Culture


Respect. Inclusion. Service. Stewardship. These are our core values and the foundation upon which our practice is built. We believe that, at its heart, the successful practice of architectural design is a populist endeavor and both inside and outside our walls, we value broad participation and multiple points of view. Rather than imposing an architectural viewpoint on our clients, we see our role as guide, supporter, facilitator and conveyor of valuable lessons learned, ensuring that the unique project needs and vision of each client are realized to their fullest potential.

Philosophy

We believe that the most successful projects are a direct reflection of community needs, history, character and social fabric. We are, above most everything else, committed to an inclusive, collaborative project development process that elicits broad input and multiple viewpoints, and respects the participation and contribution of every individual. In all we do, we strive to create welcoming and inviting spaces that are in context with their surroundings and embody warmth and humanity. We are committed to the design of highly functional and maintainable buildings that respect the environment, conserve resources and serve as a model of sustainable practices within their communities. Sensitive use of scale, recognition of the spiritual quality of interior spaces and the thoughtful use of materials, texture, color and light all contribute to our design of innovative environments that enhance the performance, achievement, and physical and emotional well-being of the people who experience them.

Values

We believe that it is the people who use buildings, rather than the buildings themselves, that are of primary importance in the practice of architecture. Accordingly, we never lose sight of the fact that every element of our work affects the daily experience of those who use the spaces we design. Our firm is focused on the optimal fulfillment of human needs and the enhancement of individual daily experience through well-conceived, forward-thinking and thought provoking architectural design. Through an authentic use of materials, careful consideration of context and creative utilization of space, we work with our clients to create spaces that harmonize with their surroundings and provide a comforting and inspirational sense of place.

Through all we do, we strive for an aesthetic that is simultaneously timeless, yet contemporary, and embodies our guiding values of respect for people and place, stewardship, community and collaboration.

Approach

For every project, there is a group of constituents with a deeply felt investment in project outcomes. Recognizing that the input, opinion and satisfaction of these constituents is a crucial component of our clients’ success, we employ an exceptionally inclusive, collaborative approach to planning, design and construction that puts our clients, their stakeholders and communities at the center of project design. We pride ourselves on being good listeners, experienced communicators and respectful planning facilitators and on our ability to translate expressed project needs into inspiring and effective architectural design.

Collaborative Planning

A clear, broadly accepted vision is the foundation for every successful project. From the earliest stages of project exploration, we lead our clients and stakeholders through a comprehensive design exploration that ensures current and future needs are accounted for and addressed in the final design. We employ a unique hands-on approach to design development that meaningfully integrates our clients into the design
process and allows them to immediately see the real-world impact of choices on design decisions.

Up Close Design

We don’t design at arms length. Regardless of geography, we typically establish an on-site design studio for up to two weeks at a time – especially when working with schools, colleges and universities, municipalities and other public clients. This practice provides day-to-day interaction with building users and key stakeholders, and valuable insights pertaining to local practices and preferences.

Community Integration

Public projects are closely watched by their constituents and we are highly experienced at integrating the community into the design process. We are adept at facilitating outreach meetings to gather and share information and to discern community values, priorities, opinions and perceived challenges regarding
project outcomes. Our long-term experience integrating the community into project planning and design has made BLRB the firm of choice for planning, budgeting, strategizing and promoting school bond issues and capital campaigns within communities both large and small.