1823 Ford

This building used to be a maze of a doctor’s office and my team had the opportunity to transform it into a contemporary law office while preserving the mid-century appeal of the exterior. My principal designed most of the floor plan layout but I got to work through and finalize the open glass offices in the center of the space that the clients loved. The exterior was a true team effort including determining the extent of changes that would keep the charm, designing the expanded windows to bring more light inside, and selecting a new color pallet to enhance the original brick. For the interior finishes, on the other hand, I had full creative freedom. I worked with the client to select a neutral sophisticated pallet that allowed for pops of color and personality in the furniture and decor where personal touches could be added or changed depending on staff. The industrial elements posed a delightful challenge as I worked through drawing the details with the principal architect. I learned a lot about the particulars that go into a full set of construction documents. This building was designated as historic, so I also underwent my first public hearing with a Historic Preservation Board. We received unanimous approval from the board and outspoken support from the community for our design. Our drawing set also received no comments during the permit process. There were surprises along the way during construction that we had to work through, so I learned a lot about creative design decisions. It was incredible to be on-site, sometimes as a team and sometimes on my own, leading the way through the coordination of arising challenges and facilitating the completion of this project.