This award recognizes AIA Wyoming member firms who engage and foster Emerging Professionals. The American Institute of Architects defines Emerging Professionals as architecture graduates pursuing licensure and architects licensed within the last 10 years.
Location: Sheridan, WY
It all began in the year 2000. A firm was born with the vision to break the typical eight-to-five approach to Architecture and develop a flexible work environment and culture that honors life outside the office, including family and personal interests and hobbies. Dale Buckingham started the company from his basement with a drafting table, a computer, and AutoCAD LT. Fast forward 23 years; the firm has grown to 12 full-time employees and just recently merged with another firm, Studio RED of Cheyenne, Wyoming — which is located in Southern Wyoming — to offer clients a staff of 16 professionals and support staff working from four offices throughout Wyoming, southern Montana, and northern Colorado. A large part of the success of the company is due to the commitment to developing young talent by allowing employees to gravitate toward creativity and tasks that get each individual’s juices flowing. Regardless of background and education, Arete Design Group continues to encourage all employees to pursue their passion, whether that be building design, detailing, interior design or construction administration.
Arete Design Group is a full-service Architectural Design Firm underpinned by three main pillars: creativity, excellence and integrity. Because the State of Wyoming does not have an accredited school of Architecture within its borders, Arete has and continues to be open to training young professionals from the ground up and helping them develop what are, in some cases, non-traditional paths to licensure or greater technical expertise in the field of Architecture or related fields. The company has trained young people right out of high school, college interns, architectural school grads and others to grow into valuable, productive professionals and technicians. The vision has always been to look for the diamond in the rough and give individuals the opportunity to discover their giftings in the design and construction field. Some have remained with the firm, while others have continued their career paths by moving to other companies to attain new positions or started their own businesses using the skills developed while at Arete. Arete has learned to celebrate those advancements and, despite occasionally creating its own competition, sees itself as having played a part in developing strong people who, in turn, raise the bar of design and construction in Wyoming and beyond.
