Congratulations to FAMU architecture student Darrio Smith for receiving ALW’s 2021 Ian Sommerfeldt Memorial Scholarship Award! Darrio was selected for this annual award based on his work ethic, commitment to the academic program, and outstanding final project presented to a review committee, which included ALW Creative Director Ryan Sheplak. “His assembly of graphics were clean, crisp and straight forward. They clearly illustrated his design intent from the early concept studies to the final building renderings. Both hand-built models were also a great addition to help tell the story of the final building design. Additionally, his schematic studies of structural systems and building form were very detail-oriented and thoughtfully executed,” Ryan commented after reviewing Darrio’s and other 4th year students’ projects. We wish you continued success in your future Darrio, keep up the great work!

ALW is joining forces with the Leon County Office of Sustainability to maximize our office's conscious contributions to the collective health of our community and our shared planet. The SustainaBiz program, which has been in development for the past year with the County’s key business partners at the Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality, has included ALW and Square Mug Cafe as the two pilot businesses. The program acknowledges local businesses and organizations that have made substantial efforts in implementing sustainability practices in energy, water, waste, community + employee engagement, and local economy. Both ALW and Square Mug scored gold on the program's criteria checklist. ALW has committed to continuing its path of furthering our sustainability practices going forward. Learn more about the program, the ALW Green Team (pictured below with Leon County Sustainability Manager, Tessa Schreiner), and our company’s sustainability initiatives by visiting their website, linked below. (Photo courtesy of Leon County Office of Sustainability)

A recently completed ALW residential project was featured in the November-December 2020 issue of the Tallahassee Magazine. The 'M&M House' as our team came to affectionately call it, is located in Myers Park and was designed for a vibrant couple who was retiring and wanted to live in town to be closer to essential services. The clients provided our Principal, Cam Whitlock with a program of features to incorporate while designing their home. That program included features related to the aging-in-place objective, such as: single story, wide doorways and hallways, large, roll-in showers, and space for future in-home caregivers, among other features.

ALW is pleased to announce that Ryan Sheplak has been promoted to Creative Director. Over the past six years, his design and leadership skills have broadened and he has made significant contributions to many ALW projects including the Kotler-Coville Glass Art Pavilion in Sarasota and the FSU Student Union collaborating with Workshop Architects. Most recently, he led the design team for the Envision Credit Union and FSU Campus Recreation Master Plan. Ryan supports the industry through both studio and community mentorship and support. “At a time when our firm is growing and breadth of projects is continuing to expand, Ryan’s approach to design and problem solving demonstrates the type of collaborative leadership that will continue to elevate the quality of our projects as we enter the next decade of practice. We’re lucky to have someone like Ryan who enjoys helping other creatives find their voice as much as he loves creating exemplary architecture.” – Camden Whitlock