At PCA, we create the kinds of environments where people can live their best lives. We are known for designing places where people want to be, places where things happen and places where visitors want to return to – again and again.

Behind the design of these beloved spaces is a creative, energetic team who share a values-based approach to design. What does that look like? In its most basic expression, it is a focus on making a place rewarding for the user, not the architect. PCA applies the collective strength of the firm’s 70 architects, designers and collaborators to craft and create these dynamic environments.

Are we different?

We think so. When someone asks us how PCA differs from other design firms, we describe what we hear from our clients when they are asked about their experience with us.

They say they enjoy working with us, that we are fun and creative. They also say that in addition to hiring an architect, they found a partner ready to listen to what their organization wanted to achieve, then took them through a thorough process of discovery and problem solving.

Can Design Revitalize a Community?

Absolutely. The right design, one based on knowing the neighborhood and its residents, is a catalyst for positive experiences. Whether engaging local artists by providing studio and exhibit places or activating open spaces for a farmer’s market and movie nights, our projects create vitality and revitalization to benefit the entire community.

Great design also boosts the health, resilience and social impact of neighborhoods. At PCA, sustainable design is infused in our process, adding asset value for clients while providing a healthier future for the community. Through a holistic sustainable design approach, we help our clients examine all their options and opportunities by guiding them through decision-making based on data and informed options.

Moving a project through each intricate phase – while understanding the fabric of a neighborhood and its residents – is as much a part of design today as the building or its interiors. When design achieves its potential for community impact, everyone benefits.

What is Possible?

At PCA, clients experience a partnership with people who know how to achieve business goals while expanding project possibilities. Because of this focus on what is possible, PCA is often asked to design our client’s most difficult, complex ventures. We love these opportunities – and the challenges they present: a budget constraint, a historic site or an emotional community issue.

Client success and community responsibility fuel our culture, not big egos. Instead, the focus is on others, on seeing the big picture of how design, sustainability, social equity and cherished places all combine to create long-term value.

We’ve updated our brand to capture who we are today. Check out our new website here.

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