Firm Profile

Charles Lauster Architect, P.C. is rooted in service to its clients and quality in architecture.

Charles Lauster Architect, P.C. believes that architecture is more than design. It involves everything it takes to transform a client’s needs, desires and budget into a finished building. Architecture is at the juncture of art, money, law, physics, climate, politics, business and technology. A twenty-first century architect must navigate all these concerns in order to produce quality projects. CLA does this.

Charles Lauster, the president of CLA, founded his firm in 1983 with the Chung Pak Apartment Building as his first project. Today CLA is working on institutional, residential and commercial office buildings, medical facilities, child care centers, historic renovations and custom houses throughout the northeast. Its client list includes museums, corporations, law firms, social service providers, developers and federal, state, and local governments.

The firm has won awards from the City of New York and the American Institute of Architects among others. It has been featured in the press for its design and for its innovative practice.

The office is engaged in urban planning projects in New York City and the region. CLA has produced studies of Forest Hills in Queens, Chinatown in New York, the Westside of Manhattan and Willets Point in Queens.

Peter Kincl, the firm’s Senior Associate, leads CLA’s high performance building research and implementation. As a certified Passive House® consultant, Mr. Kincl is at the forefront in international energy conservation technology and construction.

CLA does feasibility studies for developers, local development corporations and individuals. These studies consider zoning, construction, cost estimating and scheduling. CLA’s technical staff has specialized expertise in curtain wall design, vertical transportation, interior design and zoning.
The office has a strong reputation for the precision of its documents, its attention to coordination and its construction phase services. It is an architectural team grounded in the realities of construction.

Charles Lauster Architect provides all these services so that it can meet the needs of its clients. Our specialty is getting complex projects built and built well. That is what our clients expect.