AODK IS A CLEVELAND BASED ARCHITECTURE FIRM FOUNDED IN 1999.  WE HAVE BASED THE FIRM ON THE BELIEF THAT GREAT ARCHITECTURE CAN HAVE A POWERFUL IMPACT ON HOW WE LIVE, WORK, SOCIALIZE, WORSHIP AND INTERACT.  GREAT ARCHITECTURE CREATES GREAT EXPERIENCES.

SINCE ARCHITECTURE CHANGES OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT IT INHERENTLY CREATES EXPERIENCE. TO EXPERIENCE IS THE PROCESS OF DOING, SEEING, INVOLVEMENT IN, PARTICIPATION IN, CONTACT WITH, EXPOSURE TO, AWARENESS OF, AND INSIGHT IN TO.  OUR GOAL IS TO MAXIMIZE AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES.  GREAT EXPERIENCES ARE CREATED FROM A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF ALL OF THE PARAMETERS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND USING THEM TOWARD A DIRECTED GOAL.

THE DESIGN PROCESS MAY INCLUDE ANALYZING THE SUN DIAGRAMS FOR THE SITE TO FILL AN AREA WITH NATURAL LIGHT AT THE RIGHT TIME OF DAY AND SEASON WHILE KEEPING IT OUT AT OTHER TIMES.  IT MAY BE THE TACTILE USE OF STONE AND WOOD BY A LOCAL CRAFTSMAN TO CONNECT A PROJECT TO ITS NATURAL SITE.  IT MAY BE THE ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEM IN A BUILDING THAT ENCOURAGES INTERACTION AND CREATIVITY.

THIS HAPPENS AT THE MACRO LEVEL OF THE SITE WITH ITS SURROUNDING CONTEXT DOWN TO THE MICRO LEVEL OF A DETAIL OF A STAIR RAIL.   IT COULD BE A LARGE MULTI-PURPOSE BUILDING IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT TO UNDERSTANDING THE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS OF HOW A FAMILY INTERACTS WITH EACH OTHER AND NATURE IN A RURAL SETTING. ALL LEVELS GREATLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE.