Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the chance to spend time with customers across the country and visit several large architecture firm offices. Honestly, it’s my favorite part of the job. There’s nothing quite like walking into a studio—seeing models spread across tables, sketches pinned up on walls, and hearing people talk with so much ambition about the future they’re designing. Every visit is a reminder of why this industry matters so much, and why I feel lucky to play even a small role in it.
What I came away with was a mix of optimism and realism. Even with economic uncertainty, the leaders I met were looking ahead with confidence. Buildings still need to be designed, cities still need to grow, and young architects are eager to leave their mark. But there’s also a clear frustration: the tools and processes they rely on too often get in the way of creativity instead of amplifying it. That’s a problem we can—and must—fix.
Through it all, the commitment to the craft was unmistakable. This industry has weathered plenty of ups and downs, and people are rightly proud of their resilience. But resilience has its limits when workflows are outdated, data is fragmented, and talent is stretched thin. Those may sound like unglamorous problems, but they’re the kind of problems that, if solved, will unlock enormous potential. And I sensed a real openness to rethinking how work gets done—which left me more hopeful than ever.
The conversations kept circling back to two themes: talent and technology. On the talent side, firms are wrestling with how to set young architects up for success in a field that sometimes feels stuck in the past. They want to create cultures where younger voices are heard, where mentorship is real, and where technology smooths the path instead of adding friction. And on the technology side, the message couldn’t have been clearer: digital tools are no longer optional. They are the foundation of the industry’s next cycle of growth. I heard plenty of frustration with the lack of innovation from incumbents, but also a real hunger to try new approaches. If there was ever a time for this industry to reset the platforms it builds upon, it’s now. We need 21st-century tools for 21st-century buildings.
Only after hearing those bigger themes did I realize how much the regional story still matters. Some firms are thriving in their local markets, while others are chasing opportunities overseas. That diversity of perspective is one of the things I love most about AEC—it’s both hyperlocal and global at the same time.
For me, the takeaway is simple: we’re at an inflection point. The conversations weren’t about hype or trends—they were about getting back to first principles. How do we design better buildings? How do we support teams so they can thrive? How do we unleash the creativity that brought so many of us here in the first place? That’s the work worth doing. And I want to be part of helping make it possible.
