vision
We believe that design goes beyond the programmatic as well as beyond merely the pragmatic concerns of our clients. Design should be innovative, authentic and simple. Design should have context and reflect the project’s site, environment and cultural/social/historic setting. And design should create a definitive statement—about and to the property’s owner, tenants and visitors. We are also committed to continuous collaboration, engaging our team members in solving problems and leveraging existing knowledge, experience and specialized talent. Our goal is always to exceed our clients’ expectations by focusing on a disciplined approach that thoughtfully evaluates alternatives and options while pushing the boundaries of imagination and innovation. If you share these values, we should talk.
There are shared human experiences that connect people together. Experiences that evolve into stories with the ability to unleash powerful emotions. Stories told not through words and images but shaped by space and structure, by light and shade, by judgment and intuition. We create meaningful stories by bringing visions to life and by evoking emotions that make visible that which might otherwise never be seen—all to tell a client’s distinctive story.
Community
Community projects are seen as a way to give back through design, and provide leadership and a commitment to positively influencing the city in which the firm conducts business. We participate in city-wide events like Parking Day, to show the potential impact smart design can have on the urban environment, as well as the Cheekwood Botanical Gardens Playhouse exhibits, where we express our creativity and promote art and culture. The firm has sponsored vehicles in automotive exhibits at the Frist Art Museum, including a Frank Lloyd Wright owned car and a 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero. We also regularly volunteer with local organizations and encourage our employees to give back in ways that benefit the community. Recently, we participated in Nashville’s Design Week— a week-long, city-wide series of interdisciplinary programs and events to unite the design community, promote collaboration and idea sharing, engage the public, and elevate the impact of Nashville’s design economy. We believe that as architects and designers, our organization and visioning skills should serve community and professional organizations. The relationships and experience should prove valuable both professionally and personally.
FIRM ACTIVITIES
It’s all about balance. We may all work together here at the firm, but we also come together weekly for in-house social hours that allow us to relax and connect which each other on what’s taking place in and out of the office. We host firm field days, annual retreats, and canoe trips, giving everyone the chance to get outside and enjoy nature together. On the professional side, we foster an encouraging environment and provide career support to employees going through the licensure process with study groups and Emerging Professional programs.
STAMPS
When our firm was founded in 1984, we began the yearly tradition of designing a small, square image—one that would be a graphic representation of projects scheduled for completion in the coming year. Each stamp would be a collage with 3–5 projects. We have since embraced the tradition, and every fall we have designed a new image for the year to come.
