sullivan + associates
ARCHITECTS
With over twenty years of custom residential and commercial architecture on Martha's Vineyard, our international team combines inspired design and expert knowledge of construction methods, along with sophisticated 3-D computer modeling capabilities, to create spaces that people love living and working in.
We are passionately committed to achieving our clients' lifestyle and design objectives while preserving the unparalleled natural beauty of Martha's Vineyard.
Chuck received his BArch from the Boston Architectural College. Early inspiration for his career in architectural began in childhood working for the family construction business through high school.
At home on the Vineyard for more than twenty years, Chuck finds inspiration in cooking; drawing comparisons between composing food dishes of contrasting layers and textures to designing structures. He enjoys traveling with his wife and twin boys, and experiencing different cultures, including the contiguous forty-eight states.
Chuck has enormous appreciation for the architectural designs of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Antoni Gaudi, and Tadao Ando.
principal
william c. sullivan, AIA
Nelson has been designing residences on-island for over a decade. He holds a Masters of Architecture from Norwich University, where he was inspired by the work of Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava.
Nelson enjoys the process of learning how clients live and use their homes, and believes inspired architectural design enhances our lifestyles and the choices we make. On a theoretical level, his interest tends toward examining the parallels between architecture and the human body: framing to skeleton ("good bones"), and joinery to muscles, for example.
He lives with his family in Vineyard Haven.
architect
nelson giannakopoulos
Morgan was born and raised outside of Boston, and received her Bachelor of Architecture, with a minor in Visual Communication, from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York.
For the past decade, Morgan has lived and designed homes on Martha's Vineyard. She finds inspiration in the designs of SHoP Architects and Rick Joy Architects, and looks to the work of Emily Grandstaff-Rice as a mentor for women in architecture.
Away from the office, Morgan, along with her husband and children, enjoys the great outdoors, including hiking, paddle boarding, and shellfishing.
architect
morgan w. shaw
Marisa is an Island native and a MVRHS graduate. She attended University of Notre Dame, where she studied and graduated from their School of Architecture.During her tenure there she spent a year abroad studying architecture and design in Rome.
She is inspired by the historical works of McKim, Mead & White, Mies van der Rohe, Antoni Gaudi, and H.H. Richardson. When Marisa's not behind the desk working on blueprints, she enjoys a good book, British television, and knitting.
She lives with her family in Oak Bluffs.
intern architect
marisa higham burt
Born in the Cameroon and educated in Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Martin has called the Vineyard home since 2013.
Martin's architectural sensibilities are complimented by formal studies in furniture design, sculpture, and photography. He finds inspiration in nature, traveling, salsa dancing, and learning about new cultures via storytelling. Good thing he's fluent in five languages!
His admires the work of fellow architects Kengo Kuma & Toyo Ito of Japan, and Santiago Calatrava.
intern architect
martin boris takam
Hailing from Colorado, Peter graduated University of Arizona's School of Architecture with an emphasis in historic structures. This academic focus led him to the cobbled stones streets of Cambridge, MA, where he began his 40+ year career in architecture and construction-related projects primarily on existing buildings.
Peter is active in community preservation and conservation of the Island's built environment. He is a board of member of MV Museum.
He's got a long list of architectural favs: Gaudi, Goff and Gehry for uniqueness; Bulfinch and McIntire for details; Wright, Kahn, and Pei for geometry.
senior project manager
peter gearhart
Mia is a native islander and graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), where she earned her BFA in Architecture. At SCAD, she was a Project Manager in the AIAS Freedom by Design club, and studied abroad in Southern France.
Growing up on a small island farm provided freedom to outdoor activities like horseback riding and gardening. Because her father was a builder, she was able to visit job sites and, from an early age, learn about construction.
Mia is still focused on construction and architectural designs that respond to social, climate, and environmental issues.
project designer
mia arenburg
Growing up on the mid-coast of Maine, Dakota was exposed to the ideas of creating and building from an early age. He studied at Cooper Union in New York City, and then the Rhode Island School of Design, from where he graduated with a focus on adaptive re-use architectural design.
Drawn to nature, he's curious about how humans interact within the context of the natural world and built environment.
Dakota is moved and inspired by the works of the self-taught Pritzker-winning architect, Tadao Ando, and the Seattle-based firm, Olsen Kundig.
project designer
dakota linkel
A German native, Simon holds a Bachelor’s in Industrial Design from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Hannover. After a decade of practicing Industrial Design in diverse environments in Europe and Asia, Simon moved to the States to apply his design expertise in the field of architecture.
Shaped by northern European design sensibilities of minimalism and functionalism, Simon approaches projects focusing on innovative materials and elevated experiences of intended spaces.
project designer
simon singel
New to the island, Lina moved here from Connecticut, where she received a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Connecticut.
She draws inspiration from nature—particularly plants—and the paintings of Jenny Saville and Claude Monet.
Outside of work, Lina happily creates and sells her own oil paintings and prints at local artists’ markets.
administrative assistant
lina racaniello
Lauren has been creating residential interior designs on Island for over ten years. She finds inspiration in palettes drawn from nature and sustainable materials.
Originally from Ohio, she graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning with a degree in Fashion Design.
Lauren and her family live up-island.
director of interiors
lauren morgan
Born in the Caribbean, Avery moved with her family as a young girl to Martha’s Vineyard. She graduated MVRHS and earned her B.F.A. in Interior Design from the Savannah College of Art and design (SCAD).
Maintaining strong attention to detail and a passion for interior architecture, she strives to expand creative boundaries when designing thought-provoking and inspiring spaces.
Drawing on a diverse creative background, Avery loves art and design—from fashion to natural landscapes. Her current design favorites include Pierre Yovanovitch, William Smalley, and Clements Design.
interior designer
avery hazell
Keely approaches design from the perspective of wellness. Her interest in residential interiors grows from her work on environmental health, accessibility, and universal design in the public health space.
She holds a combined B.A. in Community Health and Studio Art from Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, and a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from Tufts University School of Medicine.
Keely is inspired by the whimsy and wonder of interior designers Beata Heuman and Heidi Caillier, the unapologetic fanciness of fashion designer Cecilie Bahnsen, and the work of painters Edward Hopper and Caravaggio for showing us the sanctity of light.
designer, interiors
keely menezes, mph
Originally from Conneticut, Michelle and her husband raised their family here since 1991. Having spent many years working with architects and interior designers, she returned to the New York Institute of Art + Design to formalize her interior decorating training.
Like many in the firm, she finds beauty in the natural world and art, and enjoys reading—books, magazines, resource and style guides!
interior design consultant
michelle brescia
Raised in Marin County, Karen has a B.S. in Industrial Design with an emphasis in product design from San Francisco State University. For over a decade, she worked side-by-side with her father to design and install custom plumbing for trade show booths.
With warmth and graciousness, Karen has the natural gift of supporting clients and colleagues to achieve their dreams. She values working in a collaborative team environment to create meaningful spaces and life experiences.
Away from the office, Karen spends time outdoors with her family, continually inspired by patterns and textures in nature. From petals to ponds to people, she lets curiosity be her guide.
interiors administrator