Creating one-of-a-kind homes in stunning locations is a team sport. It takes the incredible vision and skill of a chief architect, talented project managers and designers, top-notch contractors, and so many more key players.

At Camens Architectural Group, we have the best team in the business to support principal architect Marc Camens — and that extends to our outside vendors and contractors, too, many of whom Marc has worked with for many years.

Construction company superintendent John Strack (“Stracky,” as Marc is known to call him) is one such partner.

Marc and “Stracky” first met in 1980, bonding over a shared love for golf. But what would follow is their now more than 40-year partnership of bringing architecturally significant homes to life — especially in the Adirondacks. It has certainly been a hole in one! 

Indeed, John has offered expert oversight — from groundbreaking to completion — of many projects in upstate New York and beyond.

If you were to ask John what first captured his attention about Marc’s work, he would tell you it was the ceilings — which should come as no surprise. Ceilings are one of the most signature and important features of a home for Marc because they dictate the overall feel of a space. With a simple change in ceiling materials or treatment, there’s automatically a sense of change in a room’s function, defining one space from the other with a beautiful subtlety that most people feel before they realize they see it.

Marc considers “Stracky” his right hand on projects, especially when he can’t be onsite all the time, trusting John’s talent, dedication, and thoroughness. This mutual respect is what has made their collaboration so successful, with homeowners reaping the beautiful results in their custom homes.

John’s motto is: “You start with a client and end with a friend.” The same could be said for how Camens Architectural Group operates. We’re not just designing homes, we’re building relationships and friendships that continue long after a project has been completed.  

Check out our Adirondacks portfolio for a glimpse into a few projects we’ve completed in that area of the country.