Our office is open and collaborative. We quickly learn what each person loves and does well, and where they need help. I’m always amazed at how easily and naturally folks help each other. The learning goes in both directions, from Senior staff to Junior staff, of course, but also from Junior staff to Senior staff. This is the difference between true collaboration versus command and control. For us, part of the true value of collaboration is the efficient production of documents and drawings for our clients.

We believe that a life outside of the office brings value to the workplace in happiness, inspiration, and responsibility to family, friends, and community. It means that we work normal hours and plan our projects to avoid last minute work, although, of course, we have spent many late nights when that is unavoidable. Too many late nights leads to burn out of the individual, cut corners, and mistakes that could be avoided, so we value shorter more efficient work days

We will interview some of our clients to ask them!
Here is a place that understanding Agile Design could be helpful. Agile Design is when design can respond to various and changing needs. Sometimes our clients aren’t sure what they want when we start, so the ability to respond to client needs as they evolve is important.

You might enjoy reading our page about “design with life built-in”. If we didn’t search for the sweet spot where the wants and needs converge among the individual, the community/planet, and Design, we wouldn’t need to listen to our clients. If we only listened to our clients, they wouldn’t need us, either!

There is no such thing as a perfect set of drawings and documents, for various reasons including a limited schedule, tight budget, and unknown unforeseen existing conditions (most of our work is a renovation of existing structures). Sometimes it is actually more efficient to draw less and spend more time in the field. We see architecture as a real life endeavor, so we see ourselves as ready to walk in the mud, collaborate with engineers, contractors, suppliers and vendors, in order to create a better result for our clients. Some of this collaboration happens in our offices, but some has to happen in the field. We, as your architect or designer, want to go to the site and coordinate with the contractor! Usually, we try to go on site every other week, and call-in every other week. Sometimes, due to budget constraints, we just are on-call, and go when requested. In every case, we offer free phone calls to answer contractor questions at any time. We have found that a 5-minute phone call can keep a project on track.

We can never say that you won’t feel tension and anxiety, but we can say that when you the project is completed you will be able to enjoy it. You may want to take a look at the “happiness curve” that we created to help you anticipate the emotions. Being prepared for what you are about to undergo makes a big difference in how you will feel.

HAPPINESS CURVE

Innovation comes about by bringing together people with a diverse set of skills and backgrounds. Some tension may be part of progress, but if we are open to new ideas, new ways of doing things and new people, we can make the world a better place for people…
who work, play, age, live and learn.
One thing that I am sure of is that we as individuals can’t do it alone, or at least do it well all by ourselves. Life and Design are a team sport.
You may enjoy reading one of my blog posts about the size of a design team on a big project. There were more categories of consultants than there are letters in the alphabet. We need diversity to succeed!
By the way, diversity is not just about skin color or gender. When I started this firm, I wanted to hire people who had strengths where I perceived that I had weaknesses. Two of those people have done just that, and together we are stronger and better than any of us would be on our own.