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: Casper, WY
Stateline No. 7 Architects is an established firm centrally located in Casper, Wyoming. They are regularly recognized in the media for their work in redeveloping new developments within the urban cores across the region to promote urban revitalization, including two documentaries, over 112 articles, and several publications, including their own published book. They have been recognized with design awards at both the State and Regional levels, and two of their projects have been published in ArchDaily.
They are composed of up to seven trained and dedicated professionals and a rescued mix dog whose focus is office morale. The firm size is purposefully limited, ensuring the principal’s personal involvement in each project and the ability to mentor each individual emerging professional. They are consciously organized horizontally rather than the traditional vertical hierarchy, which allows both the principals and the emerging professionals to be involved in all facets, from conceptual design through construction administration, ensuring that design goals remain in focus, project objectives are obtained, and emerging professionals are properly mentored. This horizontal hierarchy ensures that all employees are valued and welcome to provide suggestions that can better the firm as well as the projects. And advancement within the firm extends all the way to the principal position(s)!
The firm is deeply engaged in the community and the architecture profession. Firm culture actively encourages everyone to be involved in not only AIA but in community architectural review committees, local boards, AIA Wyoming boards and committees, architectural speaking engagements, collaboration in architectural documentaries, hosting high school and other public tour groups, lectures, pro bono services, collaborating with higher educational entities for architectural research, participation in local community development forums and leading community charrettes.
Since its founding 18 years ago, Stateline No. 7 Architects has remained committed to developing emerging professionals into “whole architects and interior designers.” The firm works hard to avoid creating career silos — exposing staff to all aspects of design practice, particularly in the early developmental years. Staff are encouraged to obtain professional licensure and certifications, with the firm providing mentorship, paid time off, and financial support.
Stateline No. 7 Architects understand that the future of the design profession lies in the hands of those who are the newest in the industry. They feel that they have a responsibility to the design community to train, teach and encourage the next generation of design leaders through support for emerging professionals’ architectural licensure and investment in their professional development. They wish to instill within emerging professionals the values of sustainably rooted professionals, support their individual interests as they intersect with the industry, and empower them to explore and lead their own endeavors. They do this by actively exposing them to experiences and by creating opportunities for emerging professionals to grow.
