James P. Golden, AIA, NCARB is a licensed architect with more than two decades of experience in high-end residential design. His work blends traditional New England vernacular architecture with the comfort, detail, and elegance of modern living.

James is the founder of James Phillip Golden Architect, a practice dedicated to delivering bespoke design with a hands-on, detail-driven process. From site planning to interior detailing, he guides projects from concept sketches through completion, ensuring consistency of vision and uncompromising quality. His expertise includes new construction, historic preservation, and complex remodels on challenging coastal and village sites.

Previously, James spent over 15 years at Patrick Ahearn Architect, where he ran more than 40 multi-million-dollar projects across the United States, refining his ability to manage ambitious, large-scale residential work while maintaining a deeply personal client experience.

James is also the Department Chair of Architecture at the New England Institute of Technology, the same school he got his undergraduate degree from, where he now teaches design studios, leads curriculum development, and mentors emerging architects, interior designers and contractors. His leadership has been central to aligning the program toward the eventual NAAB accreditation.

He holds a Master of Architecture from the Boston Architectural College, where his studies focused on architectural preservation, with research and fieldwork in Corinth and Athens, Greece. His education and international study deepened his respect for history, proportion, and cultural legacy, values that continue to influence his designs today.

At the heart of James’s philosophy is a belief that architecture is about more than aesthetics—it is about creating places that are timeless, livable, and meaningful for generations.