Founded on decades of design and development experience.
blue ADU is an ADU design firm headquartered in East Providence, RI. We serve property owners, home buyers, investors and developers throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Founded in 2025 as the sister company to a top architecture firm in RI, David Sisson Architecture (DSA), we have over a decade of history delivering high-quality designs and top-rated customer service to New England developers, businesses, schools, investors, municipalities and homeowners.
With the founding of blue ADU, we now have a dedicated home and brand to focus exclusively on educating property owners about accessory dwelling units, coordinating architectural design services, providing project management and dedicated customer service.
About the Founder
David Sisson, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
David is a dedicated and licensed professional architect with more than three decades of experience. With personal and responsive service a priority, David brings a strong sense of design and keen technical knowledge to his architecture firms. He is a LEED Accredited Professional (AP) in Building Design and Construction (BD+C) and takes green design and energy efficiency seriously in projects of all sizes.
David earned his bachelors and masters degrees in architecture at the University of Michigan and Rice University. He previously owned and operated an architectural metal fabrication studio in Houston, Texas. He is the founder and principal architect of David Sisson Architecture (DSA).
David and his team were amazing! They presented great ideas and provided highly detailed designs. David and team were very easy to work with, patient, and made the design process enjoyable. I highly recommend them!!
Our Values
blue ADU was founded out of a desire to educate and ensure that every homeowner knows what an accessory dwelling unit is and understands their available options should they ever decide it is the right choice.
Education
Our business is not based on pushy sales tactics or even convincing any homeowner that they should build an ADU. We’ve found that the majority of people do not know what an ADU is or about its uses, benefits or available options. Our goal is to educate people and be ready to serve when needed.
Integrity
We firmly believe in providing transparent and honest service and always looking out for our customer’s best interests. There is no hard selling tactics. We want to provide the best information we can, and be available to help if and when the time is right to design an ADU.
Quality
Founded by a licensed architect with 3 decades of experience in architectural design, real estate investment and construction, blueADU commits to producing expert, thoughtful and practical design that prioritizes our customer’s goals, the safety of the future occupants, and a smooth construction process with clear, logical and detailed construction drawings.
Service
Service begins with communication and continues all the way through project completion. We are excited to share our knowledge and expertise with our customers and strive to provide a friendly and enjoyable experience with every interaction.
Advocacy
We passionately advocate at a state and local level to urge lawmakers and building and zoning officials to pass sensible legislation and ordinances that provide more homeowners the option to develop an ADU if it is right for their needs. This includes meeting with city and town officials, speaking at public hearings, communicating with lawmakers and local officials and meeting with state lawmakers to provide our experience and recommendations for improving ADU accessibility and procedures.
Sustainability
Our Founder and Principal Architect is a certified LEED Accredited Professional by the US Green Building Council, reflecting their advanced knowledge in green building. Our team keeps sustainability as a priority while maintaining a balance and focus on our client’s goals and budget.
Our Process and Services
The ADU development process is not simple, but that doesn’t mean it has to be stressful. Our services can bring you from concept through construction, as we guide you step-by-step through the process. Achieving your family, housing and financial goals through the development of an ADU begins with choosing an experienced and knowledgeable design team.
Step 1. Free ADU Property Analysis
This is the first step to assess your needs, check an overview of the property and review eligibility within applicable state law. We provide this service for free to help homeowners learn about their ADU options. The process starts with a brief online questionnaire that can be found here.
Step 2: ADU Feasibility Study
This is the next level of analysis that includes a site visit to assess your property, a review of local zoning and building codes, analysis of your design options based on your goals, and more. We deliver to you a PDF of our analysis and findings to help you make an informed decision on moving forward.
Step 3: ADU Design Development
If you decide that an ADU is feasible and the right choice for your needs and goals, we work with you to design your ideal ADU. The design process is collaborative and provides you the opportunity to approve the design at each stage.
Step 4. ADU Construction Drawings
Once you approve the final design, our team creates detailed and accurate construction drawings that you will use to gather quotes from contractors, submit for building permit and construct the new ADU.
Step 5. Bidding, Permitting and ADU Construction
Once you have selected your contractor and submit for permit, our team is available to support you during the permitting and construction process, as much or as little as you need.