At this year’s Design Workshop, the entire Noll & Tam team came together to reflect on what it means to design with purpose—both individually and collectively. After breaking into seven groups for focused discussion, a unifying theme quickly emerged: great design is built on trust, collaboration, and a culture that nurtures creativity without ego.
We explored how design sits at the intersection of personal perspective and project responsibility. “Design is both subjective and objective,” one group noted. “It matures through continuous engagement and reflection.”
Cultivating a strong design culture—within teams and across the firm—means making space for intuition and critique, spontaneity and structure. As one team put it: “It’s OK to say respectfully, this idea doesn’t work for the project—and acknowledge all ideas and people are still valued.”
The value of “daylighting” ideas—bringing design thinking into the open early and often—was echoed across conversations. This includes not just open discussions, but also hand sketching, physical models, material studies, and shared visual tools that make the design process tangible. “Good design starts with empathy and deep listening—reflecting the client’s voice and intent,” another group shared.
We also talked about the strength of human connection. One group reflected, “Design is a spectrum… the ideal is balance.” From orchestras to jazz bands, we explored how individual contributions harmonize into something greater than the sum of their parts. The importance of sharing and reflection surfaced throughout the day. “Check our work visually,” one group advised. “Use diagrams, museum-style presentations, and consistent officewide pin-ups to communicate process and progress.”
Ultimately, we reaffirmed our shared commitment to public architecture that is intentional, inclusive, and deeply human. “Our culture avoids ego—sometimes overcorrects in doing so,” one reflection noted. “But we value individual contributions, and the collective purpose is primary.”
One insight captured it best: “Good relationships make good design.”
