Jones Architecture | Firm - Jones Architecture

Design • At Your Service

Many architecture firms talk about “balancing” design and service, as if they are walking a tightrope where one wrong move puts the whole program at risk of freefall.

We see it differently. The best architecture is not binary; there is no need to choose between beauty and service, between what the client needs and the designer wants, or vice-versa.

At Jones, service and design are symbiotic, each feeding the other in an exercise of synthesis where it becomes impossible to know when design begins and service ends — and vice-versa.

Our process starts by asking, then listening; it deepens with research and response, advances with more probing and integration, and culminates in a union of ideas, needs and aspirations. In this way, service and design are intertwined such that a durable and quiet beauty emerges.

"I served as Norwich's Chief Administrative Officer for more than 33 years. During this time, over $430 million worth of projects were completed. I worked with dozens of firms and would put none above Jones Architecture. I have the utmost respect for, and confidence in, Rick and the Jones team. I am pleased to give them my strongest of recommendations.”

— David Magida,
Chief Administrative Officer & Director of Facilities (retired), Norwich University

Bright Moments

There’s no point in solving a problem until you understand why it exists. We find beauty somewhere in the problem and do something special that improves the human condition.

That’s a bright moment. That’s design.

Jones Architecture unites design and service in a celebration of people and place — on campuses, in the office, at home and in many spaces between. Specialties include learning environments, academic libraries, workplaces and any type of project that involves the intricacies and delicacies associated with a wide-ranging stakeholder group.

We’ve been told we are sharp listeners with a refreshing lack of ego and uncommon interest in what our clients care about. Our studio handles projects of all shapes and sizes. Whether an out-of-the-ground landmark, major transformation, small interior renovation, or roof replacement, each and every project presents interesting problems to solve, which is what we live for. Architectural design is always about the future. We think a lot about durability—physical longevity to be sure, but also conceptual endurance. We have no interest in perpetuating fads or dwelling in the past. Instead, we are always looking ahead—and around—to discern the forces that are shaping our lives and how those forces intersect with design.

We are committed to design that avoids flash in favor of contextual sophistication, achieved through meticulous study and impeccable execution. We believe in the power of collaboration across disciplines and seek opportunities to work in new and inventive ways at every scale.

Is your project next? We’re excited to hear more about your architectural needs.

Culture

Architects love dualities. Mostly, the idea comes up in some dead earnest talk about form or material or conceptual framework, or even the nature of architecture itself. We can go there with the best of them, but we like to think more in terms of dualities in practice. For example, it is possible to be both rigorous and playful, imaginative and exacting, considered and spontaneous. The trick? Take the architecture seriously, ourselves not so much. We work hard and care a lot about smart design that enriches the human experience. We also like to hang out and eat lunch, tell jokes, go to workshops or conferences together or spend Friday afternoons at the neighborhood watering hole. We like each other and believe that this camaraderie is key to creating great things.