Bulkheads — boxes built into ceilings to hide pipes, ducts, or beams that had to drop out of line with everything else — can be tricky to negotiate when hanging art or placing furniture. And, “They’re just a bit of an eyesore,” says Noven co-founder Matthew Taylor, often the result of hasty job-site decision-making.

Ceilings shouldn’t have to be a site of compromise. In this project, we tried something different. Instead of designing the space first and retrofitting the systems in where we had to, “We wanted to make sure as many decisions as possible were intentional from the start,” says Taylor.

We almost eliminated bulkheads entirely. Where they were unavoidable, we aligned them deliberately with other elements — window heads, cabinetry lines, structural datums — so they felt intentional rather than incidental.

The same clear, considered thinking applied to temperature control systems, which we concealed above closets rather than mounting on walls, so nothing interrupts the room. Filtration and ventilation in hidden duct paths balance humidity for a comfortable feel.

“For me, it comes down to, if I’m present in the space, do I like everything that I see?” says Noven co-founder Travis Zou. We want to create spaces that put people at ease, even if they can’t put their finger on exactly how it was done.

The lesson? Align the vision early. Then, “The architecture has nothing to apologize for later,” says Zou.