Ana Koleva Miller
I've been in the field for my entire career, spanning 20 years now. I worked on various types of projects before starting my own company, Holistic Homes Architecture, just over 3 years ago at the end of 2022. My main area of expertise is as a holistic architect focusing on toxin-free healthy homes. This specialty is definitely a high professional achievement because there are not many architects who focus on health in the home. The way I arrived at it is that I got sick myself in 2012, and already as an architect, I started to dive deeper into what was possibly contributing to my illness in the home. The home is the one area where we have the most control on what we can do, what materials we pick, lights, air, water, and so on. Since 2012, I have been exploring anything and everything I can find on the topic. I focus on how all of these things impact our health, including hormonal imbalances, allergies, children who have behavioral issues, how we feel, how we sleep, circadian rhythm, views, nature, and how we bring the indoor-outdoor connection. As the architect in charge, I do client-facing work and I'm in charge of design and all the processes in my office. My heart is really in single-family residences and working directly with the homeowner, not having a developer or middleman in between. I'm directly responsible for the result and what a home they end up with. I do completion evaluations. About a year after we're done, whether it's a new build, renovation, or adaptation, at the completion evaluation we assess if everything is meeting the expectation which we set in the beginning in our assessment and vision sessions. I follow up and follow through to ensure excellent results for the home owners.
• Registered Architect
• NCARB Certified
• FitWell Ambassador
• Brandenburg Technical University in Cottbus
• Germany
• University of Virginia
• NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards)
• FitWell
• Portland Shed (building beds for children in need)
• Path Home (long-term shelter for families)
What do you attribute your success to?
I'm a chameleon and understand what people want on an deep level, how they want to live and occupy their home. I don't prescribe how someone should live. I try and understand how they want to live. And so, I also don't prescribe to a certain style of building, but discover what they enjoy, and then I create a suitable home for them.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Be a good listener and help people achieve what they desire by guiding them patiently because the road of architecture and design is a long one.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Keep an open mind. It's a windy road, and you don't know where it's gonna lead you. When I started school, I had no idea where my path will lead, certainly not to my specialty in healthy homes. Anything we ever learn, one way or another, at one point or another, it will be useful, so... no regrets.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges is when there's someone in between, and they don't understand necessarily the value of health and well-being, and how much it affects us, especially in the home. That is something that they don't prioritize. When the owner is not the end user, the occupant, it's a challenge. As for opportunities, it is a vast field, and people can make it their own, just like I did. I did not set off when I started to study architecture to do what I'm doing now, but it's just unfolding and unfolded in that way, and I have been able to make it my own and just love that's how I live, and that's what I can share with people, and it's translating. Especially during and since the pandemic, people are really much more understanding of the difference that the home makes. So that has really opened up for me.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think open communication is huge. Honesty, and building trust. Building connections.
Locations
Holistic Homes Architecture
Northeast Cork Street, Portland, OR 97212, Portland, OR 97212