Pro-active Continuing Education enables us to incorporate the latest technologies and practices into our design decisions and ultimately our building structures.

Our commitment to maintaining a high standard of Architectural Practice and providing quality Architectural and Interior Design Services has earned the trust of our clients and resulted in long client relationships. We understand that we create living buildings that go beyond our designs and drawings, but that become a home or place of shelter for others; therefore, we are committed to high quality sustainable design solutions, utilizing healthy materials which benefit the generations of future occupants.

Our diverse team of professionals includes individuals of multiple nationalities, backgrounds and genders, which make up a unique fabric of diverse experience and perspectives. We stand resolutely against discrimination and prejudice, and hire exclusively on an individual’s experience, integrity, positive attitude, and willingness to grow. We strongly believe in the continued growth and career expansion for every employee, and realize that we all learn from each other and are stronger together. Currently our staff is made up of 60% women or minorities.

Additionally, we are committed to giving back to our communities and assisting those in need. To that end, each senior design professional within the firm is an Emergency Disaster Relief Professional, certified as a second responder to be deployed as a volunteer to areas of natural disasters.

Our designs speak for themselves. We are a design-oriented firm with the technical expertise to execute and bring them to life in the real world. Our design team is experienced in traditional, contemporary, transitional and utilitarian styles, depending on the requests and needs of the owner, building occupants, and/or site conditions. Our team works hard to understand each client’s unique project and company, spending great time gathering the necessary information to develop a program that is custom fit for each circumstance.

In addition to understanding the space planning requirements of each use, including how employee movement or equipment needs to flow/work within each space, we also understand how the mix of the various uses need to be separated and yet integrate within each other.

Our team has substantial experience in the integration of the latest technology within new buildings and understands what is required to design buildings and spaces that not only meet an owner’s current needs, but also what will continue to work for them in the future.

Adaptive Reuse is more than just a marketing term for our firm. For more than 20 years we have retrofitted and designed exciting spaces within existing buildings that were originally designed for another use or occupant. Each year more than 30% of our projects generally fall within this category, for a variety of clients (corporate, industrial, medical, multi-family residential, etc.).

This varied experience and design expertise puts us in the unique position to approach each design without preconceived ideas, and design a building that truly fits each client’s needs.

Our offices are at the forefront of working with clients to design ‘Smart Buildings’ that meet their program needs. Our design objectives with any Client is to advise them of the options available that will meet their program, incorporate selected options into the design, and still allow for future expansion as new technology becomes available.

Our team continues to research the latest technologies available for various uses and meets regularly with representatives of these companies to determine their value. Additionally, we have partnered with an HTA and CEDIA Certified audio/ video/ security/ networking/ automation engineering consultant, which allows us to specify various features within the construction documents for a seamless bidding and construction process.

Some technologies that we are currently utilizing include automation that links key cards with door locks, printers, company vehicles, lockers, etc., integrated security systems, video walls, ‘smart’ HVAC and building management systems, and multiple automated devices and security features all controlled from a central station or from an Owner’s mobile device.

Our offices have successfully completed multiple LEED accredited facilities; however, even when a project is not looking to achieve a LEED rating, we advise Clients on ways that they can construct an efficient and sustainable building, without greatly impacting the budget, if at all.

Through innovative and attentive designing, our projects contain green/ energy conscious initiatives. Common to our projects are features such as daylighting, use of recycled materials, energy efficient lighting and plumbing fixtures, automated HVAC control systems, use of alternative energy sources, etc.

Our offices currently use the latest versions of AutoCAD and Autodesk Revit software to create detailed building information models (BIM). Revit allows us to link with the building information model with our engineering consultants, decreasing our documentation time and allowing for more flexibility for multiple design options. This coordination between the disciplines reduces design inefficiencies and enhances our ability to resolve constructability issues before they occur. BIM models created by our office are true 4D models.

To aid in the development of the BIM process, we also utilize a 3D Scanner to produce Existing Conditions As-Built Building Scans, Point-In-Time Construction As-Built Building Scans, and Post-Construction, As-Built Building Scans. These scans result in scalable 3D Point Cloud Models with High Definition images, including virtual walkthroughs.

Our team of Architects and Engineers have worked together for more than 20 years on a great variety of projects. Part of the reason that we work so well together is that ADG takes an active lead in coordinating all building and site related disciplines, including Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Protection, Land Surveying, Civil, Geotechnical Engineering.

This effort includes the following for each project:

• • Conducting bi-weekly design meetings to coordinate the design process and ensure an integrated design development process;
  • Reviewing of each discipline’s documentation for coordination;
  • Maintaining the Revit model (if applicable) for use by all disciplines; and
  • Providing and maintaining an online communication/ project management system for the project, to be utilized by all disciplines for communication and file exchange.

We feel that ‘Value Engineering’ happens during the design and engineering process, not at the point of construction when the project goes to bid. To that end we have a full-time Construction Manager on staff with over 40 years of experience managing commercial projects ranging from $1 Million to $40 Million, who continuously reviews system selections, constructibility options, material selections, and specifications.

At multiple points during the design and documentation process, our office will perform construction budget estimates to confirm that the overall design, and discipline specific design elements are falling within the Owner’s previously designed budget. At a minimum, we recommend that these estimates to be performed at the conclusion of the Conceptual Schematic Design Phase, conclusion of the Design Development Phase (40% +/-), and during the Construction Document Phase (80% +/-).

• • Design/Bid/Build

On average, approximately 50% of our projects during any given year are performed utilizing a traditional Design/Bid/Build method.  Depending on a client’s needs, we recommend this method when an owner is looking to work with pre-qualified General Contractors in a competitive market. 

With this approach, ADG is heavily involved in all phases of the project, including the bid process and contract negotiations.  Our detailed drawing and specification packages are critical to the success that we have in utilizing this approach and to limiting design related change orders.  ADG’s quality control measures, including the internal review of an experienced construction manager, are key to this success.

• •  Integrated Project Delivery

On average, approximately 40% of our projects during any given year are performed utilizing an integrated project delivery method. We recommend this method to most of our clients, as this collaborative approach has proven to result in a better coordinated design that resolves many potential issues early on in the documentation process, and results in construction costs that more closely align with the owner’s original budget. Additionally, when the construction team members are involved with the design process, it has been our experience that the actual construction process is much smoother and has less delays, due to the early commitment by all team members for the best possible product.

It is our opinion that this team approach is superior because it acknowledges the reality that a successful project is not the result of opposing sides, but rather that success comes from bringing all essential members of a construction project together, to form one cohesive team, right at the outset of a project. To that end, we have continued to refine our web-based open-communication platform that allows for this collaborative design and construction approach, from the very initial design steps through to the end of construction.

• • Design/Build

On average, approximately 10% of our projects during any given year are performed utilizing the Design/Build method.  We often recommend this method on large industrial projects when an owner is looking gain the benefits of working with a pre-qualified General Contractor during the design phase of the project. 

With this approach, ADG is heavily involved in the design, construction documentation and construction administration phases of the project.  Although our drawing and specification packages are still detailed, the contractor is equally providing the owner with a detailed scope and pricing during the design process, which culminates in a guaranteed maximum price.  This GMP is based not only on ADG’s documents, but also on the agreed upon scope of the turn-key building.

Each approach involves a collaborative design and construction effort, and as a result we not only have very strong working relationships with multiple general contractors, but our firm is often recommended as the design leads on larger more complex projects. Part of the reason that collaboration with the Construction Team is so well integrated into the corporate culture of our firm, is because 80% of our employees have physically worked in the construction field in their past. In addition, we employ a retired commercial construction manager who is tasked not only with preparing periodic construction cost estimates and reviewing all construction documents and specifications, but also providing a unique perspective based on his past experience.