2018 Firm of the Year
Johnson Fain is the recipient of the 2018 AIA California Council (AIACC) Firm Award, the highest honor the organization bestows on an architectural firm. The Partners and Principals of the firm recently presented at the AIACC Board of Directors meeting. This year’s jury was impressed with not only the firm’s body of work, but the commitment to community as well as to the work environment. From yoga classes to a newly implemented watercolor program, the principals seem to be considering the importance of life within the daily work experience. Where one works, and how one works—leads to the invention of ideas—and sometimes the best ideas spring from informality. This seems to be a guiding principle that has led to much success and a long list of accolades and awards for the firm. One juror said, “How they blur lines between personal and business is inspirational. They seem to be cornering a niche on the work/life balance for their employees and it shows in their innovative work.” The jury was also impressed with the firm’s active engagement in the architecture community and how that translates to community engagement, using the firm’s work with the Veterans Advocacy Group as an example. A juror commented, “This shows a connection to the people they are designing for and not simply the aesthetics of a building.”