Since they founded Duvall Decker nearly 20 years ago, the Deckers, as they’re known, have focused mostly on neglected corners in and around Jackson, Mississippi’s capital. To pay the bills, the two have redefined for themselves the ambit of a small architectural practice. They have become developers and even branched into building maintenance: a soup-to-nuts strategy that has allowed them more than just financial breathing room. — The New York Times
Helping impoverished Mississippi communities? Check. Making money while creating a business model that empowers you with the decision-making powers of developers? Check. Being notable and effective enough to earn your own profile in The New York Times by Michael Kimmelman? Done, done, and done for Duvall Decker Architects, which also was named one of 2017's Emerging Voices by the Architectural League of New York. What's especially enheartening about this profile is how by virtue of increasing the quality of their own professional lives, the architects have also vastly increased the well-being of their community.
3 Comments
Wow, first building review in years from the Times. Oh wait, it's another architects don't do any social good narrative and here is the only "good" firm, never mind.
Back to important issues like the Obvious Benefits of Driverless Cars* or some generalized social issue or mayors conference that is interesting but not really.
*Brought to you by Uber
@Chemex any thoughts on the business model though? From a more "theoretical" perspective, but from another discipline, makes me think of Overgrown: Practice between Landscape Architecture and Gardening, or other projects focused on post-build/design. A la the manual.
An architecture firm that does quality work in USA flyover country is a difficult business model. Not surprised that Duvall Decker had to branch out into other kinds of offerings. And yes, the NYT is mostly lazy and derelict in their architecture coverage. Surprised they wrote about anyone that is not DS+R or PAU.
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