We help our clients envision their future and assess their impact by providing guidance at every step. We approach projects with the mindset of an artist and a technician. Our design process balances the traditional skills of careful listening and craft with technology to model future outcomes and drive responsible decision-making.

A Regenerative Approach and an Integrated Process

Placework is a verb – it can be applied to all phases of a design project.

Planning

There is no good architecture without good planning. During a project planning process, we leverage our skills in community facilitation and engagement to build trust and engagement in the process. Our civic and cultural clients value our ability to engage the views and contributions of their most committed volunteers to the end users in the community. We provide existing conditions assessments, program analysis, conceptual design, cost estimating and feasibility studies to develop project concepts, test their viability, and build community consensus.

Design

Architectural Process

First and foremost, we work closely with our clients to create spaces where people feel comfortable and connected.  Communication is key throughout the visioning, design, and documentation process to address each project’s unique conditions and needs.

The magic of design is the ability first to empathize with a need, then translate that deficiency into a space that supports human health, comfort and wellbeing.

Our Commitments

We are signatories to both the AIA 2030 Commitment and the AIA Materials Pledge. The 2030 commitment aims to make all new buildings and renovations carbon-neutral (defined in this context as using no fossil fuels to operate) by 2030. We are well on our way to achieving this goal and report our reductions data annually.

Teams are Key

Strong relationships with engineers, landscape architects, builders, and project-specific consultants allow us to assemble teams suited to each project and leverage cross-disciplinary expertise.

Construction

Our relationships with the teams that build our work are essential. We advocate for bringing the building team into the design process as early as possible, for a truly integrated approach that saves time, builds trust, and maintains aligned values.

The Placework team maintains our integral role in the process through construction and beyond.  We maintain relationships with clients to monitor both the building performance and integrate learning from one project to the next.