Founding Design Principal​/Chief Design Architect

If you are an elite residential architect who personally conceives and authors private estates from the ground up, you already know how to craft static beauty.

Now imagine having the absolute creative freedom to design purely for human connection, multi-generational gathering, and experiential luxury—without ever producing a CD set, reviewing an RFI, or managing a contractor punch list again.

We are partnering with an ultra-exclusive early-stage stealth startup pioneering an entirely new category called Residential Hospitality™. They work inversely to traditional architecture firms: starting entirely with the emotional moments, relationship dynamics, and hosting habits of UHNW families, then reverse-engineering bespoke $30M–$50M+ private compounds around those human connection goals.

We are seeking a Founding Design Principal / Head of Design to serve as the firm's absolute Conceptual Design Authority
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• NOT A FIT: This is not a Project Management, Technical Operations, or Construction Administration role. If your primary expertise is managing project timelines, firm operations, BIM/Revit models, or local permitting, this is not the seat for you.
• THE IDEAL FIT: You are a gifted conceptual designer, master storyteller, and charismatic client whisperer who creates the initial vision, sketches the spatial layouts, and walks UHNW principals through an inspiring architectural journey.

• UHNW Lifestyle Discovery: Lead intimate, upfront psychological discovery sessions with clients to uncover how they live, host, retreat, and gather before sketching a single line.
• Spatial Narrative & Conceptual Design: Personally conceive the compound's master layout—choreographing arrival sequences, indoor/outdoor living, guest pavilions, and private family sanctuaries.
• Design Guardianship: Direct external AORs and local engineering partners who handle 100% of the production documentation, CA, and municipal permitting.

Because you will be the creative face of the firm and your portfolio will be presented directly to incoming clients and investors:

• 5+ Ground-Up $30M+ Estates: Proven track record of having personally led the conceptual design of at least 5 ground-up, single-family private luxury estates/compounds ($30M+ build scale).
• Regional & Stylistic Breadth: A portfolio showing true architectural versatility across varied luxury contexts (e.g., Mountain/Rockies, East Coast/Hamptons, West Coast, South Florida).
• Magnetic Warmth & Presence: High emotional intelligence, warmth, and natural gravitas that builds immediate trust in one‑on‑one principal meetings.

• Workplace Model: Remote with project-based domestic travel.
• Talent Hubs: Priority on the New York/Greenwich/Hamptons and Miami/Palm Beach corridors.
• Travel: 15%–25% for client alignment sessions and on-site spatial walk-throughs.
• Compensation: $200K – $300K target base compensation + founding executive equity / bonus potential.