Our Process-Driven Approach
Our approach to design is what sets DMAC apart. Our studio is process-driven, which requires a richer understanding than simply programming. It starts early with a dialogue where we listen, respond, and collaborate with our clients to establish project goals. We then seek to challenge the program and explore multiple test fits and design options. In between, the journey is not linear. Rather, it is a collection of design opportunities and “what ifs” —a kind of “test lab” with a set of data to consider. Ultimately, we position our expertise to execute and deliver the best design solution for the specific program and conditions.
The office has a studio atmosphere. There are no departments. We are a firm that also designs interiors down to the materials and finishes. Whatever project people are involved with, they see it through from the sketch and mockups to materials and finishes. This way there’s a better connection to the drawings, models, 3D prints, or virtual renderings that go into the spaces we are creating. When we draw something, we are not just looking at lines on a piece of paper or as a screen, we are actually experiencing what that space feels like. It should have an emotional response. This is incredibly important to the work we do.
Our Test Lab
At DMAC, design ideas don’t evolve in a bubble. We take a test lab approach when we consider ideas and their viability because each project has its own context, history, constraints, and opportunities. Unlike most architectural offices, DMAC, has an enviable workship with a 3D printer, laser cutter, table saw, and other equipment which makes it easy to mock up anything. From intern to Principal, getting our hands dirty is part of the process. Whether we are developing a concept, designing a “tree” for Midtown Athletic Club, studying materials, designing a light bollard for The Concours Club, working with an artist on a “wine hive,” or testing the properties of formwork made of bubblewrap, we have a complete set of tools at our disposal to test the “what ifts.” With this capability, we can have meaningful and productive conversations with our clients and collaborators.
