HAMPTON -- First-century Roman architect and builder Marcus Vitruvius Pollio professed in his ten handbooks on architectural practice that firmness, commodity and delight were the defining elements of good architecture. Firmness (sound construction) commodity (functional design) and delight (appeal and attractiveness) are the attributes that Royal Design delivers to every project, large or small.

This philosophy coupled with their level of professionalism speaks to what gained them their most recent honor; a merit award from the American Institute of Architects of New Hampshire. This was given as an accolade for their recent innovative work at the Watertown Savings Bank. They achieved this by hard work, experience, and the integration and collaboration of their many talents and disciplines.

Founded by Peter Vrettos in 1972, this versatile business provides not only architectural services, but has come to also include interior design, construction management and merchandising. Still a consultant on a variety of projects, Peter's vision has expanded to include an umbrella of services, from the conception, design, implementation and merchandising (if required) handled by one business. This gives their customers a sense of comfort and a lack of headaches.

President Ted Vrettos brings his decades of construction implementation and management skills to the customer. This has allowed Royal Design to offer the unique service of being the sole representation of their clients and negotiating on their behalf with all of the contractors that are required to complete the project. With Ted's knowledge of building costs, budgeting, and field work, he is able to save the client money before the project even begins.

Vice President of Architecture and Design Paul H. Bourbeau, AIA, creates superb architectural plans designed specifically to meet their clients' needs. Their fully-staffed design team, headed up by Bruce Reed, will then create and implement a design concept. Vice President of Operations Jim Schwartz oversees the entire process and co-ordinates the efforts of all the team members.

Since historically they have dealt mainly with Financial Institutions, merchandising is another option provided by the team. Once the building is complete, they will then create to best way to utilize the space provided in order to advertise key products to maximize their selling power. This service provides a niche for smaller credit unions and banks that do not have the budget for this need to be met by larger design firms. Although they have worked mainly with financial institutions, they have in recent years expanded to retail businesses, single family homes and local renovation work. They are looking forward to continuing to service both professional services and private home and business owners in the coming years.

Another thing that sets this forward thinking firm apart is that any of their services are also offered independently. If a customer was looking solely for interior design work, for example, they would be happy to provide only that service. Or, if a customer had their architectural plans drawn up by Royal Design, they would be happy to help them find another construction company to meet their needs, if so requested. It is for these reasons that they have established a long standing professional reputation that has weathered three decades in the Hampton area.

At Royal Design, they believe that architecture is more than just buildings; it's the exchange of ideas between people for the sole purpose of affecting the built environment. They constantly strive to assimilate their clients' ideas into the final design. Their commitment to providing the best possible service for their customers through every phase of the project is the driving force behind their design philosophy. This collaboration ensures that the project is a true representation of their clients' needs and desires. The final product, under the leadership of the architect, reflects the integration of these qualities into a sound, functional and appealing design.

Royal Design is located at 82 Tide Mill Road in Hampton, and can be reached by calling (603) 926-4533. To see stunning examples of their work, visit www.royaldesign.net.