Rich Beighle (big-lee) is an award-winning architect with 25 years of experience.

He has designed a vast range of commercial and residential work throughout Alaska over the past 20 years. 

Rich enjoys projects with heart – whether he’s designing the Brother Francis Homeless Shelter, a Russian Orthodox Church in rural Alaska or a mud-brick home in Malawi, he takes the time to familiarize himself with his clients and their values so that the project reflects their community. He believes great design comes from great relationships. 

When designing custom homes, Rich adopts the same collaborative approach with an eye toward creating a truly unique space for each client. As a contractor and carpenter himself, he has designed and built homes applying his practical knowledge and experience to match clients’ dreams with the parameters of the project. Rich’s designs are based in sensibility, beauty and efficiency, achieving a balance between design and constructability.

Rich is passionate about the outdoors and enjoys individualizing the building to the site. By incorporating prevailing winds, solar angles and shadow analysis, he produces inviting and functional residential and commercial projects which resonate with their surroundings.

Rich received a Master of Architecture degree in 1993 from Montana State University where he was a member of the Architectural Honors Society from 1989-1993 and was awarded the Tau Sigma Delta Bronze Metal Award as the top designer in his graduating class. Other awards include two Alaska Chapter AIA Merit Awards (New Russian Orthodox Church, Chenega, and a collaborative effort for the Ketchikan Youth Facility) and a design competition for the F-22 Squad Ops, a $42 million facility. He has been a registered architect in the state of Alaska since 2003.