Design process

We see each project as an opportunity to transform an environment in ways that enhance its beauty and support the well-being of people and planet. Our craft relies on a foundation of discovery and rigor to incorporate factors such as artistic expression, fabrication, technology, embedded carbon and social equity into elegant built solutions. Healthy communities are created with environmentally responsible designs. We bring together subtle nuances of place with innovative expressions of form and art, to evolve cultural context in a positive way. The outcome binds us as humans, creating places that feel as good as they look.

Learn more about our commitments to Climate Positive Design

Practice

To tailor solutions to each individual design problem in creative ways, we bring together the best minds and approaches from across disciplines and skills to craft a holistic story. Each discipline brings their best ideas and provokes new ways of looking at problems, and distilling ideas to be their best. Regular design reviews with the firm leadership guides the evolution and maintains the ethos of the practice throughout. We seek to advance a vision of clarity and generosity to the world.

Architecture

Our ethos is defined by a synthesis of culture, context, science, and function that elevates the whole. The manifestation is architecture that is part of its ecology, conveys meaning in contemporary culture, celebrates the well-being of its users and the environment, and is elegantly and beautifully resolved. We put people at the center of every design through exploring narratives of the human experience. We fully explore the qualities of natural light and air, and the relationship of the building to the landscape, streetscape, and skyline. We find ways to heal the world through captured carbon to minimize long-term impacts. We lift spirits and creatively express beauty in form and in craft.

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Urban Design

We believe that the best urban design solutions foster public life through an evolutionary and inclusive approach to city making, neighborhood spaces, and opportunities for connection. We apply a comprehensive and wide-ranging systems approach, be it a master plan for a new city or district, the revitalization of a neighborhood, or planning a new mixed-use development. It is an undertaking that must include a vision at large scale, that follows through the small details. Our team includes staff from a variety of disciplines, with a craving for understanding complex systems of social, environmental, and technological evolution in the urban environment.

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Interiors

Our goal is to invoke a sense of connection and continuity, so we design from the inside-out and the outside-in, making interiors seamlessly flow across thresholds into the surrounding context. We start with understanding users’ goals and identities to craft a narrative around their lives that will reflect their unique character and needs. An interwoven sense of scale, transition and intimacy, with special attention to the edges between different environments and carefully crafted transitional moments help spark a narrative experience. Interiors we design find elegant and functional ways to support users mental, physical and social well-being and feel as beautiful as they look.

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Landscapes

We believe in the design of authentic, beautiful landscapes within our cities. We design urban spaces that bring people together, and connect them to the primal beauty and restorative qualities of nature. This intrinsic connection brings joy to people, builds empathy for nature, and fosters environmental stewardship. Our responsive landscapes distill the contextual, social, and experiential essence of places for the people that inhabit them. Through iterative manipulation and intense layering, we seek to amplify inherent stories, culture, and beauty to create highly crafted landscapes.

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Culture

Everything we do is rooted in our shared values: curiosity, creativity, craft and critical thinking. They propel the work we do, inform all our decisions, and define our success.

Strengthening Communities

At GGLO we are proud of our shared commitment to create distinct and diverse places that connect people through beauty and innovation. We encourage volunteer efforts and engage in corporate giving in areas that foster and strengthen our communities and reflect our work. We believe in supporting the passion projects of team members, which help build our internal community. This includes initiatives such as the ACE Mentoring program to promote careers in the built environment and donations to local BIPOC organizations, acknowledging the existence of inequities in our communities and our responsibility to intentionally act to overcome those inequities.

Learn more about our commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

 

Design Culture

Together we develop design solutions that are distinctive and transformative, emerging out of context and culture. We engage our diverse disciplines to understand the complex issues that underlay each design challenge. GGLO hosts weekly project design critiques to facilitate discussion about process, usage, sustainability and equity. All Staff Meetings, held every two weeks, keep staff members informed about projects, procedures, benefits and innovations that will enhance their work/life experience. GGLO’s Emerging Professionals Group moves our practice forward by facilitating knowledge sharing among our emerging professionals.

Learn more about our Emerging Professionals Group

Benefits

Our comprehensive health and wellness benefit package is aimed at promoting the complete well-being of our employees. We support physical and mental wellness through amenities such as meditation/quiet rooms, access to views and daylight, biophilic office environments, work-life integration, and financial protection. GGLO supports flexible and sustainable transportation with subsidized transit passes and secure office bike storage. We offer a hybrid working environment with flexible schedules to support employee work/life balance.

Professional Development

GGLO is committed to the success of all employees. Staff members are encouraged to grow their skills and feed their curiosity in an environment that promotes professional development as a priority. We believe in continuous growth and skill development for all GGLO employees. Regardless of position, licensure and experience, all staff have a promotion or leadership path. We offer a variety of opportunities to help employees learn, connect, and grow including one-on-one coaching, mentorship, paid licensure, industry memberships, continuing education and innovation grants for exploration of design technology.

Careers

GGLO is invested in building a diverse team that is reflective of our communities. Each employee plays a vital role in the overall success of each project and our firm. We offer a stimulating, team-oriented design environment where we are challenged to bring our best creative spirit to our work. Our workplace is respectful and diverse, with teams that thrive on engagement, learning and innovation.

Click here to see a list of open positions