Business Details
Award-Winning Coastal Architecture & Sustainable Design
At Nautilus Architects, we view architecture as both a service and an art. For over 25 years, our award-winning design firm has created luxury custom homes, waterfront residences, and historic renovations along the Connecticut Shoreline, New England, and the Hamptons. Each project is a unique collaboration, evolving in response to site, coastal context, lifestyle, and client vision. We specialize in contemporary coastal homes, sustainable design, and energy-efficient building technologies including geothermal systems, Tesla solar roofs, and passive house strategies. By blending traditional New England materials such as natural stone and cedar with modern innovation, our designs feel timeless, enduring, and deeply connected to place. Every detail of our work from landscape integration to interior architecture is tailored to enhance comfort, beauty, and performance.Our approach reflects the belief that the environment has a profound effect on life, and that a home should both accommodate and inspire. Clients choose Nautilus Architects for our attention to detail, sustainable expertise, and passion for creating extraordinary living environments. Whether designing a new residence or renovating a beloved home for modern living or aging in place, we listen carefully, collaborate openly, and deliver homes of lasting value. Our team includes a LEED-certified architect and a Certified Aging in Place Specialist, ensuring our designs meet the highest standards of sustainability and accessibility.
Services
Custom Home Design
Sustainable Architecture
Coastal Resilience
Historic Renovations
Aging in Place Design
Highlights and features
- 25+ years of expertise in coastal and sustainable architecture
- LEED-certified architect specializing in energy-efficient design
- Collaborative process prioritizing client vision and site context
- Proven success in coastal resilience and historic renovations
- Certified Aging in Place Specialist on staff
Associations and certifications
- LEED
What people say
Visionary and practical
Deep knowledge of coastal design
Excellent listener
Meticulous attention to detail
Passionate about sustainability
Services
Custom Home Design
We create bespoke luxury homes tailored to client visions and site-specific contexts. Our designs integrate natural light, authentic materials, and seamless indoor-outdoor connections. Specializing in contemporary coastal aesthetics, we balance modern innovation with traditional craftsmanship for enduring spaces that reflect regional heritage and individual lifestyles.
Sustainable Architecture
Our LEED-certified practice prioritizes energy efficiency and environmental stewardship. We implement geothermal systems, solar roofs, and passive house strategies while using recycled materials and green roof technology. Designs optimize natural ventilation, daylight management, and life cycle cost analysis to create high-performance buildings that minimize environmental impact without compromising aesthetic quality.
Coastal Resilience
We specialize in designing structures that withstand harsh coastal conditions. Our expertise includes seawall design, flood zone compliance, and salt-resistant material selection. Projects incorporate elevated foundations, stormwater management systems, and durable construction techniques to ensure longevity while maintaining aesthetic harmony with waterfront environments.
Historic Renovations
We modernize historic properties while maintaining architectural integrity. Our approach combines contemporary functionality with traditional craftsmanship, using materials matching original specifications. Services include ADA compliance integration, energy-efficient upgrades, and adaptive reuse strategies that preserve historical character while meeting modern living standards.
Aging in Place Design
Our CAPS-certified designs enable lifelong home residency through accessible features like zero-step entries, widened doorways, and grab bar-equipped bathrooms. We create multi-generational spaces that balance safety with aesthetics, incorporating smart technology and ergonomic layouts to support evolving mobility needs without compromising design quality.
People
Christopher Arelt
Principal Architect
Christopher Arelt, a Yale-trained architect with 30 years of experience, founded Nautilus Architects in 1993. LEED-certified and recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council, he specializes in coastal design and sustainable architecture. His work blends modern innovation with regional materials, creating timeless spaces that respond to environmental context.
Barbara Meissner-Arelt
Operations and Marketing Manager
Barbara Meissner-Arelt oversees client engagement and daily operations at Nautilus Architects. With a business degree from Baruch College, she manages project coordination, marketing initiatives, and office administration. Her background in public administration ensures efficient service delivery while maintaining the firm's client-centric approach.
Charles Brown
Structural Engineer
Charles Brown brings 35 years of structural engineering expertise to Nautilus projects. Formerly an adjunct professor at Yale University, he specializes in complex construction challenges for educational, healthcare, and commercial buildings. His technical knowledge ensures structural integrity while supporting the firm's innovative design vision.
Questions
What architectural styles does Nautilus Architects specialize in?
We focus on contemporary coastal design while embracing regionalism. Our approach prioritizes context-responsive solutions over preconceived styles, creating modern spaces that harmonize with New England's architectural heritage through material authenticity and site-specific design.
How does Nautilus incorporate sustainable practices?
We integrate geothermal systems, Tesla solar roofs, and passive house strategies. Our LEED-certified designs optimize natural ventilation, daylight management, and recycled materials while prioritizing energy efficiency and environmental stewardship in every project phase.
Can Nautilus help with historic property renovations?
Yes, we specialize in modernizing historic homes while preserving architectural integrity. Our team implements energy-efficient upgrades and accessibility features like zero-step entries while maintaining original craftsmanship and materials in Connecticut shoreline properties.
What coastal resilience measures do you employ?
We design for flood zones using elevated foundations, salt-resistant materials, and stormwater management systems. Our coastal projects incorporate durable construction techniques and FEMA-compliant designs to ensure longevity in harsh marine environments while maintaining aesthetic quality.
Do you offer aging-in-place design services?
Yes, we have a Certified Aging in Place Specialist on staff. Our designs include widened doorways, roll-in showers, and smart technology integration to create accessible, multi-generational spaces that support evolving mobility needs without compromising aesthetic appeal.
What areas do you serve?
We primarily serve Connecticut's shoreline communities, New England, and the Hamptons. Our expertise extends to coastal environments and historic districts, with project experience ranging from Mystic to Southampton and throughout the Northeast region.
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Reviews (6)
Chris
Dec 22, 2020
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Positive:Quality
Incredible attention to detail and always on the job to ensure accuracy through out all phases of each project.
Incredible attention to detail and always on the job to ensure accuracy through out all phases of each project.
Noemi Di Cristofaro
Nov 02, 2020
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Positive:Quality
Chris is a true artist. His work speaks for itself. Hes very knowledgeable in the buisness. That knowledge will prove to save you money in the end with quality product.
Chris is a true artist. His work speaks for itself. Hes very knowledgeable in the buisness. That knowledge will prove to save you money in the end with quality product.
Scott Conner
Nov 01, 2020
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Chris is a brilliant architect who views each of his projects as a unique artistic endeavor. He is extraordinarily passionate about his work and partners closely with his clients throughout the design and development process to create stunning interior and exterior spaces that compliment the buildings setting. Chris is an artist and a perfectionist, and as a result his work is aesthetically consistent from the overall impression down to the finest details.
Maria DeFiore
Oct 30, 2020
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Positive:Quality,Value
Nautilus Architects is a very unique and exquisite firm that designs with an extreme attention to detail with a pristine, modern flare.
Nautilus Architects is a very unique and exquisite firm that designs with an extreme attention to detail with a pristine, modern flare.
S. Sernau
Sep 14, 2020
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Christopher Arelt's vision, and his thoughtful, engaged collaboration with our builder, transformed our unassuming ranch home into a beautiful, comfortable haven. Our home is contemporary and fresh, yet livable and warm, without the stark chilliness of a lot of modern design. He understood exactly what we were going for, and he enhanced our original ideas in myriad ways, capturing views and light, and creating intelligent uses of space that never occurred to us. We love our home, and friends, family and guests love it, too. I cannot recommend more highly the experience of working with such an artistically
Sebastian O'Kelly
Aug 13, 2020
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We employed Nautilus Architects for a major expansion of our home. We live in Maryland in a close in suburb of Washington, DC and faced property space restrictions as well as tight zoning rules. Mr. Arelt was able to design an attractive expansion of our home that met our goals for additional space, rooms, and uses, while getting the details right so we avoided costly delays or project modifications from the zoning process. We highly recommend his firm.
