INSTAGRAM @MELANIERAINES
EMAIL HELLO@MELANIERAINES.COM

REGISTERED ARCHITECT, AIA, NCARB
REGISTERED INTERIOR DESIGNER

M. ARCH, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF BUILT ENVIRONMENTS
B.S. ARCHITECTURAL STUDIES, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
FELLOW, THE ROYAL DANISH ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS, COPENHAGEN

MELANIE RAINES HARNESSES THE POWER OF SPACE TO INTIMATELY AND MEASURABLY AFFECT DAILY LIFE. SHE HAS EARNED A REPUTATION FOR FEARLESS AND SPIRITED DESIGN, HONED BY THE WORLD OF BOUTIQUE HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS AND REFINED BY OVER A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE AS AN ARCHITECT ACROSS COPENHAGEN, NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, AND AUSTIN. NEVER ADHERING TO AN AESTHETIC, BUT INSTEAD CALCULATING THE SYNTHESIS OF HUMAN SENSES, HER WORK IS AT ONCE POLISHED, REBELLIOUS, AND OFTEN DESCRIBED AS “UN-DESIGN”. MELANIE’S INTEGRATED APPROACH DELIVERS EXPERIENCE-FORWARD SPACES THAT CALIBRATE, EMBRACE, AND CELEBRATE THE LIVES THAT INHABIT THEM.

BEFORE STARTING HER EPONYMOUS PRACTICE IN 2018, MELANIE FOSTERED A FOUNDATION IN INTIMATE RESIDENTIAL WORK UNDER DAVID MANN AT MR ARCHITECTURE & DECOR (NYC) AND WORKED IN HOSPITALITY DESIGN WITH SOHO HOUSE & CO (NYC, LA), BUNKHOUSE GROUP (AUSTIN), AND NEW WATERLOO (AUSTIN). EACH BUILDING PROCESS HAS BEEN THE LABORATORY FOR EXPLORATION, ALONGSIDE INSPIRATION DRAWN FROM DANCE, FILM, MODERN ART, AND MANY (MANY) VISITS TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN.



SITE ARTWORK / ANNIE LYNCH
PORTRAIT / CHASE DANIEL



CV
HOUSE 004, AUSTIN TX (2023)

SCOPE: INTERIOR DESIGN

IN COLLABORATION WITH: CONSTRUCT ATX
PHOTOGRAPHY: LINDSAY BROWN


HOUSE 003, DRIFTWOOD TX (2023)

SCOPE: INTERIOR DESIGN, INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

IN COLLABORATION WITH: BERNARDO POZAS, CONTEMPO BUILDERS
PHOTOGRAPHY: CHASE DANIEL


HOUSE 002, MIAMI FL (2022)

SCOPE: INTERIOR DESIGN

IN COLLABORATION WITH: EDUARDO USECHE
PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL STAVARIDIS


HOUSE 001, AUSTIN TX (2020)

SCOPE: INTERIOR DESIGN

IN COLLABORATION WITH: KOCH CONSTRUCTION, RYAN STREET & ASSOCIATES
PHOTOGRAPHY: CHASE DANIEL


CASE STUDY HOUSE, AUSTIN TX (2018-2020)

SCOPE: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN,  INTERIOR DESIGN
PHOTOGRAPHY: MINETTE HAND


SOUTH CONGRESS HOTEL, AUSTIN TX (2018-2020)
__
REDESIGNED BY OTHERS, 2023

SCOPE: PUBLIC SPACES
ROLE: DIRECTOR OF DESIGN, NEW WATERLOO
PHOTOGRAPHY: NICK SIMONITE FOR NEW WATERLOO, NEW WATERLOO


HOTEL ELLA, AUSTIN TX  (2018-2019)

SCOPE: VERANDA, PARLOR
ROLE: DIRECTOR OF DESIGN, NEW WATERLOO
PHOTOGRAPHY: NEW WATERLOO


SOHO WAREHOUSE, LOS ANGELES CA (2019)

ROLE: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, SOHO HOUSE & CO
PHOTOGRAPHY: SOHO HOUSE & CO

IN COLLABORATION WITH: KPA ARCHITECTS, BLVD HOSPITALITY


SWAY THAI, AUSTIN TX  (2018)

SCOPE: DOMAIN & WEST LAKE HILLS LOCATIONS
ROLE: DIRECTOR OF DESIGN, NEW WATERLOO
PHOTOGRAPHY: NICK SIMONITE FOR NEW WATERLOO, NEW WATERLOO
IN COLLABORATION WITH: MICHAEL HSU OFFICE OF ARCHITECTURE, TRINITY / CAPITAL CONSTRUCTORS, ANKOR STUDIOS


IL BRUTTO, AUSTIN TX  (2018)

ROLE: DIRECTOR OF DESIGN, NEW WATERLOO
PHOTOGRAPHY: TRAVIS HALLMARK FOR NEW WATERLOO, NEW WATERLOO
IN COLLABORATION WITH: CLAYTON & LITTLE ARCHITECTS, DPR CONSTRUCTION


LE POLITIQUE, AUSTIN TX  (2018)

SCOPE: DINING ROOM
ROLE: DIRECTOR OF DESIGN, NEW WATERLOO
PHOTOGRAPHY: NICK SIMONITE FOR NEW WATERLOO, NEW WATERLOO
IN COLLABORATION WITH: CLAYTON & LITTLE ARCHITECTS, DPR CONSTRUCTION, SECOND CHANCE CUSTOM


PHOENIX HOTEL, SAN FRANCISCO CA (2018)

ROLE: CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN PROJECT MANAGER, BUNKHOUSE GROUP
PHOTOGRAPHY: NICK SIMONITE FOR BUNKHOUSE GROUP
IN COLLABORATION WITH: SECOND CHANCE CUSTOM


AUSTIN MOTEL, AUSTIN TX (2017)

ROLE: CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN PROJECT MANAGER, BUNKHOUSE GROUP
PHOTOGRAPHY: NICK SIMONITE FOR BUNKHOUSE GROUP
IN COLLABORATION WITH: ART SEEN ALLIANCE, ENABLER LLC, MONRREAL RENOVATIONS


LITTLE BEACH HOUSE, MALIBU CA (2016)

ROLE: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, SOHO HOUSE & CO
PHOTOGRAPHY: SOHO HOUSE & CO

IN COLLABORATION WITH: OSCAR TIRADO ARCHITECTS


SOHO HOUSE, WEST HOLLYWOOD CA (2016)

SCOPE:  RESTAURANT, MUSIC LOUNGE, RENOVATION OF CLUB FLOOR
ROLE: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, SOHO HOUSE & CO
PHOTOGRAPHY: SOHO HOUSE & CO

IN COLLABORATION WITH: OSCAR TIRADO ARCHITECTS


SOHO WORKS, CONCEPT (2016)

SCOPE: TI PACKAGE FOR USE IN SHOREDITCH, WEST HOLLYWOOD, & DUMBO LOCATIONS
ROLE: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, SOHO HOUSE & CO
PHOTOGRAPHY: SOHO HOUSE & CO


TRIBECA RESIDENCE, NEW YORK NY (2014)

ROLE: JUNIOR ARCHITECT, MR ARCHITECTURE & DECOR
PHOTOGRAPHY: MR ARCHITECTURE & DECOR




-
COMING SOON


HOUSE 005 / MEXICO CITY (FALL 2023)
CLARKSVILLE HOUSE / AUSTIN, TX (APRIL 2023)
REDBUD HOUSE / WEST LAKE HILLS, TX (JUNE 2023)
THE ALBERT HOTEL / FREDERICKSBURG, TX (FALL 2023)