As we experience the disruption of other industries, are we doing enough to change the design and construction industry, what will disruption look like, and what type of practice model will it take? As a new firm, we seriously considered this question. With an eye on revolutionizing the practice, making an impact, and challenging business as usual, we set up the organization, people, processes, and tools to provide these answers. Looking to other industries for models that align with the company’s mission, our practice is building a forward-thinking organization where collaborative people, transformative ideas, transparency, and technology, will propel our industry forward.

REIMAGINING THE BUSINESS MODEL

The traditional Architecture business model is often a top-down hierarchy, which creates a layered reporting structure, hinders participation, and can result in slow-to-change organizations. Learning from the Tech industry, an alternate model meets the trademarks of an agile organization. The team is built around end-to-end accountability, streamlining decision making, and mining the expertise and creativity of the entire team. The result is a flexible, creative, company able to adapt to the fast pace and changing nature of the work we are facing today. Inspired by interdisciplinary models, our firm envisioned a transformative Design practice. The first step was to find the right business partners and to set up a company structure that will remain stable as the company grows. With diverse backgrounds in Design, Construction, and Business, these skills complement each other’s strengths, provide varied perspectives, and offer a robust portfolio of experience.

ATTRACTING TOP TALENT

FIFTEEN was designed with the best leadership in mind. Today, that leadership is 100% women, giving us a fresh perspective. Our unique structure has served as a springboard upon which we have shaped our policies and our processes, resulting in what we see as a more equitable environment and addressing one of the more dire problems we see in our industry: talent shortage. We continue to experience an unprecedented demand for employees in the architecture profession, and top talent is leaving our industry for more attractive positions that promise recognition, high return on investment, and work-life balance. By challenging preconceived ideas about schedule, flexibility, and prioritizing transparency and trust, we foster an entrepreneurial model where everyone plays a role in growing the firm, mentoring others, and for supporting innovation every step of the way. We are unafraid of allowing the best ideas to come to the top, empowering our people to be the best they can be. We promote a one-for-all- all-for-one mentality and offer a unique profit growth-sharing scheme.

CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO

The startup mindset keeps us energized and curious, always asking ourselves how can we improve the process: Why is it done this way? How could it be done better? How can we provide great design and exceptional value to our clients? Veering from the traditional model, we encourage collaboration, a “brain trust” made up of experts in various fields, aligned in their vision, and who will collaborate on projects to deliver a more holistic, inclusive, and tailored product. The fields represented include Psychology, Social-Behavioral Science, Real Estate Development, Construction, and Facilities Management. As a means to holistically consider a challenge we hold “Think Tanks” designed to address the bigger issues facing our industry, the community, and the world.

With an interest in bridging the gap between Architecture and Construction, in-house construction experience is a deliberate piece of our business model with staff that has structural engineering training as well as work experience in large CM firms. Understanding our client pain points, we are broadening our palette of services beyond the traditional phases of design, construction documents, and construction administration. In the practice of Architecture, the tools have improved, technology is driving product innovation, yet the way we deliver projects, set up timelines, and structure our fees, are tied to a century-old model. We are excited to work with creative people and thought leaders to reinvent, reconsider, and rework the business of architecture. Together with our collaborators, we are working to develop new ways of integrating tools and data analysis into the Design and Construction process. Ultimately, we aim to test these ideas, developing our own projects as pilots. The industry is ripe for change...the time is now...and we are excited to be a part of it.