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From Development Vision to Multifamily Product: How 220 South Claybrook Came Together | Shapiro & Company Architects with Patton Taylor Enterprises, LLC
An in-depth interview between architect and contractor on the 220 South development, a workforce housing multifamily project in Memphis, TN
Summer Internship Program for Architecture and Interior Design Students | Shapiro & Company Architects
The Summer Internship Program at Shapiro & Company is a unique opportunity for architecture and interior design students to create a real-world impact in the design world. Over the course of our 3-month program, interns are exposed to the innerworkings of our residential design firm, which has studios in Multifamily Architecture, Single Family Architecture, and Interior Design. Our mission is to guide design students through real-world experience, and to give them an opportun
Learning from National Homebuilders: Researching Floor Plan Strategies for Better Spec Home Design
By Katherine Montoya | 2026 Intern Research Program Shapiro & Company Architects Research Question Which floor plan strategies used by national builders are most effective across different home sizes and buyer demographics, and how can these strategies be integrated into our form's design methodology? Why Study National Builder Floor Plans? Speculative homes make up 70-75% of all newly started homes. This means that the average home is no longer designed one house at a time—i
Market- Driven Multifamily Design
By Annie Thornton | 2026 Intern Research Program Shapiro & Company Architects Research Question What product and planning strategies perform best across markets—and what makes them work? As multifamily markets become increasingly diverse and resident expectations rise, successful communities can no longer rely on standardized design solutions. Differences in market context influence which amenities residents value, how projects are positioned, and where development dollars s
AI in the Early Stages of Multifamily Projects
By Chloe Balkcom | 2026 Intern Research Program Shapiro & Company Architects Research Question How can AI and data tools support feasibility, concept generation, and design intelligence in practice? As the development of new technology arises, the AI world and the architectural world are colliding. From visualization and rendering to site planning to performance analysis, AI has become a powerful tool that can amplify design excellence, improve sustainability, and streamline
Do I Need an Architect for a Home Renovation? What an Architect Provides Beyond Designing | Shapiro & Company Architects
Architecture is a combination of great design and knowledgeable guidance supporting a successful renovation. Discover how we go beyond design to support successful renovations across the U.S.
Nashville Home Renovation Architect: How We Brought the Oak Hill Renovation to Life | Shapiro & Company Architects
An in-depth look at one of our popular renovation projects, the Oak Hill Renovation.
Custom Home Architects: The Difference Felt in Lifestyle-Centered Design | Shapiro & Company Architects
Exploring what our lifestyle-centered design approach means, and how that actually translates into real life.
Designing Custom Homes in Memphis, TN: Architecture for Climate, Comfort, and Everyday Living
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
Architect-Designed Homes vs. Stock House Plans: Which Approach Is Right for You?
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
Designing LIHTC Housing Without Sacrificing Long-Term Performance | Shapiro & Company Architects
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
Why Keeping Your Architect Involved During Construction Leads to a Better Custom Home
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
Early Contractor Involvement in Multifamily Design from an Architectural Perspective: Shapiro & Company Architects
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
Do I Need an Architect to Build a House? What Homeowners Should Know Before Starting
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
Phase 4 of Western Heights "Transforming Western" Breaks Ground in Knoxville | Shapiro & Company Architects
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
Creating a Home in a Multifamily Project: The Design Behind the Recently Completed Tennessee Baptist Children's Homes (TBCH) Campus in Millington, TN
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
The Complete Guide to Designing a Custom Home
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
Architects for Public-Private Partnerships: Where Projects Get Complicated and How to Keep Them Moving
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.
A Memphis English Cottage Designed Around a Custom Home Library
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
First Inaugural Recipient of the Bradford K. Shapiro Endowed Scholarship Awarded at the University of Arkansas
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
Shapiro & Company Architects is an architecture and interiors firm with offices in Memphis, Tennessee and Dallas, Texas, working across custom homes, multifamily, and residential design.
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