PHILOSOPHY
We believe design should support life. We care deeply about how spaces are shaped, how they respond to people and place, and how thoughtful performance can quietly level up the everyday experience.
FEATURED
Learn how a minimal intervention bridged land and living, transforming a challenging hillside into a family oasis while respecting the site’s natural contours.
ABOUT
Studio LODE | LINE is led by Sal Gimbert, bringing experience across bespoke private residences, high-performance custom homes, and renovations,, informed by a strong grounding in building science and constructibility.
Based in Truckee, California, the studio works throughout the Tahoe–Truckee region, Northern California, and the Reno–Tahoe corridor.
SERVICES
We work across architecture, interiors and the spaces in between — offering a considered, end-to-end design service.
The best way to start any project is a conversation.
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Bespoke residential design services spanning new homes, additions, renovations, and small multi-residential projects, delivered through a comprehensive, principal-led process from early concept through permit submission and construction documentation, with construction-phase advisory as appropriate. Our work prioritizes climate, context, materiality, long-term livability, and meaningful performance outcomes—resulting in deeply considered, site-responsive homes.
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Focused design for renovations, ADUs, targeted additions, and interiors—providing clear architectural coordination without a full-service scope. Efficient, structured, and tailored to meet budget and timeline goals.
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Technical guidance for builders, owners, and design teams seeking clarity around building science, airtightness, insulation strategies, materials, and performance pathways. Best for clients or teams who want the “brains” portion of high-performance architecture applied to their project.
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Passivhaus (Passive House) is a performance-based building standard with measurable targets for energy efficiency, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality. Through a highly insulated and airtight envelope, high-performance windows, minimized thermal bridging, and balanced ventilation with heat recovery, it dramatically reduces heating and cooling demand while lowering operational energy use and ecological impact.
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A focused early-stage service combining site testing, yield and massing studies, and strategic advice to clarify development potential and constraints. Ideal for new property buyers, early-stage homeowners, or anyone needing clarity before moving into full design.
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Strategic planning advice, Development Applications, Complying Development, and coordination with planning consultants and authorities.
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Detailed documentation and consultant coordination, with support during builder selection, tender review, and construction, to maintain clarity and design quality through delivery.
NAME
The word “LODE” in our name reflects our founding location, Truckee, California, the history of the Gold Rush and the idea of finding the Mother Lode—a symbol of discovery, value, and the unearthing of hidden potential. The addition of the word “LINE” conveys the dual nature of our approach: the rigor of building science—the clarity of what is known and proven—balanced with the exploratory, site-responsive creativity embodied by LODE.
Together, the name expresses our commitment to architecture that reveals a considered craft through thoughtful design and achieves an elevated performance through precision, technical expertise, and refinement.
CONNECT
Truckee, CA 96161
Homelands of the Washoe (Wašiw, Washo, Waashiw, or Washeshu) Tribe
Monday to Friday, 10am - 4pm
+1 253 678 0196
sally@studioLODELINE.com