Founded in the summer of 2024, Colvin Haven arose from a deep desire to embrace a slower, more intentional approach to architecture and development.
We believe that architecture should exist in harmonious dialogue with nature—never imposing, but rather unfolding naturally. Our designs emerge thoughtfully, shaped by the delicate balance between the built environment and the world around it.
FOUNDATION
Andrew began his creative journey as a chef, honing his crafts in esteemed restaurants like Gramercy Tavern in New York and Gary Danko in San Francisco. In 2005, he co-founded Mixt, a fast-casual restaurant with a vision to make high-quality, sustainable food accessible—transforming the way people approached healthy eating.
Over time, a quiet shift took hold. The same care and attention he once gave to crafting a dish began to find new life in the design of spaces.“Designing spaces has many similarities to cooking… it was time to change my palette from food ingredients to building materials.” This realization led him to shift from the kitchen to the drawing board, channeling his meticulous attention to detail into architectural design.
His first project, Umah Tsuki, a home in Bali built with local materials, marked the beginning of this new path. It embodies his philosophy of creating timeless homes that are simple, thoughtful, and deeply connected to their natural surroundings.
Colvin Haven emerged from this transformation—a manifestation of Andrew’s dedication to craft, now expressed through the language of design. It invites others to experience living in harmony with nature, offering sanctuaries that are as intentional and nourishing as the meals he once prepared.
CRAFT
The endless possibilities in Indonesia to bring his visions to life inspired Andrew to tap into the deep knowledge of nature, craftsmanship, and building traditions. He immersed himself in the study of Asian architectural typologies, drawing particular reverence for Japanese sensibilities and techniques. This influence is evident in his home designs, where materials, orientation, and spatial composition come together in harmonious simplicity—where nothing more is needed, and nothing can be taken away.
INSPIRATION
"WE BORROW FROM NATURE THE SPACE UPON WHICH WE BUILD"
COLVINHAVEN © 2024
Tadao Ando
Umah Tsuki, Colvin Haven’s flagship home, became the seed for a growing collection—each one shaped by the same quiet reverence for nature and the pace of slow living. Respectfully integrated into a sloping site in Tumbak Bayuh, Bali, Umah Tsuki is a four-level family home designed by a former chef whose pursuit of a simpler, richer life closer to nature led him to architecture. This residence is the flagship Edition for the Tsuki residential collection.
Encased in Shou Sugi Ban cladding under a sweeping roof line, a set of cantilevered volumes reference an archetypal Japanese wood cabin. Set across 600 m2, the constellation of spatial compositions appears to float above a tranquil rock garden and koi pond, evoking levity in its intuitive flow. Extensive windows foreground the ever-present rewilded jungle.
In both its materials and construction, Umah Tsuki emphasizes provenance. Hand-built on site from locally sourced paras stone and recycled Ulin hardwood, its vernacular aligns traditional building techniques with timeless integrated paneling and meticulous finishes to realize an immersive sense of sanctuary, setting the scene for a quality of life that’s deeply attuned to the essential.