about
After many years of practicing architectural design, construction management, and sustainable consulting in San Francisco and Richmond, Gwen and Ben founded the company re:4m ( pronounced reform). The name is indicative of our approach to design and construction management/systems. As part of our design process, we include construction estimation and passive design analysis as part of our base scope of services which are typically viewed as additional services. We believe if we can reform the traditional design process then the result should be a more holistic, collaborative, and consciences built form.
Ben Murray
Ben Manages all estimating and construction services. With 20+ years of carpentry and project management, Ben brings a unique combination of practical and construction management expertise. He draws on his background to inform the design and construction process. Ben is a graduate of VMI and the Bartlett School at University College London. His research is published in the Journal of Construction Management and Economics and with the Association of Researchers in Construction Management. Ben is a licensed contractor in Virginia and California and NAHB certified carpenter.
Gwen is a licensed architect, LEED accredited professional, and directs all sustainable consulting services and architectural design for the company. With over 14 years of experience with LEED management and passive design analysis, she brings distinct knowledge and expert solutions to a project.She is a graduate of Virginia Tech and received her Master of Architecture in Sustainable Environmental Design from the Architectural Association in London, England. As a UVA adjunct professor at the School of Architecture, from 2010-2014 Gwen taught environmentally focused graduate courses. She worked in various architectural and design practices for ten years in both the San Francisco and Richmond area. Interesting fact: Gwen worked for a high end metal fabrication company in Oakland CA for almost four years. There she learned how to create shop drawings and picked up welding! Her love for metal fabrication continues and shows up in many of the custom design details for shipping container projects.