Conversations in Design: Mela Breen of Atmosphere Design Build

Welcome to Conversations in Design — a series featuring longtime Zola partners from the design and build industry. We’re kicking off this series with Mela Breen of Atmosphere Design Build. Mela has been working with Zola since the early 2010s and has a really interesting background. The team here at Zola has thoroughly enjoyed working with Mela and her incredible crew at Atmosphere. We’re excited to share a little bit of her story, her design style and process, and what she looks for in a collaborative partner.

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Where you’re from, hobbies, how you became interested in architecture, etc.?

I grew up in rural California on an organic apple orchard. Both my parents were craftspeople. My dad was a carpenter and woodworker, and my mom is an amazing creative force. So, a love of craft and the value of making things with one’s hands was instilled in me early in life. When I was 18 a family friend taught me to whitewater kayak and that ignited a passion for exploring remote rivers throughout the west. I studied English Literature at Reed College, thinking I wanted to write, and took several extended breaks for college to fight wildland fires as a Hotshot and to pursue whitewater kayaking. It was only after buying a rundown Queen Anne Cottage, and fixing it up with my father and husband, that I realized how much I loved design – but particularly the design + build process where I was able to conceive of a design idea and then participate in its physical manifestation. I returned to school to study architecture at the University of Colorado as an older student with a clear vision of what I wanted to study and that I wanted to design “sustainable” buildings.

2. Was there a project, mentor or experience that shaped the way you design today?

I think more than a project or mentor; it is place and my love of mountains and rivers that has influenced how I design. I want to design in a way where the building is attuned to the site and climate and is of place. Time spent in the natural world, in intense weather and environments, has shaped how I think about dwellings. I want to do the best I can with the available resources, honoring the resources we use, while creating buildings that are durable refuges. Also owning a design + build business and seeing the consequences of design decisions, how they affect cost, performance, from a builder’s perspective has had a big impact on how I design today.

3. Tell us about your firm. Is there a particular style you mostly focus on?

Atmosphere Design Build is an integrated architecture and construction firm rooted in the landscapes of Northern California. We create site-responsive homes that are shaped by the climate, the land, and that are specifically designed for the lives of the people who inhabit them. We are specifically focused on high performance homes that are Passive House inspired.

We practice architecture as a relational act – developing meaningful relationships with our clients through the process of designing and building homes for them. The story of a place and the aspirations of our clients guide the work, supported by our expertise in site-specific architecture and building science. Our approach is conceptually rigorous and materially grounded, allowing ideas to be expressed through assemblies and construction details. We believe clarity emerges when form, structure, and energy performance are developed together rather than in isolation. We value restraint over excess, durability over novelty, and buildings that age with dignity rather than demand attention. Performance is not an aesthetic; it is a responsibility—to our clients, to the craft of building, and to the land itself.

4. What’s currently your favorite material to work with, or what material do you wish more clients would embrace?

I wish we had more clients that wanted to build with natural materials. All our projects are high-performance homes or deep energy retrofits, but often client budgets limit our ability to work with less nonstandard building approaches. We have designed a Hempcrete home and we would like to be utilizing more natural materials, that are regionally sourced, in our projects.

5. Where do you think residential architecture is heading over the next decade?

Hmmm. In California and throughout the west, I think fire resilience will continue to move to the forefront of concern and high-performance homes are inherently more resilient than a standard home. So, I am optimistic that more people will adopt better building practices for resilience, health, and comfort. That said, the economics of building a custom home are still challenging for most people. An architect designed; bespoke, custom home is still out of reach for the vast majority of people financially.

6. How early in the design process do you begin thinking about windows and doors?

We think about doors and windows during the schematic design phase, as what the type of fenestration specified affects the sizing and details we will design into the project. With Zola windows we often opt for larger openings to optimize the great glass performance and minimize designing smaller windows that have a higher frame to window ratio. We energy model all our projects in WUI doing design development, and that allows us to talk with clients about the value of higher performing windows and exterior doors earlier in the design process.

7. What role does natural light play in your projects?

Natural light is one of the most important design elements. We are always thinking about our window and door placement in terms of the building orientation and how it will affect the energy performance and comfort. We also work to create direct connection to the outside and optimize important site lines with strategic window and door placement. We strive to create light filled spaces that can be used year-round without turning lights on during the day.

8. Every successful project involves collaboration. What do you value most in the manufacturers you choose to work with?

We value manufacturers that make quality products in a conscientious manner. Long standing relationships with manufacturers who standby their products and help us resolve any issues that come up in the construction process is very important to us.

9. What initially led you to work with Zola?

We designed and built our first Passive House project in 2010, and we were looking for a window company that could provide high performing windows and doors. The house we designed had an expansive view and we wanted the house to take advantage of its site while not sacrificing comfort. Zola offered a lift slide doors that could span a big opening, so that the house could open to the site.

10. Has anything surprised you about working with Zola over the years?

When we compare Zola to American made aluminum clad wood doors and windows the cost difference is often relatively minimal in the scheme of the project. And the performance is significantly better. We particularly appreciate the quality of the doors.

11. Is there a project where Zola helped solve a particularly challenging design problem?

The ability to have big door openings that still perform well, particularly in cold environments.

12. If you could give one piece of advice to someone designing their forever home, what would it be?

I would say put together a whole team, that you trust, from the start. It is a long process and working with people you enjoy collaborating with, who are knowledgeable, and working in concert to achieve your goals is important.

A big thank you to Mela for taking the time to share her story, her philosophy, and her experience with more than fifteen years of working with Zola. Her reminder that “performance is not an aesthetic; it is a responsibility” is one we take to heart. Stay tuned for the next installment of Conversations in Design.