WHAT WE OFFER

An international firm of architects, planners and interior designers specializing in a wide range of commercial, residential and public sector projects.

ACi Architects is an award-winning leader in the public and civic placemaking design to major cities using a human centered design process. Our human-centered design is a creative approach to problem-solving and the backbone of our work. It’s a process that starts with the people you’re designing for and ends with new solutions that are tailor made to suit their needs as efficiently and as sustainable as possible. This improves the overall efficiency of public facility cost by lowering annual operating maintenance costs, and reducing capital expenditures for our clients.

ARCHITECTURE

People. Place. Platform. These three components are the drivers behind each project we begin. We like tackling the most complex projects we can get our hands on. A design challenge which hasn’t before been solved? We want in. A number of collaborations needed to make a project green lit? We want in. Financing complexities which require out-of-the-box thinking? We want in. We are relentless in solving the problem and not settling for average. We believe in the value of every line drawn. Part of our job as your architect is to maximize your investment. One day that line could impact public safety, economic gain down the road, or creating a sense of place for the user experience. Each line drawn matters.

DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY

Supporting the Public + Private sides need for quality projects. Cities are all grappling with similar sets of issues in today’s market. As are Developers. Our proven experience co-creating with city administrative, elected leaders and developers translates into meaningful facilities and spaces built upon community dialogue and visioning. This is our specialty. Often times our work does not begin with design. It begins with a challenge. One yet to be solved. We have seen a variety of challenges in the many cities we work in. How do we get something vertical? What is the highest and best use for this City owned asset? Should we approach this as a Public Private Partnership? How do we solve the financial gap? We work to deliver the highest sustainable and resilient facilities possible that strengthen and maximize the public’s existing and future financial investment. In doing this, we work with private developers to find what the City can offer that turns the financial gap, which often stops a project before it starts, into one that doesn’t just merely happen, but one that thrives. By thrives, we mean it leases-up faster and creates stronger financial returns than expected. We call that a win/win. Don’t just take our word for it. Take the client’s, “ACi is viewed as a leader in Purpose-driven Public Private Partnerships (P4). They have assisted in transforming a section of our community and stimulating a significant new tax base…more than $30MM of new development. Lake Mary has been able to move forward due to ACi‘s unique P4 process and knowledge. ACi has proven to be a trusted partner.” – Lake Mary Mayor David Mealor

INTERIOR DESIGN

Material.  Light.  Movement.  We view interior design and exterior architecture as two sides of the same piece of glass.  We are constantly asking ourselves what is the experience of walking into the buildings we design, and how does it feel to live within these spaces.  While the scale of architecture shifts, the attention to the interior functions and aesthetic success of the project remains constant.  As experts in space planning, we deeply consider the programs, connections, safety and relationships of our interior spaces, and strive toward a unique design experience in each of our buildings.

COMMUNITY DESIGN

When you’ve tried everything else, be yourself. Community design thinking starts with just that. We thoughtfully consider each of the many assets of the communities we work in. These can be environmental, civic, economic, or cultural in nature. ACi Architects believes in spending great time and taking great care of the thoughts expressed through our unique Community Dialogue Process. When considering the importance of problem solving for communities through a human-centered design, transparency and inclusivity of all people, is key to creating the most broad and impactful outcomes. Here at ACi Architects, we champion new-thinking thought leaders and citizens of each town. We look forward to working with you and your town to maximize your own unique assets.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

ACi‘s project management approach is designed to support our culture of delivering excellent client service and high quality architecture/planning.

We employ a tiered or phased process composed of assigning key team members with project specific experience, conducting weekly scheduling and staff allocation meetings, and following Quality Control/Quality assurance and peer review/cross discipline reviews. A Living Checklist of key project components and procedures is used to guide performance. Office Document Standards and Standardized File systems along with the use of the latest industry software and technology increase managers and staff efficiencies.

Meetings with consultants and our core team allow us the opportunity to identify potential issues, fine tune workflow, and increase project team communication. Project meetings promote an organized sharing of knowledge, codes, and technology. Regular communication aids in the ability to adhere to schedules and to minimize project document issues.

Effective management of each project requires working with Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), city staff, and construction professionals. Early in the design process ACi meets with the AHJ to include them as a team member. Contact is maintained throughout the life cycle of the project.

As the project moves into the construction phase our Construction Administration phase process begins with a project lead being assigned. Construction Administration assistants support the lead and track submittals and work to provide quick turnarounds for reviews and pay apps. Site Visits are conducted at client approved/appropriate intervals and Close Out procedures and a Lessons Learned session is conducted to finalize the project.