Dolan Design for Art is a studio that provides design services and fine art in Delano Minnesota. Our design office focuses on single family custom homes, commercial, and retail spaces. We work closely with builders, general contractors, and consultants. The artists studio experiments with mixed media; a contemporary take on ekphrastic poetry.
We explore a visual dialogue through abstract and natural interactions between narrative and medium.
“Ope” is a midwestern utterance when inadvertently bumping into someone while along the way to a destination. It is an apology, a greeting, and the recognition of human contact.
Architecture is the celebration of connections; physical interactions between buildings, the ground, and inhabitants. Social encounters with family and community. Visual links bridging interior and exterior spaces.
Architects are guides through the process of building your inspirations. Understanding your goals and expectations is the first step in building trust and communication. We begin each project with an conversation to learn about you and your objectives. We look to your daily routines and paths of travel to inform the organization of rooms and spaces. After exploring designs through plans and sketches we arrive at a scheme to develop for construction estimation.
We turn hand sketches into computer drafted plans. We add texture, color, and detail to the projects 3D model, which lets us visualize spaces as we craft material palettes and finalize cabinetry layouts. We evaluate the cost of the design by working closely with the general contractor and consultants; developing and delivering project estimates at critical milestones. Once a construction agreement is reached we finalize drawings for the building permit and construction.
Our goal is to communicate clearly with drawings, diagrams, and models to deliver a finished project. We design custom single family homes, commercial, office, and retail spaces. We follow biophilic design principals of increased access to sunlight, celebrating connections between exterior and interior spaces, and using natural and nature-like materials. Passive house principles are incorporated into all of our projects; increased building performance reduces energy consumption and improves quality of life. Build better to live better.
Architecture and Design
High Performance, Passive House, and Net Zero Building Design
Interior Design
Landscape Design
Building and Site Selection, Pre-design, and Programming
Existing Building Documentation and Assessment
Building Permit and Construction Documentation
Construction Cost Estimation
Construction Management and Administration
Business and Brand Development, Marketing, and Graphic Design
Materials and mediums create a visual narrative based on reality but not grounded in it. Imaginary figures weave dynamic trails; a poem of momentum caught in the lulls and crescendos of song.
In the vein of ekphrastic poetry, prose accompanies each piece exploring the movement of words and images.
Recent artwork incorporates Minnesota agates, minerals, and locally harvested timber; exploring the hidden narrative or place through a dialogue between found materials and current social discourse.
Matt Dolan collects rocks.
He has harvested sandstone from hockey rinks around California, scavenged purple striated granite in the Colorado wilderness, and hounded for agates along Minnesota’s many shores. These milestones offer a physical reminder of a journey from practical experience to applied knowledge. This connection between nature and design reinforces a focus on craft through sensory exploration.
Originally from Minnesota, Matt is a licensed architect in the state of Minnesota. He is part of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and a Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) through the Passive House Institute United States (PHIUS). He graduated from the University of Redlands, CA with bachelors’ degrees in studio art and creative writing. He met his wife Ayla the year between college and graduate school; receiving his M.Arch from the University of Michigan, MI. They live in Delano, MN with their son, two cats (Perrin and Noodles), and dog (Tomo).
A background in construction and continuing education teaches balance. Matt uses his experience in project design and construction estimation to deliver value to owners. Clients expect Architects to create a functional and aesthetic space that fits their personality as well as their basic needs while meeting budgets and schedules. We are trusted to work empathetically by approaching projects with an open mind, a sense of practicality, and a focus on individual desires and concerns.
Our goal is to craft legacies through the manipulation of stone, steel, and timber to better meet client needs. We will earn your trust as we advance original concepts through thoughtful interpretation of programs and inspirations. We will hold ourselves to a high design and documentation standard as we work together to provide architectural services.
Matt Dolan RA NCARB CPHC is a licensed architect, member of the National Council of Architectural Registration Board, and a Certified Passive House Consultant through the Passive House Institute United States. His home studio is located in Delano Minnesota. He works with ACE Design Build as the in-house architect.
He can be reached via email and phone for inquires.
952 456 1187
Dolan Design for Art 