Clean Earth Design — organic architecture overlooking an infinity pool

Architecture
of earth.

Minimal, sustainable design rooted in natural materials and enduring craft.

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12+
Built & conceptual projects
6
Cities worldwide
20+
Years of practice
4
Design disciplines

Architecture that is minimal, sustainable, and deeply connected to place

Clean Earth Design works across luxury residential, hospitality, and commercial architecture — from Manhattan loft conversions to eco-resort master plans on the Caribbean coast. Every project begins with the land, honours natural light, and is resolved with warmth, precision, and enduring materials.

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Services

Four disciplines,
one coherent vision

Whether you're renovating a landmark loft, planning an eco-resort, or designing a workplace — we bring the same minimal, material-honest rigour to every scale.

01
Residential

Luxury homes, loft conversions, and apartment renovations — from historic Romanesque Revival buildings in Manhattan to open-plan desert houses in Sedona.

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02
Commercial

Creative studios, adaptive reuse, and commercial fit-outs designed to inspire the people who work inside them — open, light-filled, and built to last.

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03
Hospitality

Eco-resort master planning, modular villa design, spa and wellness facilities — from Rio Dulce, Guatemala to the Mexican Pacific coast.

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04
Interior Design

Spa-like bathrooms, custom children's rooms, sustainable Eco-Resin partitions, Italian cabinetry — interiors resolved with the same rigour as the architecture.

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Selected work

Projects across
continents

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01Residential
140 Franklin Street
Residential · NYC

Restoration and conversion of a 70,000 sq. ft. Romanesque Revival building into 14 luxury loft condominiums, with glass and steel penthouse additions above the sixth floor.

02Residential
111 Hicks Street 4L
Residential · Brooklyn Heights

1,500 sq. ft. minimalist loft renovation inside the landmark St. George Tower, featuring translucent Eco-Resin sliding partitions and a Varenna Italian kitchen.

03Residential
Lolomi Drive House
Residential · Sedona

A loft in the desert: 12 arched glue-laminated beams, Arizona flagstone north façade, glass south façade, and a copper curved roof framing views of Sedona's red rocks.

04Residential
Garnet Hill House
Residential · Sedona

6,000 sq. ft. organic desert residence on 2.06 acres overlooking Boynton Canyon, with curved protective forms revolving around a private internal garden.

05Commercial
302 King Street East
Commercial · Toronto

3,500 sq. ft. four-storey commercial building adaptively reused as a graphic design studio with a modern open stair, glass elements, and abundant natural light.

06Hospitality
Rio Dulce Resort
Hospitality · Guatemala

Conceptual master plan for a 1,300-acre eco-resort in Rio Dulce — marina, villas, spa bungalow village, restaurants, and ecological land development.

Lucy G'ala on site
About the studio

Led by Lucy G'ala — designing spaces that honour the land.

An architect of international scope — born in the Dominican Republic, trained across Europe, and forged in New York before establishing roots in Toronto. Lucy G'ala founded Clean Earth Design in 2006 as an eco architecture, design & staging studio: collaborative, multi-discipline, and deeply sustainable.

Before Toronto, Lucy led high-end residential conversions and landmark loft renovations in Manhattan and Brooklyn through her New York practice, most design(est. 2003), and served as Vice-President of Design & Development at Sanba International Inc. — becoming the youngest woman developer in New York in 2000.

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Testimonials

What our clients say

Lucy transformed our loft into something we never imagined possible — light, calm, and completely ours.Residential Client · Brooklyn Heights
The desert house feels as if it grew from the rock itself. Sedona has never looked so right from the inside.Private Client · Sedona AZ
Every material was chosen with integrity. The Eco-Resin partitions alone made the whole project sing.Client · 111 Hicks Street
We asked for a workplace. We got a building that makes our team proud to come in every single morning.Director · 302 King Street, Toronto
Minimal. Meaningful. Transformative. Our brief became something far beyond what we imagined.Homeowner · London Ontario
The collaboration with Sanba was seamless. From master plan to last detail, the vision never wavered.Developer · Resort Project
Lucy transformed our loft into something we never imagined possible — light, calm, and completely ours.Residential Client · Brooklyn Heights
The desert house feels as if it grew from the rock itself. Sedona has never looked so right from the inside.Private Client · Sedona AZ
Every material was chosen with integrity. The Eco-Resin partitions alone made the whole project sing.Client · 111 Hicks Street
We asked for a workplace. We got a building that makes our team proud to come in every single morning.Director · 302 King Street, Toronto
Minimal. Meaningful. Transformative. Our brief became something far beyond what we imagined.Homeowner · London Ontario
The collaboration with Sanba was seamless. From master plan to last detail, the vision never wavered.Developer · Resort Project
The spa bathroom in the middle of that apartment is the most considered space I have ever experienced.Client · Brooklyn Heights
Our resort concept went from a rough brief to a fully realised vision we can actually build. Exceptional work.Hospitality Client · Guatemala
Clean Earth Design proved that sustainable and luxurious are not opposites — they are the same thing done right.Private Client · Tulum
We came with a historic building and a dream. We left with a landmark that honours both.Developer · 140 Franklin Street, NYC
Light moves through the house in a way we never anticipated. It's alive at every hour of the day.Residential Client · Sedona
The process was as good as the result — clear, honest, and thoroughly collaborative from day one.Commercial Client · Toronto
The spa bathroom in the middle of that apartment is the most considered space I have ever experienced.Client · Brooklyn Heights
Our resort concept went from a rough brief to a fully realised vision we can actually build. Exceptional work.Hospitality Client · Guatemala
Clean Earth Design proved that sustainable and luxurious are not opposites — they are the same thing done right.Private Client · Tulum
We came with a historic building and a dream. We left with a landmark that honours both.Developer · 140 Franklin Street, NYC
Light moves through the house in a way we never anticipated. It's alive at every hour of the day.Residential Client · Sedona
The process was as good as the result — clear, honest, and thoroughly collaborative from day one.Commercial Client · Toronto

Ready to build something enduring? Let's talk.

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FAQ

Frequently asked
questions

Everything you need to know about working with Clean Earth Design — from scope and materials to international projects and our process.

What kinds of projects does Clean Earth Design take on?+
We work across luxury residential (lofts, houses, apartment renovations), commercial spaces (studios, adaptive reuse), interior design, and hospitality / eco-resort master planning. Our portfolio spans New York, Brooklyn, Sedona, Toronto, London Ontario, Guatemala, and Mexico. If your project demands minimal, material-honest design — we'd love to hear from it.
What sustainable materials and systems do you use?+
We specify glass, wood, stone, steel, concrete, and Eco-Resin (with up to 40% recycled content) as primary materials. For larger builds we incorporate passive design strategies, modular/prefabricated systems to reduce construction waste, and materials selected for healthy indoor air quality. Sustainability is not a feature we add on — it is how we start every project.
Do you work on international projects?+
Yes. We have completed and conceptual work in Guatemala (Rio Dulce eco-resort), Mexico (Agua Azul modular villa near Tulum; Costa Careyes equestrian resort on the Pacific coast), and across North America. We are comfortable managing complex, multi-jurisdictional projects in partnership with local consultants and builders.
How do I begin a project with the studio?+
Start with an initial consultation — share your site, programme, budget range, and vision. From there we develop a tailored proposal covering scope, phasing, and fees. We take on a select number of projects each year to ensure every client receives Lucy's direct attention throughout the process.
Do you work with other firms on large-scale projects?+
For larger architectural and resort-scale projects we collaborate closely with Sanba Inc., our long-standing architecture partner. This allows us to deliver fully integrated design from master planning through to interior specification without compromising depth of attention at any stage.
Contact

Start your
project

We take on a select number of projects each year, giving each the full attention it deserves. Tell us about your site, vision, and timeline.

Emailcleanearthdesignstudio@gmail.com
Phone647 383 6691
OfficesNew York · Sedona · Toronto
London Ontario