Profile
Founded by Chris Kempel, AIA, NCARB, we are a professional design studio with deep Modernist roots, dedicated to creating spaces that honor both craft and intention. We believe thoughtful design can transform daily life—where every detail serves a purpose and each space fosters a deeper connection to its surroundings and the people within it.
What began as a passion for the relationship between nature and architecture has evolved into a practice known for seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor living, employing warm, natural materials such as stone, wood, concrete, and glass, and creating homes that reflect each client’s distinct vision. From the wine country of Oregon to the beaches of Southern California, and from the Piedmont of North Carolina to the intracoastal waterways of Florida, our work spans some of the country’s most distinctive landscapes.
Services
We start by understanding your vision, evaluating your site's potential, and establishing a realistic budget and timeline. We handle all permits and approvals, ensuring your project moves forward smoothly from day one.
This is where your dream takes shape. We create detailed architectural plans, help you select materials and finishes that reflect your style, and provide 3D renderings so you can see your future home before construction begins.
We oversee every aspect of the build process, coordinating with contractors and ensuring the highest quality craftsmanship. From foundation to final details, we're your advocate until you receive the keys to your completed home.
Process
Team
Led by Chris Kempel, AIA, NCARB, our team approaches each project with a craftsman's attention to detail and an artist's eye for beauty. We believe the best homes emerge from deep collaboration—listening to how you live, understanding your site's potential, and translating your vision into spaces that exceed your expectations.
Christopher Kempel, AIA, NCARB | Founding Principal
Chris Kempel, NCARB, AIA, has spent more than three decades pursuing architecture rooted in thoughtful design, craftsmanship, and the belief that well-designed spaces enrich daily life. A lifelong fascination with art, nature, and construction led him to architecture and continues to shape his work today.
As Founder and Principal of Kempel Architects, Chris leads a collaborative studio built on the talent and experience of longtime colleagues Bridget Krajacic and Keith Ireland. Together, they create exceptional custom homes and estates for discerning clients throughout the country—from the Southern California coast and Oregon wine country to North Carolina's Piedmont region and Florida's Gulf Coast.
A Modernist at heart, Chris approaches each project with a deep appreciation for the relationship between architecture and landscape. He earned degrees from North Carolina State University's College of Design and UCLA's Master of Architecture program and furthered his studies at Berlin's Weißensee Kunsthochschule, where an interdisciplinary approach to art, culture, and society broadened his perspective on design.
Known for his deeply personal approach, Chris believes exceptional homes emerge from a genuine understanding of how people live. Whether shaping a coastal retreat or a multigenerational family residence, he is driven by the conviction that architecture can enhance well-being, foster connection, and create lasting meaning. His commitment to understanding daily life is evident in every project—on one occasion, he spent several days living on a client's property to better understand the movement of light and rhythms of the site before beginning the design.
Beyond practice, Chris has dedicated significant time to advancing the profession through leadership within the AIA, contributions to California's architectural licensing process, and community service at home and abroad, including work with Habitat for Humanity, the Union Rescue Mission, and projects in Haiti, Venezuela, Egypt, and the Shankill of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Outside of architecture, Chris's greatest fulfillment comes from his family. He and his wife, Ashley, have built a life together for nearly twenty years and are raising their two sons, Kit and Anderson. Through them, he is continually reminded of the importance of home, connection, and creating places where so many of life's most meaningful moments unfold.
Bridget Krajacic, AIA, NCARB
Bridget has always had a passion for design, dreaming of creating glass houses on the beach since she was just two years old. In 2005, this aspiration led her to sunny California, where she began her West Coast career with Kempel Architects.
Her architectural journey began at the University of Virginia, where she studied architecture and architectural history. After that, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked on the Pentagon renovation. Bridget then spent several years working on various projects on the East Coast, from Virginia to New York City to Boston, before relocating to Florida to pursue her Master of Architecture. During her studies, she also assisted in teaching graduate classes and consulted for architects, interior designers, and structural engineers.
As Co-Founding Principal, Bridget combines her professional experience with a collaborative approach to every residential project. She finds the greatest joy in working closely with clients and project teams, transforming innovative ideas into thoughtfully realized designs.
Keith Ireland, AIA
Keith’s passion for design and creating physical environments that can be inhabited and experienced was evident from an early age. His love of LEGO, and a simple middle school art class project on designing a house, set him on a path that led him from Albuquerque to Los Angeles. In 1999, he earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Southern California and embarked on his professional career on the West Coast.
As a Principal at Kempel Architects, Keith brings a keen attention to detail and expertise in project management, construction drawing, construction detailing, and 3D/BIM computer modeling to his team. His diverse experience working on various project types, including single-family homes, historic adaptive reuse projects, apartments, hospitality facilities, and condominiums, enables him to ensure that creatively designed projects are fully realized and ultimately enjoyed by those that inhabit them.
Adam Perez
Adam's interest in the built environment solidified in a small South Texas town where he witnessed the construction of his family's home. Present for nearly every milestone, from the foundation pour to adding painter's tape and painting his bedroom, he graduated from Texas Tech University and later worked at a prominent East Texas architecture firm. He later earned his Master's from the University of Texas at San Antonio and spent a summer at Taliesin West, where he led his team of colleagues to first place in the prestigious Charles E. Peterson Prize for their documentation of the Original Dining Room.
Ready for something new, Adam made his way to Southern California and joined Kempel Architects. He brings his technical skillset and Texas grit to the studio, supporting the team in bringing the client's vision to life. By immersing himself in the craft of custom residential design, he continues his journey toward becoming a well-rounded architect.
Adam is also a musician and finds that both disciplines inform and enrich each other. This affinity gives him a creative edge and a meticulous attention to detail evident in every project he's involved in. Ultimately, he believes that thoughtfully curated design in any medium can inspire and evoke distinctive, memorable experiences.
Your Dream Home Awaits
Every extraordinary home begins with a conversation about how you want to live.