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Terra’ is more than mere ground; it embodies the past, origins, and identities, while ‘Novel’ signifies the future, emergence, and what arises from the past. ‘Terra’ holds our stories and cultures; within it reside our histories, interventions, and collective memories, while ‘Novel’ represents the new that can exist in symbiosis with what came before. Novelty is not extravagance, but a new quality emerging from the land. ‘Terra’ is the context, and ‘Novel’ is the text.
In a unique moment in history, we are witnessing the impact of human activities on our environment daily. Despite their negative consequences, this moment also presents an opportunity to reconcile with our surroundings through the thoughtful use of materials and techniques, collaboration with local communities, and exploration of what each context can offer. Through this approach, we envision an architecture that harmonizes with its setting and creates places that respect human proportions and emotions.
Novel Terra is an architectural design studio with experience across a wide range of project scales and geographical regions, including North America, Europe, and Asia. Our practice integrates multiple design disciplines, from architecture and interiors to urban design. We prioritize responsible sourcing and innovative techniques to craft vibrant, joyful, and resilient living spaces. By uniting our vision with a diverse range of services, we endeavor to create places that sustain, inspire, and endure.
We are based in Providence, Rhode Island, and are actively managing projects throughout the Boston area, across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Southwest Florida, and Europe.
Recongnition
2025 Finalist_Europan 18, Re-sourcing, St Gallen, Switzerland, COMMON GROWS
2024 Honorable mention_Buildner, Iceland Ski Cabin, SNOWFIRE
2023 1st place_Europan 17, Living Cities/2, Skellefteå, Sweden, SAFESCAPE
2021 1st place_CBDX series competition, B(OR)DERL(AND)S, ECOTONE
2021 Publication_ University of Calgary, School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape, CBDX: B(OR)DERL(AND)S
2020 Honorable mention_CBDX series competition, Cities for All, MAED^UP
Nathaniel Carden
Principal AIA
Nathaniel is a registered architect in the US with over a decade of experience in architectural practice, working across a wide range of project types, scales, and geographic contexts.
His professional career has taken him across both the East and West Coasts of the United States, as well as Europe, where he has contributed to award-winning projects. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.
At Novel Terra, alongside his contributions to the creative process of projects, Nathaniel brings rigorous technical expertise to the studio’s work. He leads key aspects of business strategy, quality assurance and control, regulatory coordination, and construction observation, ensuring clarity and consistency from early design through project delivery. His approach is defined by precision, rigor, and a commitment to projects that meaningfully contribute to their cultural and physical contexts.
Viviane Schefers
Senior Designer, CPHD, LEED AP BD+C
Viviane is an architectural and urban designer with international experience in Germany and the United States. She holds a master’s in Architecture and Urban Design and a bachelor’s in Architecture from Leibniz University Hannover.
Before joining Novel Terra, Viviane worked as a project designer and BIM project manager in Germany and New York City, contributing to projects across diverse types, scales, and digital planning workflows. Her work includes developing architectural concepts and construction documentation, coordinating with engineers and consultants, and guiding project teams and client dialogues to ensure effective project delivery.
Viviane also taught urban design studio at her alma mater and lectured on sustainable building principles at Yale University. Her work engages climate-responsive architecture through technological and cultural lenses. Alongside expertise in high-performance building envelopes, passive design strategies, and energy-efficient systems, she approaches sustainability as a broader design practice that integrates ecological knowledge and collaborative processes with communities to shape socially and environmentally resilient places.
Mahla Ebrahimpour
Principal SAR/MSA
Mahla is a registered architect in Sweden and the Netherlands, with a diverse international background shaped by education and professional practice across Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.
Before founding Novel Terra, Mahla worked in a range of international contexts. Her latest role was as a project architect in Amsterdam, where she contributed to internationally recognized and award-winning projects. Additionally, she has taught at the Amsterdam University of the Arts, Academy of Architecture, reflecting her ongoing engagement with architectural education. Mahla’s work is grounded in interdisciplinary design and research, with a strong focus on integrating social, cultural, and ecological dimensions into architectural practice. She brings meticulous attention to detail and sensitivity to context. Through a reflective and research-driven process, she approaches each project as an opportunity to explore spatial and material relationships and to remain open to unexpected insights that enrich the artistic process.
Austin Couch
Designer
Austin is an architectural designer with a keen interest in imagining built form as a method of storytelling. He received his Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University in 2024, along with a minor in creative writing, where he explored the intersection of these two disciplines as a way of expanding the potential limits of architectural representation.
He has worked with several practices of varying scales across New York, Texas, California, and Germany, gaining a broad range of perspectives and approaches to design. These experiences have led to a particular interest in adaptive reuse and in recapturing the layered memories that buildings hold over time.
Austin’s work has been featured in the 2023 Venice Biennale, and he is currently developing a publication that explores fictional storytelling as a critical tool for architects and designers. He also teaches at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he engages students with contemporary architectural discourse while encouraging both analog and technical modes of representation.
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