Element 5 Architecture

These guys are professionals and design really cool builds. Highly recommend!

Reviewed on Facebook

We had a great experience with Element 5 working with Nick and Jay. They were good listeners, which clearly showed in the house they designed for us, meeting all our needs and more. After a miserable experience with another architect, it was great to work collaboratively on a house we wanted. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

I am a home builder in Central Austin and I've worked with Nick and Element 5 Architecture on several occasions both single family and multi-unit projects. I've worked with many Architects over the years and Nick is one of the best. Excellent design skills, easy to work with and fast. Sometimes I have a very specific idea of what I want to build and other times, he gets less input from me. Either way, I'm always happy with the finished product. I would recommend Nick and Element 5 without hesitation and with pleasure. He's a huge asset to the development team. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

It was a great pleasure working with Nick Mehl on my home design.
Nick took an idea I had and made it into my dream house. The process was seamless, he took my ideas and input without hesitation and I’m very happy with the final design.
Nick is very professional, patient, a good listener and is available to answer every question. I highly recommend him as an architect. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

My wife & I hired Element 5 Architects, specifically Nick Mehl, to design the house of our dreams. At our first meeting Nick was attentive and listened carefully to our desires. Nick, with the help of Faye Chioke, designed a first pass that only need a few minor tweaks here and there. Once the plans were finalized, they were submitted for permitting and approved by the City of Austin on the first pass. This is a rarity that doesn't happen often and because of this we were able to get underway quickly and see our home start to develop. Nick and Faye have been in step with the builder and are committed to see the project through. We have enjoyed our experience with Nick, Faye and Element 5, and recommend them highly. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I have worked with Element 5 Architecture on multiple projects. Great group of smart architects to work with. I look forward to working with them in the future.

Reviewed on Houzz

We've worked on multiple projects with Element 5 (both for our personal residence and for our client projects), and they've consistently been a great partner to work with. Richard and Nick have a great eye for unique and innovative ways to solve design challengs, and they are also always willing to incorporate the client's own ideas. They are always quick to respond, and we highly recommend them. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We hired Nick Mehl and Richard Hughes to remodel our home. We added about 700 sq ft and moved the stairs inside the house. A requirement was more natural light and open floor plan. We went from 7 windows to over 20 windows and love every bit of it. When we had our first meeting to review the proposed plans, I remember saying that I liked the upstairs for option A and downstairs for option C and that is just what we got. I couldn't be happier with the result. Richard was also very responsive during the building process to answer any questions as needed. He worked well with our builder, and I would hire him again. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Nick Mehl was great to work with. He designed our new construction midcentury modern home and recording studio. Nick listened to what we really wanted. He designed a home that was in line with functionality as we live our daily lives, and tailored it specifically for our family. When we began working together, we had a three month old and a 19 month old, so we couldn't work on it quickly. He had no problem working with us on our timeline, which was extremely helpful. We spent a year on and off working with Nick and that fit perfectly for us. He was very patient with our changes and ideas. He also allowed us to be as involved in the process as we wanted to be, so we are grateful he was flexible. We have not yet broken ground but are very excited! Pics to come! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

My wife and I hired Element 5 to design the complete renovation of an existing 1920 home and addition. We worked closely with Richard throughout the process. Richard was thoughtful in his approach and listened to us closely along the way to incorporate the features we wanted in the home. He also provided alternate recommendations when he thought a different design would work better. Also, Element 5 worked closely with us on value engineering when the original cost estimate came in over budget due to the overheated construction industry in Austin. Our builder and subs have commented several times how easy the plans are to work off and are some of the best they have gotten from architects. Now that we are in the home, we realize how wonderful of a home Richard designed. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I have hired Element 5 Architecture to design 6 houses for us. They are friendly, professional and experts in this field. Their designs are beautiful, functional and effective . They pay a great deal of attention to detail, including the regulatory codes, in order to ease the permitting and construction process. I highly recommend them. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I am so happy that I hired Richard Hughes. I have a small house built in 1925 that I had been wanting to add on to and remodel for years but was hesitant and a little intimidated by the whole process. I met some neighbors at a party who had remodeled their home and highly recommended Richard. After meeting with him, I felt so much better about everything. He laid out all the phases of the project, put me in touch with a great builder and came up with the perfect design that accomplished everything on my wish list. He is creative, knowledgeable and trustworthy and I would absolutely recommend him. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Listened to my ideas and the first set of drawings where on point. Vetted our contractors so we didn't have to go through a list of of people that did not compliment our project. So far They have made the process pain free. We our now setting out on a year project with Element 5 and I feel confident that our house will be awesome! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

My husband and I interviewed several architects to design our guest house. Nick and Jay were very professional and quick to respond from the get go. To our delight they not only listened carefully, but found a way to give us everything we wanted in our project despite the incredibly strict code compliances of the city of Austin. Thank you guys for laying down the blue prints to our future guest house/ office/ gallery! We will add pics once our project is complete! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Richard work with us for many months on the design of the new house I built on my property in the Hancock neighborhood of Austin. First, I thought I would build a garage apartment. After the lot survey, Richard told me we could build an 850 sq foot, two-story house, with a two car garage. WOW! That was exciting! The house was designed to be a short term rental, that I could also use when family visited, as my bungalow is only 1200 sq ft. Richard asked for my wish list, and he was able to meet it. A large master bathroom with a separate room for the commode, a full size bath tub, and a spacious shower. We also squeezed in a walk in closet off the smallish bedroom. The highlight of the house are the two large decks. The one above the house offers views of downtown. Thank you Richard, for your amazing design, and helping my dream come true. Thank you for your patience, and answering all of my questions as we went through the process. This is my first time building a custom home, and I learned so much from Richard. Go to Home Away and you can see all of the features, and even rent the house.
http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p3845197 More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We hired Nick Mehl of Element 5 in the Spring of 2013 to design a custom build of a modern home in the Travis Heights area of Austin, TX. Our project was completed in July of 2014 after doing a tear down of the existing structure and complete new build. Nick was incredibly insightful in translating our vision. He instinctively understood our aesthetic and desired functionality and translated that into an innovative design. He was easy to work with, receptive to changes and suggestions and was a wealth of knowledge on all things from architectural design to city code to environmentally friendly building practices. He was also a considerable resource in providing recommendations for other professionals such as structural engineers and landscape architects that were needed in order to execute the project efficiently and with fidelity. We highly recommend Nick and Element 5 for their excellence in design and innovation as well as their attention and service to their clients. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We hired Richard Hughes of Element 5 Architecture for an extensive remodel of our odd 1950s south Austin home. We told him what we wanted in our remodeled home (open space, natural light, a smaller master suite, two more bedrooms) and how we thought he'd get there (a two-story split-level addition in place of the rear section of our house). The design he offered us was not what we'd envisioned, but met our goals for aesthetics, usable space, and traffic flow far better than anything we had dreamed up on our own.
When construction began in earnest, we began to get pulled aside by neighbors who wanted to talk to us about our remodel. Every single neighborly opinion was highly positive. Our house was odd-looking to begin with, and the consensus was that it now looks "right." Richard's design fits in with our neighborhood, but doesn't look dated. It's airy and spacious, but doesn't look "too big" from the street.
One factor I hadn't really considered before heading into the remodeling process was the importance of getting an architect who knows city code inside and out. Richard's paperwork was impeccable. Although the permitting process took longer than I would have liked, I'm certain that it was expedited by Richard's attention to detail and careful recordkeeping. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Hiring Nick Mehl and his partners at Element 5 was the single best decision we made with our custom built home in Austin TX. Most of the reviews are now at Element 5 Architecture, including ours. But highly, highly recommended for architectural, design and building skills. So much value here, it's hard to express. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Nick and crew provided full service architecture services from begining to end. We stared with a rough idea of what I was looking for in a home and communicted frequently to agree on a final design. Nick also provided oversight services during the construction of my home and provided guidance on changes that needed to be addressed during construction. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Hiring Element 5 Architecture and Nick Mehl proved to be the single most valuable decision we made in our custom build. He was referred to us by an established, very "hot" builder, and it wasn't hard to find out why. They demonstrate every day the concept that good design doesn't cost. It pays.

Nick's superb listening skills and a creative, collaborative process produced a beautiful, unique plan perfectly suited for our lot and designed to our budget. He also helped us choose a great general contractor and expertly moved our permits through the City.- no small feat in this crazy-busy market. Superior design and Nick's willingness to follow it all the way through made the difference. And he continued to provide advice and value through the entire building process.

Added value? Not many of us have the time/expertise-even vision- to confidently make all the individual choices necessary in a custom build. Nick anticipated that, and took the time to provide a roadmap for it all in a way that gave us total freedom to make different choices, but also never left us "alone", directionless OR at the mercy of a materials salesperson. It saved time and money, both on materials and on extra design service.

We highly recommend Element 5 and Nick Mehl the next time you need architects in Austin TX. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Richard, Jay, & Nick were extremely easy to work with. They brought great ideas to the table and made the most of my addition/remodel. Highly recommend for any job!

Reviewed on Houzz

Nick Mehl of Element 5 Architecture is a consummate professional and all around nice guy. He has done an amazing job at all stages of our house project.

When we started working with him, he gave us realistic guidance, listened to our needs, and helped us with planning.

As we transitioned into putting our plans onto paper, his experience and sophistication in design is obvious in his recommendations. The style of house that we built is Modern with a Middle Eastern influence. This is probably a unique style, and he effortlessly helped us transltae our design hopes in a way that was sophisticated and timeless, a difficult task if you ask me!

Once we started the building process, his calm demeanor and practicality were even more important as he was able us to help us work through the challenges that can come up during construction even with the best laid plans.

His advice and guidance at every step has been valuable and I would highly recommend him to anyone who is looking for something that is modern, clean, sophisticated and wants to enjoy the experience of building a house. We also appreciated working with Nick because we are on a budget, unlike so many others who build a custom home. He was able to work with us on our level. Lastly, I have to mention how prompt Nick is in his responses. Anytime I had a question, he would always respond quickly and provide answers that were spot on. Nick was never afraid to provide alternate options or thoughts in his diploatic way. =)

I cannot recommend Nick enough. He started as our architect, and I know we'll continue as friends. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Although we haven't begun construction of the project yet, Richard Hughes of Element 5 exceeded my expectations during the design phase. I gave him a 400 square foot c1911 bungalow on a tiny lot in Clarksville to work with and he designed a three bedroom, two-story home for me that preserves the front room of the original structure as a semi-detached office space. I never once felt railroaded by his ideas and from the beginning he was eager to incorporate my own into a singular architectural vision. The grace with which he navigated the bureaucracy of the city to obtain not only a building permit for the project but the approval of BOTH the neighborhood association and the historical commission is impressive and I look forward to working with him again in the future. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Although we haven't begun construction of the project yet, Nick Mehl exceeded my expectations during the design phase. I gave him a 400 square foot c1911 bungalow on a tiny lot in Clarksville to work with and he designed a three bedroom, two-story home for me that preserves the front room of the original structure as a semi-detached office space. I never once felt railroaded by his ideas and from the beginning he was eager to incorporate my own into a singular architectural vision. The grace with which he navigated the bureaucracy of the city to obtain not only a building permit for the project but the approval of BOTH the neighborhood association and the historical commission is impressive and I look forward to working with him again in the future. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Richard Hughes was recommended to us by a neighbor that had worked with him when Richard was with a well known local architecture firm. He was the second architect we spoke to and we really had no idea what we were jumping into. He is very reasonably priced and easy to work with.

I have heard that some architects try to emphasize their own personal agendas in how the final product should ultimately materialize. This was absolutely not the case with Richard. He was very accommodating to our wants, as well as advising on our needs. He was very creative in maximizing the limited space to get the most usable area possible.

Specific to our project, Richard helped completely renovate our early 1900's home from roughly 1200 sf to 2100 sf. One of the greatest compliments we get is that it feels so much larger than that and we agree. Richard was very willing to work with our desire to keep an old Victorian feel to the house, but added modern touches to it that we never would have imagined on our own. If we didn't necessarily agree with him on specific aspects of the project, he would hear us out and be agreeable to a happy compromise.

Richard was of huge help with the City permitting process, which is difficult in it's own right, but even more so when working within a historical district and active neighborhood association. He was also a great liaison between us and the builder. It's obvious he is well versed in all aspects of construction and willing to meet and discuss any and all issues with our best interests at heart.

I still keep in touch with Richard and will absolutely use him again in the future, regardless the size of the job. He really did exceed our expectations in completely resurrecting a neglected rental house into a magnificent home. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Richard is great to work with. He listened to our ideas and suggested many good ideas too. We added an upstairs and remodeled all the bathrooms. He made great use of the space. He met deadlines and helped us to stay on budget. He also worked well with contractor. We are very happy with the results. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We hired architect Richard Hughes, of Element 5 Architecture, to redesign the living areas of our 1957 home. We wanted more light and greater functionality for the space. From the beginning, Richard was professional, approachable, listened to our needs, and communicated his concept well. He was also open to the ideas that my husband and I had about our project and incorporated many of those into the final design. Work was done in a timely manner, and the final result is a more inviting and useable space that’s great for entertaining and for everyday living. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Nick's office did a tremendous job of first listening to our wants and needs and then responding to them with multiple options, helping us to refine the project to meet the wants and needs we weren't even aware of originally. Their design is aesthetically pleasing, modern, tasteful, and unique---exactly what we were looking for. They did a great job of fitting the structure into the natural landscape and making use of green features and orientation on the lot, taking advantage of natural lighting, and avoiding direct summertime heat. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

After looking for an Architect to build our dream home in Austin we came across Nick while searching for green home design. We couldn't have been happier with our selection. Nick always listened to our ideas, and was always concious of our budget and steered us towards the things that would meet our design goals and deliver the best "bang for the buck". We have just recently moved into the finished product and he really was able to deliver everything that we asked for. We would absolutely hire him again in a heartbeat, but since he did such a good job it would be hard to imagine ever having the need. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We enjoyed working with Nick Mehl Architecture and we would make the same choices over again. The process was pretty easy and we actually had a ton of fun. There were a few details related to city code that came up during our inspections, but they were minor enough. Overall, the best part is that our design really came to life as building started and our plans were even better than we thought. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I am a small custom builder in Austin TX and have worked with a few architects over the years on my projects. Nick Mehl was the first architect I used and after some trial and error, have continued to come back to him. Nick is prompt, professional, and knowledgeable of all the City of Austin building codes. He is an excellent designer and and the flow and functionality of his floor plans, never disappoint. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We hired Nick to design a green and Modern (with a capital M) house for us. To a certain degree, we were somewhat damaged goods after having had a less than stellar can-you-please-design-a-house-we-can-afford-to-build? experience with another architect. But Nick took us in...

We cannot say enough good things about Nick; he’s really been perfect for us. He’s a great listener, he's attentive to aesthetic and programmatic needs, he’s super easy to work with, and perhaps most importantly (especially after earlier nightmares...) right as rain on costs. And equally arguably most importantly, we absolutely love the house he designed for us, its more hidden treasures slowly revealing themselves to us as it gets built.

We're currently about 10 weeks from completion on the project, and it's gorgeous. We highly recommend Nick. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Nick is not only a brilliant architect, but he truly is a nice and honest person. I am a photographer and have worked with many talented architects, but its refreshing to meet one whose ego hasn't gotten in the way. He is extremely pleasant to work with and knowledgable. I also personally love that he puts so much emphasis on building homes that are sustainable and kind to the environment. If your looking for someone to design a gorgeous space with great lines while incorporates green building materials, Nick is your guy! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

My husband and I started working with Nick last spring to come up with plans for a house to replace our existing 1930's bungalow.

The design process was very smooth and pretty fast since we were actually hoping to begin the project before the end of 2011 (other issues caused the delay). Nick was always very responsive to our questions and requests and he really listened to what we wanted and needed out of the house. My husband and I never felt like we couldn't ask a question, no matter how trivial or obvious, Nick was always helpful.

I have to say one of the things I love about Nick is that when we initially sat down to come up with our wishlist he asked if there was anything in our then current house that we liked, that we wanted to save. We both said the arch, there was a lovely arching doorway from our living room into our dining room and then we forgot about it. But once we finalized the plans and Nick produced the elevations for us we both saw that he had put in an arch for us to mimic the old one. We were both so happy and surprised, and it looks fantastic.

I would definitely recommend Nick to anyone who is looking for a green savvy architect who also works wonders with space. He has a real knack for laying out a house smartly so you can have a normal size home but still get what you need in terms of number of rooms, etc.

I cannot recommend Nick highly enough, and I can't wait for our house to be finished (Sept. 2012) so we can show off his work! More...

Reviewed on Houzz