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Dictionary.com defines the action of being a pioneer as ‘to lead the way for a group; to guide.’ At Curtis Miner Architecture (CMA), a focus on exploring innovative design methods and techniques has always been part of our culture. This has resulted in project designs that exceed clients’ needs and expectations and continue raising the bar for improved architectural design in our industry.

Proactive Approach to Design

CMA continuously improves our processes, communication, and designs to guide clients from concept to ribbon cutting. We are early adopters of new software, technologies, and equipment, and we apply these industry advances to our designs. This includes everything from stitching together virtual reality and 3D printing to building material types, finishes, and product innovations.

For example, we stitch virtual reality together to create walk-throughs from space to space. This gives us the ability to make changes in a virtual world rather than during construction, which has proven highly effective with our clients because it limits schedule and cost impacts. CMA also pushes 3D printing to the next level. With 3D prints and models, our team provides tangible representations of spaces, including roofs and floors that separate from the model so clients can visualize the entire facility and its interiors. This has been invaluable in helping others understand the space.

Pioneering: Literally and Figuratively

CMA’s 3D modeling on the Lehi Police Station was pivotal in the success of the project. The Broadbent Building is from the pioneer era; as our team discussed the streetscape, we included three different design eras: pioneer, traditional, and modern and designed using elements from each. During a recent Utah Chiefs of Police conference, our model drew significant attention, helping people realize our vision and design.

Pioneering took on an entirely new meaning during the Lehi project. As Jay Taggart, CMA Principal, shared, “One individual who does not always use this technology told the client we would deliver something that we had never done before. That led us to stitch the virtual reality spaces together and go from space to space. We had to learn it very quickly. It is surprising that the person who uses technology the least was our own pioneer for this new technology we adopted. They saw the value and how it helped our design and, ultimately, the needs of our client.”

Pioneering + Innovation: Award-Winning Results

Some architectural firms seem to have an ‘architectural type’ akin to a proverbial design template where each of their clients’ facilities in the built environment all look very similar. At CMA, our progressive mentality has driven us to provide creative and unique designs for every client. From our early-stage modeling to designing buildings with revolutionary materials such as Ecoskin, panels that look like stone but are cementitious, or metal products that look like wood, our team strives to raise the bar in our industry.

“CMA listens to our clients and produces what they want, rather than what we want,” said Taggart. Our inclination to be pioneers in design with a talent for innovative design solutions has resulted in a long list of satisfied clients who enjoy our award-winning spaces for many years to come, long after ribbon cutting and opening day.