Who Are You?

So we were asked to write up some verbiage on who we are and what we do… and it forced us to sit down and take a look.

Here are a few take-a-ways we thought we should share:

Who we are: a small Architecture and Interior Design firm located in Norfolk, VA, specializing in pre-design services such as programming, planning, life-safety analysis and feasibility studies, as well as adaptive reuse of existing buildings. (Not to say we don’t do new construction… we do.)

Why us: our Design Team works closely with each client and their team to produce functional and aesthetically pleasing designs that meet the specific needs of the end user. We are team players who value the client and the client’s input.

Our goal is for the owner and their team to feel included, heard, with ownership of the final design. As Architects, we encourage this sense of accomplishment all the while guiding and educating the client. The Design Team’s ability to interpret the users’ vision rests on their professional expertise.

Our ideal client is someone who wants their building to look like them… not their architect (i.e., no starchitects here!)

Our core beliefs:

First: Life is an adventure expressed in creative events having a lasting legacy. Humans were created to create, and so the company was established to allow for the company principals and their employees to grow in their creative abilities.

Second: The size of a project must not affect the quality of the design. A saying often heard at the office is “It’s in the details.” Many building projects are so focused on the large decisions that the smaller details, those that affect daily use, are missed. The company was thus started as a place where the small details are accounted for.

Third: Everyone deserves to be heard. One often hears stories of architects that refuse to listen to their client and focus only on creating spaces that image their personal aspirations and vision. Andre Marquez makes it part of the company culture that everyone the staff has contact with, regardless of position or role, is a person of dignity worthy of respect. Everyone should be given the opportunity to contribute to the success of every project.

Our take on business: Never think that your business is your child. Your today business could fail, and you would be able to replace it by an even better, more successful one. Yes, your today business is not static, and it should grow and mature… but it should be held loosely and it should serve your goals, not become your end-goal.

Hmmmm… not too bad. Thoughts/comments?