Craft
We believe all great design is responsive to the people, place and craft that inspire it.
This region — this valley, these ridges, these rivers — is home to us. East Tennessee and its landscapes, history, and rhythms are in our DNA.
This place shapes our philosophy and our craft. With every new project, we bring the same instinct: to design spaces that feel inherently of their place, deeply reflective of the people who will play, live or work there.
This foundation lends something rare to our work: a design that feels timeless, rooted in its surroundings. Design that looks and feels right. Our practice shapes how we design everywhere and anywhere, but especially Here, at home.
Our design process is deeply rooted in our core mission, guiding every design decision to align with our fundamental values and each client's unique needs — going beyond aesthetics, embedding purpose in every design.
We follow a critical path through design that educates our clients & makes them a proactive part of design for their project: through Discovery, Design, and Delivery.
- Discovery — assess needs, set goals & develop program brief
- Design — assess site, develop concept and review options, align budget and program
- Delivery — reach consensus, document design & deliver
Our process creates clear alignment on the objectives of every project, yielding results that consistently exceed expectations.
Stewardship
Stewardship is in our DNA. Since our founding, we have been integrally involved in the protection of East Tennessee’s natural resources and beauty — from our founders organizing community hikes that led directly to founding the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to our recent work, designing the first LEED: Platinum residential project, or first CLT project, in Knoxville.
East Tennessee is unique — home to a UN World Heritage Site, UN International Biosphere Reserve, headwaters of the fifth-largest river in the U.S., and one of the most biologically diverse locations on Earth.
We have joined the AIA 2030 Commitment, targeting net zero emissions in the built environment by 2030 through incremental carbon reduction goals, both for ourselves and for every project we lead.