It’s a long journey.
Voyage well!
Like many adventures, Animate began by setting out in a general direction –– innovation for good in architecture –– and our path has wound through amazing terrain. We studied evolving cities as complex adaptive systems; we found a way out from 1990s Deconstructionism; our curiosity clarified client decision-making processes; and physically we studied architectural, political and cultural practices around the globe.
When Owners search for a design team it is not always clear which architects will build them places valued over time. Deconstructivism suffered its fall from fame because, beyond a certain Western fascination with dissection, it simply wasn't attractive. It didn’t create spaces where different people choose to spend their time.
Animate’s journey developed the experience to create forms and spaces that resonate with a sense of being, places where people connect. This way architecture provides shelter for new ideas, sanctuary for concentrating on a task, and inspiration to transcend the past. Done well, architecture is also capable of connecting with people across time and cultures. Together with Owners we create spaces alluring like monuments, and effective like great marketplaces.
Architecture can foster positive organizational change and assist people when doing their best work. In this way Animate contributes to an Owner’s mission. As one researcher remarked after working in an Animate designed building: “I like working in this building so much, I come in earlier and leave later everyday.”
Great work requires a kind of love that accepts unique modes of being, especially from people with diverse social and cultural backgrounds. We value variety and embrace the commonality of our human condition. Buildings, artifacts and evolving cities are designed using these human traits to increase civility between people. Success comes when people use our spaces to expand human culture.
From high-rises to homes in the woods, from nightclubs to funeral homes, from famous laboratories to knit shops, Animate has worked with a variety of clients. We start with a deep empathy and work to understand the client’s needs and harmonize with client’s decision-making process. No big egos here; it is understood that project teams consist of hard-working humans who enjoy creating together. While nice for an architect’s portfolio, well-designed projects are proven through the enjoyment of users. Our work is rewarded when users are inspired to see things fresh.
Adventures, by definition, are trips into new territories. Projects are unique because circumstances change. An Owner's team builds one solution, to one challenge, at one specific moment in time. On our journeys Animate brings: careful attention, wide knowledge, refined thinking, and great teams making great decisions.
Let’s navigate together!