About Us
We are
Cacao Studio
We are Architects + Builders
We bring decades of experience, uniting design and construction through a shared pursuit of light and craft.
discover cacao
01 / 05
About Us
We are
Cacao Studio
We are Architects + Builders
We bring decades of experience, uniting design and construction through a shared pursuit of light and craft.
discover cacao
01 / 05
We design with purpose
About Us
We are Cacao Studio
We are Architects + Builders
We bring decades of experience, uniting design and construction through a shared pursuit of light and craft.
01 / 05
ABOUT CACAO'S
We live in a time of incredible possibility, but also uncertainty. The world moves faster than we can feel, and somewhere along the way we are losing touch: with nature, with creating, with one another. Now more than ever, we must look for what keeps us human. Light. Purpose. Craft. Movement. Play. The Pursuit of Light is our purpose and our daily practice: to grow, to create, and to bring meaning into the spaces we shape. We strive to set a new standard, to take the conversation beyond how spaces look, to how they make you feel, how they work, and how they support the way we live. Rather than follow style or trends, we build from principles and guided values. Through our work, we seek to bring that same passion, clarity, and hope into people's lives. We embrace technology for its promise but use it with care and intention. We work where craft meets innovation: combining digital fabrication and advanced tools with the tradition of drawing, sketching, and making by hand. Throughout history, people have gathered around fire, carved wood, shaped clay, and built shelter. Creating with our hands keeps us connected to what is real, reminding us that it is the process, not just the outcome, that keeps us human. These moments remind us where art was born: in the need to make, to belong, to express ourselves. We design spaces that invite Movement and inspire Play. To move is to stay healthy and aware, to feel energized. To play is to remain curious and open, to find joy in the everyday. We draw from nature, where form, rhythm, and light exist in perfect harmony. The outdoors reminds us to breathe, to slow down, to listen, it restores our balance and our sense of wonder. In our work, Light is energy that makes spaces come alive. Through design, we hope to bring that vitality into daily life, where our environment becomes an invitation to live fully, to shine. Join us in the Pursuit of Light: we strive to build with care, to live with purpose, and to bring more light into the world. Together, we can shape a movement to restore meaning, to keep art, design, and humanity connected.
Our values represent who we are as a team. They reflect our identity, our personality, and how we show up every day. They describe how we act, how we treat people, and how we grow together.
Rooted
Connected through our roots
We honor tradition and craft, recognizing that our roots connect us to the earth and to each other.
We build and maintain strong relationships with our clients, our craft, and our community through our core values.
Our principles guide how we design and build. They go beyond style, shaping how we turn ideas and intentions into something meaningful. Each principle is a lens through which we approach every project, and together they form the framework of our craft.
Light First
We begin with light.
Light is our foundation. It gives every space rhythm, clarity, and atmosphere. We design around light and with light.
Together, these principles remind us to bring light, warmth, care, and a sense of joy into everything we create.
Our Story
by JoseMi Jauregui
Where it began
Joe and I bonded while working on Eckington Yards, a vibrant, large-scale multifamily project that became a meaningful chapter in Washington, DC. It was a season of intensity and growth, shaped by collaboration, complexity, and shared responsibility. Our relationship grew naturally, grounded in trust, complementary strengths, and a mutual respect for how thoughtful design can shape daily life.
What we were building toward
In 2019, Joe stepped out on his own to start Measure Architects, guided by a real passion to create something different, something special. In 2021, he invited me to join, and CACAO was born. What began as a professional alignment became a long-term commitment to build something meaningful together.
The real foundation for CACAO took shape while running the trails of Rock Creek. We kept returning to the same idea, a studio where every voice is heard, people are deeply cared for, and the work grows through trust and collaboration.
What stayed constant was our belief that architects and builders must work closely together, with design always leading and people always at the center. We have always been drawn to new tools and technologies, and equally committed to craft, tradition, and the human hand. Progress matters most when it stays grounded in care.
The partnership today
Meeting Jason was the next turning point. We found a builder who shares our respect for the built environment, for relationships, and for transparency. His leadership completed the circle, allowing design and construction to move as one, with clarity and shared accountability.
In a rapidly changing world, we believe the future remains human. Buildings carry intention, care, and the relationships that shape them. Every project at CACAO begins as a partnership, clients, designers, architects, and builders working together toward a shared vision with growing clarity and purpose.
Joe leads architecture and delivery.
JoseMi leads design, vision, and creative direction.
Jason leads construction with experience and leadership.
Together, we work as one team, shaping spaces through collaboration, trust, and a steady pursuit of craft and light.
Natural Light
We begin with the sun
We shape architecture that follows the rhythm of the sun, opens to the outdoors, and draws nature inside.
We strive for harmony between light, nature, space, and time to enhance well-being.
CACAO'S
5 Guiding Lights
The Pursuit of Light is our core purpose. It guides how we design, how we build, and how we approach daily life.
To bring that purpose to life, we follow five guiding lights. They shape how we think, collaborate and how we create.
They're the foundation of our work and the reason our spaces feel the way they do.
CACAO'S
5 Pillars of Light
Natural Light
We begin with the sun
We shape architecture that follows the rhythm of the sun, opens to the outdoors, and draws nature inside.
We strive for harmony between light, nature, space, and time to enhance well-being.
The Pursuit of Light is our core purpose. It guides how we design, how we build, and how we live.
To bring that purpose to life, we follow five guiding principles—what we call our Pillars of Light. They shape every decision we make, from the first sketch to the final detail.
They're the foundation of our work—and the reason our spaces feel the way they do.
GIVING BACK
The Pursuit of Light Foundation
The Pursuit of Light Foundation is an emerging initiative rooted in a deeply human question, how do we stay connected to ourselves, to each other, and to what truly matters in a world that keeps accelerating.
At its core, this work is about becoming more human. We see design not as style or trend, but as a lens for shaping our environments and our lives. When the environment is right, people can slow down, play, imagine, move, and connect in meaningful ways.
Through education and storytelling, the Foundation seeks to inspire designers, homeowners, and business owners to set a new standard for design. One that focuses less on styles and trends, and instead pays close attention to how spaces work and how they make us feel. On preserving art and craft as essential expressions of our humanity.
At its heart, the Foundation invites people to live in pursuit of light, designing their lives and environments with intention, purpose, and care.
Inspired by our story?
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Let's build something bright together