Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]

15 Reviews

Architects and Architectural Designers

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About Us

Best of Houzz winner

23 years in business

Locally owned

New Orleans Innovative Full Service Architecture Firm

Volume Zero architectural design studio is the husband-and-wife design firm of architects Michael Cajski and Van Tran. We take pride in our work and enjoy immersing ourselves in challenging projects. We consider our work to be a craft, and we look for clients who appreciate quality in design and construction. As designers, we strive for simplicity, expressive detail, and sensitivity to the project site. We do not allow style to define or limit our work.

Services Provided

3D Rendering, Architectural Design, Architectural Drawings, Attic Conversion, Bathroom Design, Building Design, Custom Home, Deck Design, Drafting, Energy-Efficient Homes, Floor Plans, Garage Design, Green Building, Guesthouse Design & Construction, Handicap-Accessible Design, Historic Building Conservation, Home Additions, Home Extensions, Home Remodeling, House Plans, Kitchen Design, Kitchen Remodeling, Laundry Room Design, Mudroom Design, Multigenerational Homes, New Home Construction, Pool House Design & Construction, Space Planning, Staircase Design, Structural Engineering, Sustainable Design, Universal Design, Construction Drawings, Senior Living Design, Custom Furniture Design & Fabrication, Custom Cabinetry Design & Fabrication, Finish selections

Areas Served

Arabi, Bridge City, Chalmette, Elmwood, Gretna, Harahan, Harvey, Jefferson, Kenner, Marrero, Metairie, Metairie Terrace, New Orleans, River Ridge, Terrytown, Westwego, Slidell, Covington, Mandeville, Bay St. Louis (MS), Laplace, Rosemary Beach (FL), Alys Beach (FL)

Awards

U.S. Green Building Council, LEED Accredited Professional, N.O. Historic District Landmarks Commission Achievement Award for Restoration, Published in New Orleans Magazine, New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles Magazine, The Times-Picayune Lagniappe Dining Guide, Gambit Weekly Cuisine, and Inside Out.

14 Projects

Inspiration for a contemporary bathroom in New Orleans.

Business Details

Business Name

Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]

Phone Number

+1 504-475-1848

Website

www.volumezero.com

Address

1034 Joliet St
New Orleans, LA 70118

Licence Number

LA #5201 FL#AR91615 TX#26810

Followers

72 Followers

Socials

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Credentials

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Featured Review

Shaun Jones

From the plans to suggestions to price comparing - they helped me with EVERYTHING! Van and Michael were my Heros! I am so grateful to them and would highly recommend them to anyone!Read Full Review

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15 Reviews for Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]

Newest first

4.9|15 reviews

Work Quality

5.0

Communication

5.0

Value

5.0

wbishop2227

We really enjoyed working with Volume Zero. They designed a unique addition to our home with a structure and features we had not even imagined. We love it and have received many compliments.

22 August, 2022

Comment from Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]:

Thank you! We are so happy that you love the addition as much as we do. We hope you and your beautiful family will enjoy it for many years to come.

Our best,
Michael + Van

Shaun Jones

I had a very limited space to work with but wanted to find a way to add a master bedroom, bath, closet and utility room. Van and Michael were referred to me by my neighbor. From the start they were amazing! Very attentive about what I was looking for. Extremely communicative with me about the things I was not familiar with, as this was my first renovation. They came up with multiple amazing plans to choose from. I was blown away with what they came up with and the use of space. They were able to add a powder room to the plans - which has become the most unexpected gem in the house! They never left me hanging, always promptly responded, were available to come by anytime I needed and were fun to work with. They inspected all work done by the contractor to make sure it was as they had stipulated. From the plans to suggestions to price comparing - they helped me with EVERYTHING! Van and Michael were my Heros! I am so grateful to them and would highly recommend them to anyone!

19 January, 2021

Comment from Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]:

Thank you so much for the thoughtful review, Shaun! And thank YOU for letting us help you on your project and for being so open to our ideas and suggestions. You were a hoot to work with – love your wicked sense of humor, your skulls, tigers, Muses projects, the powder room wall paper, and Foxy! We hope you will continue to enjoy your new spaces for many years to come.

Elizabeth Boone

We have enjoyed working with Van and Michael on three projects, the latest a redesign and reconfiguration of our master bath/closet. Not only is it wonderfully functional, it is stunningly beautiful. Van and Michael have such a great understanding of space and design. We also love the tile and fixtures they suggested and the creative way they integrated accessibility features.

8 January, 2020

Comment from Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]:

Thank you so much Elizabeth for the glowing review of our services! We thoroughly enjoy working with you and John and very much appreciate your trust in us. We're so happy (and proud!) that you all are enjoying your new master bath and closets -– thank you!

Richard Sexton

I've worked with Michael and Van on 2 separate projects. One was a remodel of an 1840s cottage in the Marigny neighborhood. The other was new construction in the St. Roch neighborhood. I had a very good experience with both projects

20 July, 2018

Comment from Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]:

Thank you for your feedback, Richard. We have very much enjoyed meeting the design challenges your projects have posed, and we really appreciate the dedication you have shown to realizing these design goals. Thank you for allowing us to help you.

Stephanie Stokes

Van and Michael helped us reimagine the layout and interior look of our gutted house after Hurricane Katrina. Then, a few years after that, they helped us with a substantial expansion into the lot next door. Twelve years later, we are still loving our beautiful, functional "new" home!

30 September, 2017

Comment from Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]:

Thank you for the wonderful review, Stephanie! We're so happy that you all are still enjoying your "new" home – that means so much to us, thank you!

Scott Purinton

Tran and Michael are a wonderful team to work with. They provided us with a workable/affordable design and developed a good relationship with the contractor. I would recommend using Volume Zero for work of any size.

5 September, 2017

Comment from Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]:

Hi Scott, thanks so much for your review and recommendation. We look forward to visiting with you all and seeing the final touches and the landscaping installed - so very exciting!

Mamie Hillery

Michael and Van are very professional and knowledgeable - but even better yet - extremely pleasant to work with. Hurricane Katrina here in New Orleans caused many stumbling blocks for my major renovation, but with Volume Zero on my team I was able to get the job done while living in Houston, Texas - could not have done this without them!

4 December, 2016

Comment from Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]:

Thank you so much, Mamie! We LOVE working with you too! We'll touch base soon to go over your Dining Room design at the Bay St. Louis house.

chrssctt

The project started out fairly small about 250 sq ft only to the second floor (to extend our camel-back house by adding one bedroom and re-configuring a bathroom and laundry space). My contractor said that since we would need to make sure 3 walls are load-bearing, we needed to find an architect or engineer to submit plans to the city for approval. It expanded a bit, due to Van and Michael's suggestions for the best use of space and we could not be happier to have an updated HVAC system, and finished rooms that have flexibility to change purposes as we grow our family. Michael was very quick to respond via email or to phone calls. He was always very clear and upfront about costs and the steps from initiation to final plans. The plans were well thought out and Van always gave us options whether it was a design recommendation or structural consideration. I felt like Van put herself in my place and really thought about what our family needed and tried to accomodate my every request and original wishlist. I really loved working with them!

16 September, 2015

Comment from Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]:

Hi C.,
Thank you so much for the wonderful review of our services. We thoroughly enjoyed working with you and S.! We hope that the additional space and revised layout will serve you well as your family grows. We wish you the best!

cheers,
Van + Michael

tlk504

In 1997, I hired Volume Zero to design a comprehensive renovation and a new Master Suite addition to my house in the Lake Vista neighborhood of New Orleans. The work included a new elevated concrete deck, a new water feature in the rear yard, and increased ceiling height at the existing living room space. The design opened up the Living, Dining, Kitchen, and Foyer areas to create a flowing central space that had previously been a grouping of rooms walled off from each other. The look of the exterior was dramatically altered, and new windows brought in more light from Foliage Park, filtered by the oak tree canopy. The completed project was featured in New Orleans Magazine. Years later, I hired Volume Zero again to design a sail cloth canopy carport. To this day, I remain in contact with the architects, Michael Cajski and Van Tran.

29 July, 2015

Comment from Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]:

Hi T.! Thanks so much for the great review! Please give us a call when you get a chance, we'd love to catch up with you again and hear about your recent travel adventures!

cheers,
Van + Michael

adebesso

After Katrina the lower two floors of our 1920's tri-level were under water. With re-construction in our future, we decided to engage the services of an architect. Enter Volume Zero. We asked Michael and Van to consider structural changes that would make better use of the existing space. Their concentration included finishing our previously unfinished ground level floor. They made the space more functional by adding a bathroom, laundry, closet, storage and equipment rooms all the while retaining a good bit of room for leisure living. They also redesigned our kitchen beautifully and opened up the stairway area between the second and third floors giving the space an airy, loft-like feel. Michael and Van were a joy to work with - responsive to our needs and interests, upbeat and personable. When you find Volume Zero, you have found the best.

28 May, 2015

Comment from Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]:

Dear A.,

Thank you so much for the wonderful review, and for allowing us to help you with your project. We hope you and D. enjoy your new spaces for many years to come! By the way, we loved your Christmas card and hope the street work will be completed soon so you can get back into your driveway :D

all the best to you,
Van + Michael

tambalina

I hired the company to draw plans for an addition to my home. They had an understanding of the project, and the direction I wanted. The plans were executed with very little to be corrected or changed. They were professional, polite and easy to work with. I would hire them again today, and highly recommend Volume Zero.

28 May, 2015

ccsackett

Van, and Michael were amazing to work with, and made the design process so enjoyable. Total redesign of our downtown loft condo creating elevated platform kitchen, custom bath, and media room. They took a boring industrial loft, and created a warm environment while keeping many industrial details. They even did our concrete counters in kitchen, and bath. Cannot recommend them highly enough.

21 May, 2015

Elizabeth Boone

We chose Van and Mike of Volume Zero for our kitchen renovation because of the terrific job they did fifteen or so years ago redesigning the transition from the back of our house to the pool area, and we continue to think it is just perfect. With the kitchen, they were our heroes once again. It was a full renovation but retaining the existing room dimensions, windows, and most doors. The design they created meets all our peculiar needs but seems effortless in doing so; it generally follows the pre-existing layout but transformed it into an open, airy, and harmonious space. They guided us gently in the countless selections (appliances, flooring, cabinets, lighting, etc.), which would have overwhelmed us without their help. We especially appreciate the subtlety and functional elegance of their vision. They were spot on in their solutions to the challenges of creating a modern kitchen in a traditional house built in 1900. And they were always upbeat, practical, and efficient in the way they advanced the project. The contractor they recommended was outstanding, with a technical savvy, commitment to perfection, great crew, and optimistic disposition that made the project a very positive experience. We never thought renovating a kitchen would be as easy at it was, and we thank Van and Mike for this.

20 May, 2015

sspicer9

Van and Michael at Volume Zero designed the renovation of my home after it flooded in Katrina. They redefined the layout, as well as designing a bedroom-bathroom addition to the original space. They worked efficiently, were sensitive to our budget and always offered affordable alternatives when needed. I feel that they made the most of the small floor plan and helped oversee construction, as well. They were patient and helpful when we had trouble making decisions. I would recommend Volume Zero for home design, whether new construction or renovation.

19 May, 2015

Twist Tours Real Estate and Portfolio Marketing

My husband and I purchased a condo in the Warehouse District of New Orleans. It was an open space with generic cabinetry and fixtures. Pretty bare bones. It was going to be a challenge to define the living and dining space in this loft for sure. We hit it off right away with Michael and Van -their communication style was as important as their architectural skills and vision. The process from start to finish was awesome. We ended up with this beautifully designed space -their creativity was second to none. In summary: Hire Volume Zero for your project. Period.

17 May, 2015

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13 Ideabooks

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11 Comments

Commented: Love the light fixture, looking for grid system lighting, hallwayOf course, please feel free to contact us if you have any more questions. Good luck, and happy shopping! Thank you again for visiting our projects. cheers, Van

4 January, 2020

Commented: can you adjust the flow?No, this unit only controls the temperature; the flow is always the same.

16 June, 2018

Commented: Does this shower head tilt?Since this is a rain shower head, I do not think it is adjustable. I suggested this Kohler assembly because you all had mentioned that you might want a rain shower head. If you would prefer an adjus...

16 June, 2018

Commented: Crate and Barrel reclinerSure :)

24 October, 2017

Commented: DimensionsYes, but with a word of caution: remember to check the recliner to see/measure how much space it needs behind it when in the open position.

24 October, 2017

Commented: What is size of the shower/tub area?Hi, the tub/shower area is approximately 8'X8'.

7 January, 2016

Volume Zero, LLC [architectural design studio]