Cifuentes Studio

12/26/2025

we’re enjoying some time off to rest and recharge after a whirlwind 2025! this year we saw the completion of our ralph design + build in mayfair manor (seen in the client provided photo above *snow flurries not included*), completed permits for goldwater brewing, saw our ground up for in casa grande approach completion, and teamed up with for tenant improvements for , (flagstaff) and .

on the residential side we restarted our beadle no. 7 and berneil residence full home remodels in paradise valley along various other smaller projects.

we’re honored + thankful to all our clients, consultants, and partners that team with us to create + often build these special spaces.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours!
🙏🏼🎄🎁

build:
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📸: solano residence homeowner

10/11/2025

new project spotlight

we’re excited to share a look at our latest collaboration with goldwater brewing co. 🍻

set in an existing warehouse-style facility, this 9,000 sf building is being thoughtfully revitalized by cifuentes studio to celebrate its industrial roots—honest materials like concrete, steel, and metal paneling connect past to present, all while creating a welcoming new experience.

a 1,000 sf outdoor patio, framed by a 27-foot grain (hops) silo, will offer an immersive indoor-outdoor biergarten experience, perfect for dining, play, and community connection.

inside, 2,500 sf will be home to the future taproom, with the remaining 6,500 sf dedicated to goldwater’s expanded brewing operations. recladding metal panels, new landscaping, and strategic site improvements will ensure this space thrives for years to come.

it’s about time downtown gilbert got a serious brewery!here’s to great beer, bold spaces, and community-forward design. 🍺



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02/13/2024

When United Dairymen of Arizona, the largest dairy cooperative in the state, purchased an existing building in Tempe to be the location of their new headquarters, our studio was tasked with framing a new vision for the 17,000sf office restack to provide a forward looking workplace culture.

As an outward facing entity in the community since 1960, the reception area serves as a visitor check-in, a waiting area, and point of connection for employees and members alike. When designing the space we worked to embody the brand values of integrity, transparency, and an identity that is rooted in the agricultural communities throughout the state. Through the integration of sustainability focused materials such as wood, steel, glass and concrete the goal was to mirror UDA’s commitment to proper stewardship of the land. We’re very excited to be able to share these finished photographs!

architecture:
interiors: w/
arch designer:
photography:
lighting: /

Image 1 - reception view at entry
Image 2 - reception view from staircase
Image 3 - initial space stacking diagram
Image 4 - historical context research
Image 5 - entry prior to building purchase

12/26/2023

As we wrap up this year, we want to wish all of our clients and friends a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! It is truly an honor to reflect on the trust our clients place in us to design + build meaningful spaces.

This year saw us complete our first start to finish design-build tenant improvement for (seen above); if you still haven’t tried their macarons go give them a try they are the best in town!

Amongst our completed work was the design for the relocation of the Kusama Room at Phoenix Art Museum, the remodel of two Postino locations, and a myriad of residential project scopes. We look forward to partnering with you in the coming year to design and construct new impactful architecture. ¡Feliz Navidad!

📸 :

02/05/2023

pulled out every poplar board to select those with the least amount of bowing, cupping or warping for ’s retail shelf that we’re currently working on.

poplar is a great wood because although it’s a hardwood coming in at 540 in the Janka Scale it works like a softwood which takes nailing and glue well. it’s heartwood streaks in the photo are the greenish/brownish marks that appear around the white sapwood.

one of the joys of self-performing in the design+build delivery method is learning more about woodworking and it’s opportunities vs. constraints.

12/31/2022

custom steel logo plasma cut and fabricated by . we’ve been working hard to make sure the thinness of the letters stroke show up as designed but can withstand the steel fabrication process.

the second photo shows finding the closest color match for the hex code provided for custom paint to match.

“imperial dynasty de5727” turned out to be the closest match without creating a custom color match (which can often be unreliable).

installation pictures to follow…

12/31/2022

12/31/2022

For the final of 2022 we thought it’d be fun to share what we approved through the city yesterday. This year was a fast-moving and exciting year for our busy little studio. To cap it off + I were entrusted with the opportunity to design + complete construction documents for a for what turned out to be my first college English teacher from when I was 15.

It’s wild how blessings like these come full circle and we’re excited to see this new addition in break ground this coming year.

365sf of remodel + 554sf of added livable = 100% Haver rad-ness!

Image 1 - Isometric render of build-out
Image 2 - Current Google Earth aerial
Image 3 - Presenting homeowners w/ same-day approved documents
Image 4 - Jacob’s post-approval euphoria! ✨
Image 5 - Design development render looking into the principal bedroom

12/14/2022

precept 01 : what does it mean to be a master builder?

as an architect-led design build practice those two words weigh heavy on the heart and soul of the architecture we design and hopefully guide through construction. in a world full of the latest pinterest fad and catchy sustainable buzzwords, building for an architecture of conservation and stewardship of materials should be of utmost priority!

i’ve been eyeing this cellular EPDM building gasket from for a few years now and finally I pulled the trigger on it! this 75’ roll of ‘BG75’ plate gasket will be mechanically fixed to the underside of the bottom 2x plate of the by .

this technology was developed for the Swedish manufactured housing market to survive punishing elements hence designed to hold up over time. a master builder should not sell ‘sustainability’ as the latest novelty, but instead they should strive to make it one of the baseline metrics of a successful architecture.

let’s learn how to design-build better and smarter together! (air-sealing is half the battle)

10/28/2022

As we enter the finishes phase of our design + build for we thought it’d be fun to look back at the progress for the new cafe ! When we were asked to help the team from envision their first brick and mortar store we kept coming back to the idea of an elevated, Parisian-inspired Macaron x Coffee bar located in ’s Cooley Station community.

We worked closely with the .coffee coffee team and leadership at Decadent to design a bar layout that would feature both the world-class macarons DM is known for and provide a platform for their growing coffee/beverage program.

With the skillsets of + we were able to provide a schematic design package after our first meeting over a year and a half ago, that encapsulated the team’s design charettes. Our previous cafe/kitchen experience came in handy for developing a floor plan layout that would be effective and allow room for future growth/production. The palette aims to represent warmth, elegance, and playful pops of color to represent decadent’s wide selection of macaron offerings!

Image 1 - rendering of our final design
Image 2 - construction progress at drywall (GC: )
Image 3 - space during shell construction
Image 4 - conceptual layout
Image 5 - schematic design inspiration board

It’s been an arduous journey and we’ve worked hard to help make Decadent Macaron’s new space an exciting new destination in the east valley!

09/16/2022

We’re big proponents of looking forward into the future! Our first features the new office restack for ’s new headquarters building located at the gateway to the newly defined Tempe Maker District.
The easiest path for a building to attain a low carbon footprint is to reuse the one already built. Our task for this adaptive reuse project was to reconfigure an existing 17,000sf building (which was only 50% occupied at the time of purchase) to create a modern workplace for the United Dairymen of Arizona administrative staff.
Upon arrival, team members and guests alike will be welcomed by the new reception desk envisioned in this rendering by ! The movement in the wood slat ceiling aims to both draw the occupant towards the check-in area and also embed building elements of lighting and climactic control into one continuous surface.
Image 1 - rendering of our proposal
Image 2 - construction progress from this morning (GC: .cm.llc)
Image 3 - existing lobby condition during our site walk over a year ago
We’re ecstatic to see this impactful incision into the Broadway Innovation Hub be realized, more to come!