Andrew’s guiding mission as an architect is to design highly functional, sustainable, affordable buildings. Each and every project presents opportunities to implement sustainable practices whose ultimate success is the result of a deliberate, strategic use of available project resources. He believes that ‘being green’ does not necessarily equate to ‘spending green’. To be sustainable, each element of a project must be considered independently, but also in concert with all others. The goals are simple: to provide durability, longevity, and ease of maintenance while reducing cost of operation and negative impacts to the environment, all balanced with intentional aesthetics to promote the highest quality space for people to live, work, or play.
Andrew’s passions for art, building, and fabrication directly influence his approach to design. He brings an intentional focus to the craft of construction, relying heavily on understanding the relationship between how things are built and the resultant aesthetic qualities. His design process begins by seeking a clear understanding of the client’s goals and aspirations. Experimenting with hand-drawings and sketches, he studies the possibilities of space adjacencies and building form prior to launching into digital modeling to ensure each design element is resolved and properly communicated to the contractor for construction.
As one of VIA’s four principals, Andrew leads the firm’s strategy for building the most comprehensive and diverse team of professionals possible. During his tenure as HR leader, he has led the firm’s hiring process, more than doubling the size of employees in three years, and has increased the firm’s gender diversity to 50/50. Reviewing the Employee Handbook annually, he constantly moves firm culture forward by suggesting tangible improvements for employee morale and retention, including increased time off for volunteering, and a stipend for each employee to pursue training of their own choosing. Most important to the benefit of VIA’s clients is Andrew’s constant encouragement of the exploration of each employees’ talents to bring betterment and enjoyment to the work they perform.