May 2, 2011

Initiation

The origins of what started as a humble little idea are not unlike those of any number of start-ups in creatively driven fields. The intention of starting an architectural design office was born out of a mounting frustration with limited existing opportunities for young professionals in a struggling economy, the gap between the optimism of academia and the “realities” of the professional world, and the drive to capitalize on our own ideas, talent, and potential. As discussions commenced, a multitude of hurdles threatened to derail our design studio before it gained momentum; the building industry’s economic collapse, the prohibitively high cost of start-up capital, and the questionable viability of traditional business models for architectural practice in the 21st century were respectively intimidating and collectively overwhelming. It was not long before it became clear that in order to survive and thrive, the well-beaten path would have to be adapted, if not altogether abandoned.

It takes a certain amount of unflappable [and occasionally foolhardy] confidence to stand at the precipice of one’s career and decide that the well-established route may not be the best one. It is because of and in tribute to this “swagger” that we have adopted the GOAT [Greatest of all Time] moniker. It has less to do with where we are starting than it does with where we are convinced we are headed and the dedication, passion, and innovation it will take to get there. We have made the choice to be more than an architectural design firm; we will provide a voice and forum for ideas, we will bring design into more lives and environments, we will subvert a system that values experience over talent and inspiration, we will increase the opportunities for young, creative professionals and infuse our industry with the passion and energy it has been lacking. We are GOATstudio and we are ready.

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