River Architects is a full-service architecture and design studio based in New York’s Hudson Valley, specializing in high-performance, sustainable design that integrates rigorous building science with refined architectural expression. Founded in 2002 by managing principal Juhee Lee-Hartford, the firm is a New York State-certified Woman- and Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (W/MBE). The studio's portfolio spans custom residential homes, multi-family housing, and public and civic projects across the Hudson Valley and beyond. Each project is guided by close client collaboration and a careful response to site, climate, and program, resulting in architecture defined by clean lines, natural materials, and abundant light, with a strong connection between indoor and outdoor environments. A recognized leader in Passive Building and Net Zero design, River Architects delivers measurable results in energy efficiency, carbon reduction, and occupant comfort through airtight construction, heat-recovery ventilation, and low-embodied-carbon materials. River Architects operates from a belief that enduring design and environmental performance are not competing values, but one and the same.
