Updates

An in-depth look at one of our popular renovation projects, the Oak Hill Renovation.

Exploring what our lifestyle-centered design approach means, and how that actually translates into real life.

Memphis is a place people experience through weather as much as architecture. Long humid summers, warm evenings, heavy seasonal rain, and persistent insects shape how homes are lived in throughout the year. Outdoor spaces, shade, and airflow play a constant role in daily comfort. They influence how families move between inside and outside spaces and how homes function during the long summer season. For homeowners searching for architects in Memphis, these conditions form the

For many homeowners, the search for a new home begins with floor plans. A few evenings online produces hundreds of options, sorted by square footage, bedroom count, architectural style, and every imaginable feature. Before long, it becomes easy to imagine that the challenge is simply finding the right plan. But what about the fundamental way we experience our home? Homes are experienced through daily routines. Through the way morning light enters the kitchen. Through how fami

By Fiona Mathew, Principal at Shapiro & Company Architects, Dallas office LIHTC projects operate under clear financial and regulatory constraints: capped rents, tight budgets, and long-term performance obligations. Too often, these constraints lead to design that is predictable, uninspired, or overly simplified. But constraints don’t have to compromise quality — thoughtful early design can produce efficient, livable housing that stands up over time. Early Decisions Affect Lon

By Brad Shapiro, President/CEO of Shapiro & Company Architects One of the most common misconceptions many custom-homeowners assume is that an architect’s role ends when the drawings are complete and construction begins. In reality, breaking that connection can have detrimental impacts on the quality of your custom home. Site conditions shift, materials change, and details that seemed resolved on paper often require interpretation in the field. Without continued architectural

By Reid Cullers Director of Multifamily Studio at Shapiro & Company Architects In multifamily development, project outcomes are shaped early. Decisions made during concept design and schematic design establish the foundation for cost, constructability, and long-term performance. Architect-led teams are still responsible for defining the design intent, spatial organization, and overall building vision, but early contractor involvement strengthens that process by introducing re

By Brad Shapiro, President/CEO of Shapiro & Company Architects For most homeowners, working with an architect is unfamiliar territory. There is a general understanding that architects design the home, but they don't realize how an architect's guidance can extend beyond the drawings. The value is not just in the design itself, but in how the process is managed, their industry expertise, and the answers they can provide to some of the most stressful unknowns in the custom home

This week, Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) broke ground on Phase 4 of the Transforming Western redevelopment at Western Heights, continuing one of the most significant affordable housing and community reinvestment efforts currently underway in Tennessee. Designed by Shapiro & Company Architects in partnership with Brinshore Development and KCDC, Phase 4 will introduce 47 new one- to four-bedroom homes across three residential buildings, alongside a new am

Shapiro & Company Architects approaches residential design with a simple belief: the spaces people live in shape how they feel, interact, and grow. Some projects make that more evident than others. Our work with Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes is one of those projects. Founded in 1891, the non-profit organization provides residential care for children across three campuses in Millington, Chattanooga, and Brentwood. Rather than large institutional buildings, each campus is

Designing a custom home is one of the most personal and meaningful projects you can take on. It's less about square footage, it's about creating a home that reflects how you live, what you value, and how you want to feel every day. At its best, the custom home process is not overwhelming. It should be a thoughtful, collaborative, and clear experience, guided by designers who understand who you are and how you live. When approached the right way, designing a custom home become

Affordable housing projects built through public-private partnerships face layered complexity from funding, compliance, and coordination. This article outlines where projects typically stall and how early alignment, integrated design, and continuous stakeholder coordination keep developments moving from feasibility through completion.

On a temperate afternoon walk, passing by this charming custom home might have you thinking you're in the hillsides of England. In reality, this beautiful English cottage-inspired home resides in a quiet neighborhood in Memphis, Tennessee. Design Inspiration and Bespoke Materials Nearly 20 years ago, Architect Brad Shapiro came back from a trip to England with his head swirling with architectural inspiration. Inspiration and opportunity met when he returned; a custom client w

Shapiro & Company Architects believes great design begins with opportunity. That belief is reflected in the newly established Bradford K. Shapiro endowed scholarship at the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. This scholarship was created by Brad Shapiro, CEO of Shapiro & Company Architects, as a personal commitment to supporting the next generation of architects and designers and strengthening the future of the profession. Featured (left to rig

When most people begin designing a custom home, architecture and interior design are treated as separate steps. The home is designed first, and the interiors are addressed later. And that approach works, but it might be limiting what your home could become. By the time interior decisions begin, many of the key elements are already set. Room sizes, window placement, ceiling conditions, and even lighting infrastructure have been established. At that point, interior design becom

Affordable housing increasingly relies on layered financing, and projects that combine federal and local incentives demand more than conventional planning. At Second Street Flats, early coordination between design, development, and finance ensured that LIHTC and PILOT incentives worked together to support both budget and livability. Project Overview: Urban Infill with Mixed-Use Components Second Street Flats is a 64-unit multifamily development on approximately 1.5 acres in

By Brad Shapiro | Shapiro & Company Architects We congratulate our Architectural Designer Avinash Khalsa, LEED Green Associate, Associate AIA, on her LEED certification! This is a significant accomplishment and testament to her dedication to sustainable design and environmental stewardship. At Shapiro & Company, we strive to encourage and support professional and personal growth. We truly value sustainability and investing into the future, and this achievement speaks for both

Kyla Barton | 2025 Summer Intern Research Program

Virginia Hensley | 2025 Intern Research Program

Sarah Cathryn Sheppard | 2025 Intern Research Program