NEEDBASED is an 16 year old firm specialize in the design of contemporary high performance zero-energy buildings that meet international resilient design standards.  Our projects actively prioritize environmental and social sustainability with a passion for problem solving.  Our work has won nationally recognized awards for sustainability including the ECOHOME design award and is commonly featured in publications such as Architectural Record for advancing the field of resilient architecture and design. 

The firm focuses on building performance via the Passive house standard and commonly achieves Site-Net-Zero-Energy and Passive House certification. Our office is located within a certified passive house multi-us complex of our own design in heart of Santa fe. 

We are primarily a Santa Fe firm with most current projects located within northern New Mexico including Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Taos, and current out-of-state projects in DC,  Maryland and California.

Principal- Jonah Stanford, AIA

After working for a decade in the field of construction and completing studies at The School for the Art Institute of Chicago and the Academy for Art & Design in the Netherlands with a major in art, Jonah Stanford founded NEEDBASED without any formal architectural education or training. After 16 years of practice, Jonah became a licensed architect via the alternative method of experience.