Culture isn’t just part of what we do—it’s the blueprint of our success.
Smith Gee Studio was built on a foundation of five core values. These guiding principles continue to shape our culture, drive our decisions, and inspire how we design, work, and grow together.
Our "Why?"
To enrich people's lives & experiences through design.
Our Just Cause
To shape a more beautiful and resilient world.
Our Commitments
To be trusted partners, collaborators,
problem solvers and place-makers.
Collaborative
We embrace humility, actively value others' perspectives, and foster open, respectful communication. By prioritizing trust and teamwork, we learn from each other and achieve excellence together.
Engaged
We show up fully present, passionate, and attentive—actively contributing to our team's goals, our studio culture, and our broader community.
Visionary
We balance big-picture thinking with attention to detail, driven by creativity, curiosity, and a relentless pursuit of design excellence and continuous growth.
Inclusive
We respect and celebrate each other’s differences, create space for every voice, and foster a culture where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to succeed.
Integrity
We lead with honesty, accountability, and professionalism—doing the right thing, following through on our commitments, and owning our actions every step of the way.
think. Place.
SGS is a place of forward thinking, of thoughtfulness. A place where every idea is heard and taken further. We consider place. We design space.
Cultivating Thought
We exist for those who believe design is more than a profession—it’s a calling. Here, the pursuit of mastery is not optional; it’s woven into every drawing, every discussion, every detail. We’re a studio of practiced hands and sharp minds, where seasoned mentors don’t just teach, they ignite.
This is an environment where ambition is sculpted by experience, and learning is both a discipline and a joy. Through deep collaboration and relentless curiosity, we refine our craft and help shape the spaces that shape us.
Inspired Through Craft
SGS hosts weekly Design Round Tables to foster a culture of shared learning, cross-disciplinary feedback, and continuous design evolution. These sessions are structured around six rotating formats:
Project Overviews
Teams share high-level insights into their current projects using in-progress materials—sketches, renderings, and models. Everyone on the team is encouraged to present, and each team participates at least once a year.
Technical Deep Dives
Led by individuals, teams, or guests, these sessions explore emerging codes, workflows, tools, and technical processes—anything from BIM strategies to management updates. The goal is practical knowledge-sharing across the studio.
Design Charrettes
Focused on a specific design challenge, charrettes invite multiple teams to ideate in real time. Presenting teams provide any materials needed, and the resulting concepts feed directly back into the project’s evolution.
Design Critiques
A project team presents a concept, usually at the end of schematic or design development, for structured feedback. A jury offers critique grounded in the project's context, with the aim of elevating design quality and direction.
Think Sessions
Team members give presentations about any topic that inspires them, intrigues or invites them to ask hard questions.
Place Sessions
Team members give presentations about places that inspire them, places they have visited, or their place of origin.
Creative Courage
It’s what happens when design breaks free from the expected, not for novelty’s sake, but to pursue something truer—more responsive, more resonant. We ask hard questions, embrace uncertainty as part of the process, and allow ourselves to be changed by what we learn.
We sketch, test, rethink, undo, and try again—not to chase perfection, but to uncover possibility. We believe in informed bravery—a quiet defiance that for beauty, integrity, and the unexpected to emerge.
Courage shows up in quiet ways here: In the way someone challenges a default solution—in how a team reimagines the brief, or in the decision to hold the line—or redraw it—because the idea deserves it.
