Dirty hands.

Clean design.

Dirty hands.

Clean design.

Blue Forty is a full-service architecture and design studio based in Bend, Oregon. We work across scales and disciplines — residential and commercial architecture, interior design, fabrication, industrial and product design — bringing the same rigor and curiosity to a custom home as to a branded commercial environment or a one-of-a-kind fabricated object.

We believe the best design comes from understanding how things are actually built. That means getting into the details early, staying close to the work through construction, and treating every project — regardless of scale — as an opportunity to make something better than what existed before.

Our Team

Founder, Architect

Alex Collins

Alex grew up in the family business. Literally. Summers spent in his family's multi-generational heating and air conditioning company gave him an early fluency in how buildings actually work: the systems behind the walls, the tradespeople who build them, the gap between what's drawn and what gets built. Blue Forty closes that gap: A practice where design intelligence and construction knowledge are a yes-and. Today, the studio works across residential and commercial architecture, interiors, fabrication, and industrial design, taking on projects that reward both bold thinking and precise execution. And Alex has his hands on all of it. Alex is a licensed Architect in Oregon and holds accreditations from both the AIA and NCARB. Outside the office or the shop, you'll find him backcountry skiing, or strumming G, C, and D chords.

Interior Designer

Zelda Boatright

With nearly a decade of experience in the interior design field. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest but spending her childhood summers in France, she developed a deep appreciation for nature, historic architecture, and a love for spaces that feel connected to their environment. Zelda is passionate about creating interiors that are both beautiful and functional—spaces that reflect the people who live in them and the landscapes that surround them. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, hunting for antiques, cooking, and spending time with her husband and their two young kids.

Interior Designer

Zelda Boatright

With nearly a decade of experience in the interior design field. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest but spending her childhood summers in France, she developed a deep appreciation for nature, historic architecture, and a love for spaces that feel connected to their environment. Zelda is passionate about creating interiors that are both beautiful and functional—spaces that reflect the people who live in them and the landscapes that surround them. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, hunting for antiques, cooking, and spending time with her husband and their two young kids.

Collaborators

Great projects rarely happen in isolation. Blue Forty works with a trusted network of contractors, fabricators, engineers, and specialists — built over years of working closely with the trades. When a project calls for it, we bring in the right people. That network is part of what we offer.

in their words

"Alex and Blue Forty are like the Swiss Army knife of architecture firms. Can they design beautiful, functional spaces? Damn straight. But they're also extremely engaged and highly competent partners in navigating permitting and planning, interior design and furniture sourcing, and construction management.

The highest praise we can offer is that — after our first project with Blue Forty — we didn't even talk to other firms for the second and third projects."

– Corey Owens, Bonta Gelato

"Blue Forty is a unicorn. Alex has a radiant creative vibe, and the rare blend of technical skills, free-flowing creativity, and absolute dedication to the project. For first time home builders like ourselves, he made this process so incredibly enjoyable.

What stood out most to us is how strong of a communicator he is. He is always two steps ahead of every important detail throughout the entire process, and those little details are what made our home truly special."

– Paige and Brian McAfee, homeowners