Who we are
Boreal Modern is run by Architect and Twin Cities native, Tyler Moench. Tyler has a Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Architecture from the University of Washington in Seattle with a concentration in Materials and Fabrication and a certificate in Design Computing. His work during graduate school primarily revolved around exploring the connection between emerging parametric design tools and digital fabrication techniques, and their impact on the design process.
After graduate school, Tyler broke into the profession at Collective Office, a high-design, boutique architecture firm in the very competitive Chicago market. While working at Collective Office he led projects ranging from high-end custom homes, to multi-million dollar office build outs, to rolling out dozens of retail stores across the country.
Tyler takes Boreal Modern’s ethos of living a balanced life seriously. When not in the office, Tyler loves to spend time with his family, riding his bike, eating good food, and growing his art collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Boreal Modern is a full-service architecture firm.
We are focused on transformative home renovations / additions, custom cabins, and high quality urban infilll development.
-
Being full-service means our drawings go far beyond a basic floor plan. They include comprehensive cabinetry design, interior elevations in all the important places, the selection and coordination of finishes and fixtures, and all critical construction details resolved. Basically, all the things that make your project special will be thoroughly considered and documented before construction.
Working with us, the countless small decisions a project requires are resolved on paper, not guessed at in the field. Every one of those decisions gets made at some point; the question is who makes it. If it's not worked out by the architect ahead of time, it falls to the builder to interpret in the moment, or to you (the client) to make snap decisions under pressure, often at greater cost and with less thought behind them.
We also prefer to stay involved through permitting, contractor coordination, and construction administration. This means frequently visiting the site, answering questions, and making sure what gets built matches what was designed.
Our thoroughness upfront means fewer surprises during the build, faster problem-solving when something does come up, and a final result that actually matches the vision we designed together.
-
Boreal Modern currently holds architectural licenses in Minnesota and Illinois.
Licenses in other states can usually be obtained without impacting project timelines.
If you have a project not in Minnesota or Illinois, let us know when contacting us and we can discuss how it my affect you process.
-
Boreal Modern’s renovation/addition work is primarily focused on Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding Twin Cities metro suburbs.
Our cabin and lake house work is located throughout the greater Minnesota lakes regions including the Brainerd Lakes Area and the North Shore of Lake Superior.
However, if you have a project that doesn’t fit that description reach out anyway and to see if we can help.
-
Boreal Modern is a sole practitioner firm, and we think that's a feature, not a limitation. When you work with us, you're talking directly to the person designing your project, from the very first conversation through the final walkthrough, not an account manager relaying messages between you and someone else.
We also intentionally take on a limited number of projects at a time, so your project gets real, personalized, undivided attention rather than competing for time with a dozen others.
For bigger or more complex projects, we bring in trusted contractors and consultants as needed, so you still get the depth of expertise a project requires, just without the layers of bureaucracy that can slow things down.