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    At Work: M+A Architects brings Smart Design to Grandview Yard

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    Grandview Yard continues to grow and it’s not surprising why. With the walkability of the design and close proximity to Grandview’s business areas, as well as an easy hop over to Downtown Columbus, Grandview Yard is an ideal location to house your business.

    “A main reason we moved [our office] from Dublin to Grandview Yard was because we wanted to be located closer to downtown and we wanted to be in a walkable community,” says Mark Daniels, President of M+A Architects. Daniels has been working with the firm since 1987 when it was known as Meacham and Apel Architects.

    Originally started in 1980 by Dennis Meacham and Bob Apel, the firm has grown to a company with fifty employees under the leadership of Mark Daniels, John Eymann, and Jim Mitchell, who are equal shareholders.

    The move to Grandview Yard allowed the firm to take advantage of a 17,000 square-foot, completely new space and make it everything they wanted it to be.

    “Our office culture is extremely important to our firm,” says Daniels. “We surveyed our staff and where they wanted to be, and why; and ended up working with Nationwide Realty Investors to get Grandview Yard started.”

    “I loved the opportunity to design to our brand and customize an office that is better suited for the way we do business; open, collaborative, energetic, light, and inspiring,” says Carrie Boyd, Director of Interior Design at M+A. “Grandview Yard is a similar type of project, that will continue to grow up around us and allow for the perfect mix of culture and professionalism we wanted.”

    As the company prepped their new officespace, they also were going through their own rebrand.

    “We felt it was important to be in a space that spoke to who we were,” says Daniels. “Our designers for our space, led by Carrie, did an outstanding job making sure this happened.”

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    The new space is less focused on hierarch and more on collaboration. There are low desks and benches that allow any one to easily see across the office. Storage areas were combined with work surfaces above them so staff can have impromptu collaborative meetings. Office furniture was sourced from O’Reilly Office and manufactured by Kimball Office. The office is a realization of the firm’s ‘Smart Design’ mantra.

    “My favorite areas are the Design Center and the Café,” says Boyd. “The Design Center includes an island that can have up to ten people comfortably gather around it. Often we have clients in there and it’s a full service collaborative space.”

    “At the end, our brand, and culture fit better in the environment of Grandview Yard,” she continues. “We want to attract and retain the best people in the market – our space, our culture, and our success help that. We are lucky to have people seek us out for jobs – which is a huge compliment!”

    Daniels adds that when you are a part of a ‘people service industry’, having the right people as part of your team is critical to the success of the company.

    “The quality of our staff makes us who we are,” he says. “Bringing the right people on bard has evolved over time through awareness of who we are and where we want to go. I have such a quality staff that has grown our company and made it what it is today – it’s all about the people, and the people we have at M+A are incredibly dedicated and talented.”

    For anyone looking to start their own design firm, Boyd suggests to surround yourself with great diverse talent, understanding your goals and what you stand for personally.

    “Clients are hiring more on how you align with their vision,” she says. “They understand you already have expert talents, so your differentiators are important.”

    Photos courtesy M+A Architects. For more information, visit M+A Architects.com.

    Do you know of, have, or work in, a creative workspace and would like to be featured in this series? If so, please contact Anne Evans.

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    Anne Evans
    Anne Evanshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-evans/
    Anne Evans is the Co-Founder and Director of Operations for The Metropreneur and Columbus Underground. She regularly contributes feature stories on both sites, as well as Mega Weekend each week. She has started and grown businesses, created experiences, forged community partnerships, and worked to create opportunities for others. She loves meeting new neighbors and those making an impact in our community. Want to connect?
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