100 Projects In: The Principles That Got Us Here

When we started Dashti Design in a small Downtown LA studio in 2021, someone we respected called it a "cookie shop." We kept the receipt. A hundred-plus projects later — across Newport Coast, Malibu, Altadena, Bel Air, and everywhere between — here's what we learned, and what we believe.

01 — We say yes.

Yes to challenges, yes to creativity, yes to solutions. The default answer in this industry is "no, that's not possible." Ours is "yes, here's how." You'll hear "yes" a lot more with us, and you'll see it backed up in the drawings.

02 — The show must go on.

When things get tough — plan check delays, supply chain hiccups, a city that changes its mind — we don't stop. No excuses, no finger-pointing, just results. The project keeps moving because we keep moving.

03 — You fly first class.

You trust us with the cockpit; you enjoy the view. Our clients hire us so they don't have to become part-time architects. We pilot the project to the destination so you can sit back and watch the home you imagined come together.

04 — Talent wins projects. Teamwork delivers them.

Behind every project is a high-energy team that actually likes working together. Designers, drafters, project managers, creators — about twelve of us, depending on the season. Individual talent gets us hired. The team is what ships.

05 — We're in it for the long haul.

Work with us once and we become your architects — not for a project, but for a portfolio. Most of our developer clients are on their third or fourth build with us. Most of our homeowners come back for the ADU, then the remodel, then the parents' house down the street.

06 — We bet on ourselves.

They once called this studio a "cookie shop." A hundred-plus projects later, we're shaping spaces across Southern California — from Ventura to San Diego. We bet on ourselves in 2021. We're still betting, and the odds keep getting better.

07 — The right fit matters.

We're not for everyone, and that's okay. The best work happens when values align — when the client wants what we want to build, and we want to build what they want. We turn down projects that aren't a fit, because the alternative is letting a mismatched project hurt everyone involved.

08 — We never take it for granted.

Not a single project, not a single client. Every time someone hands us the keys to their lot, their budget, and their family's future home — we feel it. We're genuinely grateful to do this work.

We don't take a single project for granted. Thank you to every client, every team member, and every collaborator who's been part of this journey. The next hundred start now.

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