Common questions, answered directly.

No. Materia Studio is an independent architectural design studio. The structural kit is manufactured by Smiling Woods Yurts. Materia Studio designs the customized home built around it.

Smiling Woods Yurts manufactures prefabricated round-home structural kits and ships the components to your project site.

Materia Studio provides the architectural design work around the structural kit: custom floor plans, drawing sets, foundation and loft coordination, deck design, and coordination with structural engineers.

Either is fine. Some clients purchase a kit first and then design the home; others start with design conversations before finalizing a kit. We're happy to talk with you at any stage.

Yes. Early design conversations can help you decide what size and configuration of kit makes sense for your goals before you purchase.

We can help you think through how different diameters affect your program and layout, though the final kit selection and purchase happens directly with Smiling Woods Yurts.

Yes. Customizing the interior layout around your needs is the core of what Materia Studio does.

Yes. Bedrooms are planned as part of the overall layout, often organized around the perimeter or within a loft, depending on the home's size and program.

Yes. Loft design — including headroom, stairs, and guardrails — is one of our core services.

Depending on the structural kit and site conditions, multi-level configurations may be possible. This is evaluated on a project-by-project basis together with engineering input.

Yes. Deck and landing design is part of our services, including how those exterior spaces connect to entries and the surrounding site.

In some cases, yes. Connecting a round structure to a conventional addition is a more involved design and engineering question that we evaluate per project.

We design and coordinate the foundation layout and floor system as part of the architectural scope. Structural engineering for the foundation is typically provided separately by a licensed engineer.

Structural engineering is a distinct, licensed service. We coordinate closely with structural engineers, but engineering is not automatically included in the architectural design scope unless specifically agreed.

No. We prepare drawings intended to support your permitting process, but permit approval is controlled by your local jurisdiction and cannot be guaranteed by Materia Studio or any designer.

This depends on the project agreement and your jurisdiction's requirements. We can discuss this directly as part of your project scope.

Yes. Materia Studio works remotely with clients across the United States, coordinating with local contractors, engineers, and jurisdictions as needed.

Typically a site survey or basic site information, any jurisdictional requirements you're aware of, your kit specifications if selected, and any inspiration or functional needs for the home.

Yes. Owner-build is one of the paths Smiling Woods Yurts supports, and we can design with owner-build assembly in mind if that's your plan.

Yes. You're free to hire a local contractor of your choice, or a complete professional construction team, to assemble the kit and build out the home.

Smiling Woods Yurts manufactures and ships the structural kit. Construction is handled by you, a local contractor, or a complete professional team you select.

Timelines vary based on project complexity, revisions, and how quickly site and kit information is available. We'll give you a project-specific estimate during our initial conversation.

Cost depends on the scope of services, home size, and complexity. We provide project-specific pricing after understanding your goals — we don't publish a flat rate because scope varies so much project to project.

Each project agreement defines a set number of revision rounds at each design stage. Additional revisions beyond that scope can typically be added if needed.

You'll have a final document set ready to support permitting and construction, along with guidance on next steps — including finalizing your kit purchase if you haven't already, and selecting your construction approach.