The studio / Our approach
Grounded in making.
Ryan Peterson / Founder, Propeller
People behind the work
Between the drawing
and the building.
Ryan began laying tile as a teenager and moved into drafting in his twenties. Since then, he has worked across architecture firms and construction companies, developing a practical understanding of both sides of the process: how things are designed and how they actually get built.
That experience is at the core of Propeller. Good design benefits from people who can move between disciplines, ask hard questions, and understand what happens after the drawing leaves the desk.
Every project has its own budgets, materials, site conditions, and construction realities. We see our role as a guide through all of it. The goal is simple: find the best way forward without losing sight of the original idea.
Today, Ryan is working toward his architect’s license while continuing to bring design, construction, and creative problem-solving together, with equal attention to cost and craftsmanship.
01Our philosophy
Propeller is a design-build firm that closes the gap between great ideas and how things actually get built. Our approach is rooted in hands-on construction experience, pairing forward-thinking design with practical knowledge. This experience is important because plans change and ideas evolve. Propeller stays adaptable.
We often find that project challenges, when met with foresight and transparency, become opportunities for great design to shine. No project is successful without collaboration, and we strive to make the construction process as thoughtful and collaborative as it is efficient.
From the first sketches, we begin working with local professionals, fabricators, artists, and craftspeople, drawing on the expertise of a network built over years of successful projects.
How we work