our story
Mark Asher, AIA, NCARB, a graduate of Virginia Tech University, founded Asher Associates Architects in 1993 with the designs of several Yacht Clubs in southern New Jersey. He had spent summers as a youngster sailing up and down the Jersey coast, developing a familiarity with and passion for the vernacular styles of the coastal towns. Before long, Mark had built a strong practice specializing in coastal residential architecture.
The firm continued to grow, gaining both clients and staff drawn to his work. In 2018, after nearly 10 years with the firm, Deborah Slaunwhite joined Mark as Partner. Her design aesthetic helped broaden the firm’s vocabulary to include more contemporary elements. With the addition of Laura Glantz as Partner in 2022, the firm now operates as Asher Slaunwhite + Partners. Along with a strong management team, the Partners oversee a studio of talented architects and designers, a portfolio of heirloom homes, and generations of clients who feel like family.
The attention to detail, commitment to clients, and emphasis on quality evident in Mark’s earliest projects are hallmarks of hundreds of ‘Asher Houses’ that grace the streets, bays, and beach fronts along the New Jersey coast, in the Philadelphia area and beyond.
our philosophy
QUIET BEAUTY
At the core of our work is the idea that beauty, inspiration, and design don’t need to boast. They prosper in the details, and no detail is too small.
GOOD IS GOOD
We strive for design excellence. Timeless design is not limited to a specific style or feature but is based on balance, composition and interaction with surroundings. Architecture at its core is an artform; a personalized work of art for each client.
GOOD NEIGHBORS
As architects and collaborators, we choose to be good neighbors, considerate of and responsive to a project’s context. Our homes become a defining part of their community, not out of decadence, but out of respect for history and surroundings.