“It is important to respect, care about, and listen attentively to the inhabitants of the places we, as architects and builders, help to make. The best buildings emerge not from the application of an abstract style but from the close engagement of the complex and delightful ways in which buildings can shape our lives. Memorable form, orientation, light, materials and program can all be orchestrated to help us enjoy our cities more, encourage us to go to the theater or the library, to do better work.”
“The increasingly challenging requirements of building delivery should not constrain the design potential of a project. The application of experience and skill in a genuinely collaborative process can effectively incorporate goals of design, budget and schedule. Architecture is a social process, the success of which relies on good communication between all the collaborators – client, user, community, builder and architect. Consistently, strong relationships between collaborators foster solutions that are responsive, creative and more personal. I lead a studio of diversely talented people who share this philosophy. Our team’s hallmark is approachability and accessibility.”
“We listen to our clients, while engaging with a project to uncover its every detail and nuance. By understanding the original intentions of General Mills mid-century campus and its impact on their culture, we helped them create a more interactive and productive place to work, while promoting pride in the company. In a similar way, we were inspired by the historical context of Maryland neighborhoods and the patchwork patterns of folk art quilts in the creation of affordable housing for artists outside of Washington D.C.”
“Our projects traverse the varied landscape in which we live and work from the enhancement of a landmark modernist corporate campus, to a sensitive addition to a revered college performing arts center. This cross-pollination of experience and talent helps us approach each project with a fresh outlook. It is important to maintain an environment in which the best ideas can come forward to be scrutinized, developed and made better through an inclusive collaboration. The goal is to create buildings that are more sustainable and more successful by being embraced – accepted and cared for – by the people using them.”
– Tim Carl
Profile
Since joining Hammel Green and Abrahamson in 1998, Tim Carl has built a reputation for simple, authentic designs on a diverse range of project types. Tim believes in the power of the architectural idea, often exhibited in his early sketches, and his buildings are rooted in a deep understanding of both the contexts and communities he serves.
His highly collaborative style thrives in the multi-disciplined environment of HGA. Prior to joining HGA, he was at the Minneapolis office of Ellerbe Becket where he led a number of high profile projects abroad – planning large mixed-use and transportation projects while navigating the complex working relationships overseas.
Tim’s work has received industry recognition as well as numerous state and national awards. In 1993 he was named by Progressive Architecture magazine as one of the country’s top emerging young architects. Since 1999 his work has been honored with seven AIA Minnesota Honor Awards. In 2004 his work for General Mills was one of eleven international finalists in the Architectural Record/Business Week Awards. His work has been published in Architectural Record, Contract, Dwell and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. This past year his design for artist live/work space received the AIA National Housing Committee Design Award.
Tim graduated cum laude from the University of Notre Dame in 1986 and spent his third year studying in Rome, Italy. He has lectured and is a frequent Visiting Critic at the University of Minnesota. Tim has served on numerous design juries for organizations including the Minnesota, Alaska and South Dakota AIA chapters. He has been the chair of the AIA Minnesota Committee on Design and Awards since 2003. In 2007 Tim will be the Chair of the AIA National Committee on Design Fall Conference. His most recent lecture was on sensitive additions to modern architecture at the Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis.
02/12/2015 Update – Tim Carl named CEO of HGA Architects