Christi Weber, Registered Architect & Owner
I founded Centerline Architecture with the intention of creating a space where thoughtful design and building science meet, and for me the term centerline evokes the idea of gathering in the middle and balancing all the pieces.
The focus of Centerline is mostly on new construction, including houses, accessory dwelling units and other small scale residential buildings. However, a whole house remodel paired with a deep energy retrofit may be the one exception if the right project came along.
Over the last twenty years, my work has taken me through a range of roles that have deepened my skills in design, construction and building science. Most recently, I spent nearly a decade at TDS Design Build, where I was the Director of Design, leading a team of designers on projects including complex remodels, large additions, deep energy retrofits and high-performance homes. I worked closely with the build team on a daily basis and managed the bidding phase, giving me the opportunity to have countless interactions with subcontractors. This experience has underlined the value of collaborative problem-solving with builders and the realities faced by contractors in the construction industry today. Budgets, schedules, logistics & sequencing, material availability, construction detailing and more all need to be considered during the design process to drive a project towards success. I believe this unique perspective sets me apart and is one that I will naturally carry forward in my new practice.
Prior to TDS, I spent about eight years at Design Coalition Architects, designing custom high-performance homes and gaining experience with straw-clay construction, a natural building technique. It was during this time that I completed my Passive House training and becoming Wisconsin’s first Phius Certified Consultant in 2012. (Learn more about Phius & Passive Buildings here.)
Earlier in my career, my work with Madison Environmental Group exposed me to larger institutional projects - such as Madison Children’s Museum and the First Unitarian Society of Madison - where I provided consulting services centered on the LEED green building rating system.
Way back at the beginning, I completed my Masters in Architecture at UW Milwaukee and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with an elective concentration in Cultural & Environmental Studies at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.
Beyond architecture…
I am a contributor to Fine Homebuilding magazine and have published several construction details on Green Building Advisor. See below.
I also serve as President of the Phius Alliance Wisconsin Chapter and have given several presentations on Passive House principles over the years. I sit on two State of Wisconsin councils - the Wisconsin Residential Building Code Council and the Governor’s Sustainable Building Council. Additionally, I’m a member of the Tradies, a group of woman and non-binary tradespeople in the Madison area that meet regularly for support and collaboration. When there’s time leftover, I also dabble in lighting and furniture design and 3D printing projects.
Publications:
Fine Homebuilding, Shaped by the Site: A clever site plan, a smart floor plan, and practical building assemblies make this all-electric neighborhood home durable, comfortable, and efficient. (Feature of the Pretty Good House in Cross Plains)
Green Building Advisor:
Strategies for Combining Flanged Windows with Exterior Insulation: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Expert Exchange Webinar
The Phius Certified Consultant logo is used under license from Phius.
