Every architecture project is unique in some way, whether it be in scope, scale, purpose, or placement. As a result of that, not every project is a good fit for every architecture firm; it’s important that the goals, limitations, and resources required of a project are a good match for the expertise and values of the firm building it. Every single design is a collaborative venture shaped by the paradigm of the firm making it, from concept through completion, and every firm handles that collaboration differently.
HOLT Architects, an award-winning architecture firm known for designing hundreds of innovative facilities throughout the state of New York, understands this well. They’ve designed everything from multi-family housing, to healthcare and higher education facilities, all with a consistent high-design aesthetic backed by creative, functional, and sustainable quality solutions. With a wide breadth of projects in their portfolio, and many more to come, HOLT Architects has honed their process for selecting the best projects for their team—and the selection criteria don’t stop at size and budget.
“At HOLT, we intentionally pursue work that aligns with our mission to create enduring, sustainably designed buildings that enhance the quality of life for people and communities,” Steve Hugo explains. “Projects that are a strong fit are those where clients value design excellence, sustainability, and collaboration.”
HOLT has defined their brand of architecture in part due to the way their values and processes determine the projects they take on. From a set of internal guiding values and discussions centering human experience, to a commitment to adapting designs to best adapt to the needs of the community, to measuring success in the long term, HOLT’s projects all bear the mark of their values and collaborative style.
Values-Based Selection And Design
There are always new projects looking for firms ready to bid, but not every project is the right fit for every firm. The most common restricting factors are the size of the project and the budget restrictions that come with it; no firm is going to leap at the opportunity to take on a project that far exceeds their developmental capacity or experience—it’d be too much of a risk. However, those are not the only determining criteria HOLT Architects uses when selecting a project or starting the design process. Ideally, the project has potential to meaningfully improve people’s lives and the community.
“We look for opportunities where architecture can meaningfully impact how people live, learn, heal, or work—particularly where environmental performance and community benefit are core goals,” says Hugo. “We’re energized by projects that intersect design excellence with environmental responsibility and community impact—from healthcare facilities that support healing to adaptive reuse that invigorates places, and academic environments that inspire learning.”
Holistic and sustainable projects with the potential to perform well across a long period of time are the ideal projects for HOLT. Internal conversation about potential projects, or projects already in the design process, consistently center on the human experience, sustainability, and resilience, and try to design solutions responsive to users’ needs and the community context. These values and intentions are woven tightly into the entire process, from beginning to end.
Many of those conversations raise questions that can only be answered by people already a part of the community a given project may be designed for, and so that’s where HOLT goes. Every community is unique in their voices, priorities, and context, and they are stakeholders in a project as much as any client. By proactively and intentionally engaging with stakeholders early to understand what local success would look like, they’re able to anticipate problems and conceive of novel solutions.
“Whether designing healthcare facilities for rural regions, libraries rooted in cultural significance, or academic spaces that support modern learning, our work reflects the specific needs and aspirations of the people who will inhabit and steward these places,” Hugo explains. “Our integrated approach blends creative design with technical performance, and we consistently engage teams across disciplines to bring value to every stage.”
An Integrated And Invested Team
As projects grow more complex as time goes on, keeping the various disciplines within HOLT aligned and focused naturally grows more challenging. Fortunately, HOLT Architects has developed an internal team culture of mentorship, transparency, and deliberate communication, all built on a shared foundation of firm-wide values. The perspectives of architects, interior designers, technical specialists, project managers, and the leadership staff are all integrated continuously as the firm grows and takes on new projects. Regular coordination and cross-office dialogue keeps the team focused on moving toward a unified goal.
A major contributor to the team’s consistent growth is a strong internal mentorship culture at HOLT—it’s a foundational pillar of the team dynamic. Senior staff regularly guides emerging designers, and the entire team both invests in and benefits from continuous professional growth opportunities. Combined, these create a wellspring of institutional knowledge that grows deeper with every passing year, while also empowering new voices and taking in new ideas. It’s this aspect of the HOLT team that creates the thoughtful, innovative, and grounded work the firm is known for. When designers are guided and encouraged to grow, challenging projects become opportunities for growth, innovation, and excitement.
“Constraints often fuel innovation—whether it’s a challenging site, unique programmatic needs, or performance goals like net-zero energy,” explains Hugo. “Those situations push us to explore integrated systems and thoughtful detail that ultimately elevate design. Across sectors, work that pushes us to think holistically and sustainably continues to drive our passion and creativity.”
A Standard Of Sustainable Success
Sustainability is a core component of HOLT Architects’ standard for success in a project. The foremost measure of a project’s success is its longevity of performance and ongoing value to the community, but those metrics have some individual nuances. For example, the environmental performance and adaptability of buildings over time, especially in regards to supporting occupants’ well-being, is of the utmost concern. This long view of success has made an impact on HOLT’s clients, who come to value the long-term relationships they build with the firm, which lets HOLT refine future work.
“Clients frequently note our collaborative and transparent process—where we act not just as designers but as trusted guides,” Hugo says. “We work to deeply understand goals before proposing solutions, explaining design decisions in ways that connect to client priorities.”
The firm uses a number of frameworks and guidelines to design toward environmental sustainability in particular, leveraging strategies such as Passive House, LEED, or WELL principles wherever possible. Additionally, HOLT applies the AIA Framework for Design Excellence as a guiding compass both for selecting projects and their design process, which helps them ensure that their designs reflect the values that matter: sustainability, equity, resilience, wellness, and long-term value.
