Weisman Design Group
Specialty: Urban design, high-rise, mixed-use, master-planned communities, schools, housing
Management: Principals Mark Weisman, Dave Andrews, Mike Kleer
Founded:1983
Headquarters: Seattle
Projects: Cascadia master-planned community, Pierce County; Eighth and Virginia high-rise, Seattle; Snohomish High School, Snohomish; Washington Square, Bellevue
In a development climate that allows his firm to pick and choose its projects, Mark Weisman is focused on keeping the work interesting — but not overwhelming — for his staff.
He called Weisman Design Group’s current workload, including six master-planned communities, 11 high-rises and 42 schools, “rich and wonderful.”
Weisman said WDG is looking for clients that offer his designers the chance to exercise their skills, want to incorporate interesting sustainable design into their projects, and understand the balance between human use and development.
Image by Weisman Design Group Weisman Design Group developed this perspective sketch of Cascadia, a master planned community in Pierce County. |
Built to last
To Weisman, sustainable doesn’t just mean dealing with stormwater runoff or other immediate pollution concerns or government mandates. It also means using long-lasting materials and designs so sites will work with the sun and wind and rain instead of against them and stand the test of time.
Despite last year’s drought, he said it will take time for Northwesterners to realize that water is a precious resource that must be conserved.
He said projects in the Puget Sound region today have generous budgets for landscape design but tight sites with little “float” room, a function of land costs and the demand for density.
“Every decision, every grade has to be thought out because there’s no room for fudge,” he said.
Balancing work with family
He said the 18-person firm
is looking to hire new people, a challenge given the busy economy, but that he also emphasizes promoting from within. WDG has what may be an unusually humane approach for an employer: to get the best work out of his employees, Weisman tries to keep them from working too much.
“I’m concerned about working too hard and finding balance in my life and my employees’ lives,” he said, “so they can bring freshness and creativity to their work.”
He said the approach has worked well.
“I’ve had the same people for 15 to 20 years,” he said.