Architecture for Residential Developers and Owners
Thoughtful Residential Design, Coordinated With Your Development Goals
Tong Dong Architects works with developers and owners seeking a clear architectural approach to residential renovation and new construction.
We connect layout, daylight, comfort, materials, and building performance with the property’s conditions, project budget, and intended use.
Our focus is on homes that are carefully designed for the people who will live in them, with decisions coordinated from early planning through the agreed architectural scope.
Projects We Can Discuss
Townhouse Redevelopment
Substantial renovations, additions, and reconfiguration for residential use or resale, with attention to circulation, daylight, existing conditions, and building systems.
Existing Residential Properties
Projects where a property needs a more coherent layout, updated systems, or coordinated improvements to its exterior construction and interiors.
New Homes and Boutique Residential Development
Ground-up homes and select small-scale residential opportunities where site planning, architectural character, and everyday livability are central to the brief.
We assess project fit based on location, scale, complexity, timing, and the professional team required.
What TDA Brings to the Project
Planning Around the Intended Resident
We begin with who the home is for and how it will be used.
We begin with the intended resident, unit mix, and use of the property—whether for sale, rental, or owner occupancy.
We examine room proportions, furniture layouts, circulation, storage, daylight, and privacy to make effective use of the available space.
These decisions help establish a clear residential design brief before finishes are selected.
Comfort and Building Performance
We consider daylight, shading, ventilation, moisture management, thermal comfort, and acoustics as connected design questions.
The aim is to establish relevant priorities early and coordinate them with the enclosure, interior construction, and mechanical design.
Materials That Suit the Property
We evaluate material options in relation to appearance, intended use, installation, durability, and maintenance.
For rental properties, repair and replacement requirements deserve particular attention. For homes intended for sale, selections should support a coherent design and clear information for the future owner.
Clear Scope and Design Coordination
We identify key decisions, consultant responsibilities, and information needed as the design develops.
Within the agreed scope, we coordinate architectural work with relevant structural, mechanical, and other specialist input, and identify submission dependencies that affect project planning.
Drawings and specifications provide a common basis for contractor pricing. Reviewing assumptions, exclusions, and proposed substitutions helps the team understand differences between proposals and their implications for the design and budget.
How We Can Work Together
Early Project Review
An initial architectural review can help organize the brief, review available property information, and identify questions requiring further investigation.
Depending on the agreed scope, this may include preliminary layout studies, review of existing drawings, and identification of consultant or approval considerations.
The outcome is a clearer basis for deciding how to develop the project.
Architectural Design and Documentation
For projects that are a suitable fit, services may extend through design development, construction documentation, and coordination of relevant submissions and consultants.
We establish the scope, deliverables, responsibilities, and fee in a project-specific proposal.
Construction-Phase Support
Where included in our appointment, we provide architectural support during construction, such as responding to design questions, reviewing relevant submittals, and making site visits.
The contractor remains responsible for construction means, methods, sequencing, and site operations.
Relevant Experience: UWS Townhouse
An investor-acquired Upper West Side townhouse was transformed into a single-family residence for resale.
The project included a rear extension, a penthouse entertaining space, an elevator connecting the floors, skylights bringing daylight to the interior stair, new HVAC, and landmark-approved replacement windows. A bamboo garden connected by a glass bridge introduced an additional outdoor experience at the lower level.
The project involved Landmarks Preservation Commission review, mock-ups, and public and community board hearings.
Queenie Tong served as project architect and project manager while at Ogawa Depardon Architects. She was the primary client and contractor contact and attended site meetings, with support from firm leadership during construction administration.
Planning Your Next Residential Development?
Units That Breathe
A Residential Development Planning Brief
Explore how layout, ventilation, daylight, acoustics, and material choices can inform your next residential project.
This concise brief helps developers and owners identify questions to resolve before design and pricing advance, including:
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Which comfort and building-performance priorities belong in the project brief.
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How unit layouts and building systems need to be coordinated.
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What to ask about material durability, maintenance, and replacement.
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Which decisions deserve attention before construction documents and contractor pricing.
Built for developers, owners, and teams shaping the next generation of multifamily housing.
Led by Queenie Tong, RA, NCARB
Queenie brings more than 18 years of architectural experience, including work at SOM, OMA, Gensler, and Ogawa Depardon Architects.
Through Tong Dong Architects, she brings that experience to residential projects with direct principal involvement and attention to both architectural quality and practical coordination.
Questions About Working Together
Can We Speak Before Acquiring a Property?
Yes. Share the address, available drawings, intended use, and acquisition timeline. We can discuss whether a defined early review would be useful and what information it would require.
Any conclusions depend on the available records, access, and scope of investigation.
Can TDA Work With Our Existing Contractor or Consultants?
We can discuss an appointment that works with your existing team. Responsibilities, communication, and the information each party provides should be established before work begins.
Can You Help With a Project That Already Has Plans?
Potentially. We would first clarify the purpose of the review and the roles of the current architect and consultants.
A separate review should have defined deliverables and a clear process for considering any recommendations.
Do You Provide Wellness Certification?
Certification is not included by default. If a particular standard or certification is a project objective, discuss it at the outset so its requirements, specialist involvement, and scope can be evaluated.
Discuss Your Residential Development Project
Tell us about the property, intended use, approximate scale, project stage, and target timeline. Include your construction budget and existing team, if established.
We will review the opportunity and discuss whether TDA is a suitable fit and what the next step should be.