, optimal for rainwater harvesting, with simple manipulations in the façade to create sheltered outdoor living spaces and well-defined entries.
The building’s performance is rooted in highly intentional orientation supported by detailed solar studies. By situating south-facing, full-height glazing under a generous overhang, the team maximized passive thermal gain from the low-angle winter sun while shielding the interior from intense summer radiation. The design carefully locates operable windows throughout the home for cross-ventilation during the summer months and utilizes a combination of passive strategies and hydronic radiant heated floors for heating during the cold winter months. In conjunction with enhanced insulation values, a cold-roof design, and careful consideration of framing to reduce thermal bridging, this balance allows the home to operate without the use of traditional HVAC systems.
Designed for resilience amidst an area at risk for wildland fires, the home utilizes fire-resistive materials including metal roofing and siding, heavy timber framing, and concrete masonry units. The roof is free of venting to prevent embers from entering the structure, and rockwool insulation provides non-combustible thermal comfort.
Shared knowledge, learning, and experience
Studio tangents, follies, and eccentricities
Parallels //
bottom of page