Cheers To 20 Years!

On a hot summer day back in 2005, our CEO Kristen M. Hess, along with her business partner, signed the paperwork, opened the doors…and HH Architecture was born. This year we are celebrating Cheers to 20 Years! We’ll be taking a look back at how we got here and a look forward to where we are headed. We’ll reflect on our values and mission and how we have seen our city and our state grow and change over the years. And of course, we’re having a party! (Save the date for May 8!)

We kicked off Cheers to 20 Years! in January by launching a brand new website. Go have a peek around if you haven’t already. In February, we chatted with HH’s four partners to hear their reflections on what this milestone means to them. They had so much to say that we’ll be sharing over a few months.

When you look back over your time at HH Architecture, what stands out the most?

Kristen: The amazing staff and what they accomplish together as a team. How much they trust each other and help each other. We are so robust now in what we achieve in terms of size and complexity and design success! And the number of clients who have been with us so long and new ones who continue to trust us with their vision. Building and growing those relationships is so important to me.

Dave: Our commitment to service and to the community stands out the most. We have consistently pursued projects that improve and inspire their communities, whether through teaching and learning opportunities, places to gather and commune, places to improve health and wellness, and places of cultural significance. We have also placed an emphasis on giving back to these same communities, through financial support and giving, and through volunteer pursuits.

What memories, experiences, projects, clients come to the forefront as representative of who we are and what we do?

Kristen: The big breakthroughs: Governor Martin Building at the State Fairgrounds, Ronald McDonald House, the Polar Bear Habitat at the NC Zoo, the Highway Patrol Headquarters, the Steve Troxler Agriculture and Science Center, Cree LED, Dueling Dinos at the North Carolina Museum of Natural History, the North Carolina Museum of Art, the Governor’s Executive Residence, Healing Transitions, so many college and university buildings, all of our amazing municipal projects, and all our Parks and Recreation work!

Jenessa: One of the things that I love about the projects that we do is that we listen to the Owner and learn about their process so that we can improve their space. We have worked on a variety of project typologies, which has provided us with valuable lessons about processes. This allows us to take information from the Owner and lessons learned from previous projects and provide an innovative, individualized solution to their design, making each project unique.

Dave: My experiences working with the North Carolina Community College system has reflected our commitment to communities. As a product of a community college system myself, I have found this work very rewarding, by being able to partner with institutions to help plan for facilities that provide learning opportunities and alternatives for the local communities they serve. I have had the opportunity to work with many of our local community colleges on a variety of long and short-term planning endeavors, including master plans, feasibility studies, renovation projects and new facilities.

Siler: Our holistic approach to design has stayed consistent throughout the years. As a new Project Manager, I was able to be with clients from the very conceptualization of an idea all the way through to the final product. This continuity has given me practical insight and the license to advocate on our client’s behalf. Listening with empathy and speaking with honesty is an HH Architecture value that I try to subscribe to every day. Projects take time, but when we trust in the process and learn along the way, good things happen. As the Director of Design, I encourage our team to put themselves in the client’s shoes with every design decision and use their own experiences to build tangible solutions. 

Stayed tuned for Part 2 in March!

HH Architecture Partners (from left to right): Dave Carey is Technical Director, Kristen M. Hess is Founder and CEO, Jenessa Van Deen is Director of Operations, and Siler Ransmeier is Director of Design.