Mixed-Use Experience
About Us Firm History
DAG Architects began as two designers in a small local Destin, Florida office in 1981. Today, we are a full service design firm employing 90+ architecture professionals in six offices across the southeast. We are an architecture leader, delivering design excellence for developers, school districts, local governments, private individuals, and many other client types.
Expertise
Our success is rooted in a commitment to designing every space with the spirit of hospitality—blending luxury, functionality, and regional character to create environments that reflect and celebrate each destination’s unique identity.
Our projects are functional, meet budget expectations, and last for generations. Our design expertise is applied through master planning, programming, feasibility studies, schematic design, design development, construction documentation, interior architecture, and construction administration and management.
Our design team also includes registered architects with NCARB and AIA certifications, LEED Accredited Professionals, certified CPTED Practitioners, interior designers, construction administrators, planners, and other specialists. Because we have Certified General Contractors on our staff, clients have additional assurance of a project’s constructability through quality drawings, strict QA processes, and a hands-on approach to every project, regardless of size, scope, or budget.
We strive to be good stewards of the environment, client vision, and the project’s long-term success.
Our Team
Roger Godwin, AIA Principal
Pat Ballasch, AIA Principal
Larry Sweat, AIA Principal
Levi Wiegand, AIA Principal
Jehna Godwin, AIA Principal
Michelle Riegner, AIA Principal
Owen Gipson, AIA Principal
Chris Tyner, AIA Associate Principal
Sarah Parmenter, RA Associate
Brookelyn Bolin, NCIDQ
Interior Designer
Jeremy Beasley Design Professional
Grace Shepherd, NCIDQ
Interior Designer
Master Planning
Southeastern Mall Redevelopment Alabama
This redevelopment project is a transformative, mixed-use project reimagining one of the region’s most significant and underutilized properties. Strategically located across three jurisdictions, the mall development revitalizes a historically blighted site and leverages its unique topographical features to create a vibrant, multilayered community.
The redevelopment master plan envisions a dynamic, walkable district that seamlessly integrates residential, office, retail, hospitality, and entertainment uses, bringing together tenants, residents, and visitors in an activated urban environment. The project embraces a live-work-play model, offering a rich mix of amenities, public spaces, and green corridors that promote wellness, community engagement, and economic growth. More than a real estate development, this project is a catalyst for regional renewal that restores value to the site, reconnects fragmented communities, and establishes a new urban identity.
Designed in collaboration with Goodwyn Mills Cawood.
Bel Air Village
Sherman, TX
Sherman’s newest 280-acre master-planned community, Bel Air Village, is a boutique neighborhood, for which DAG provided master planning architectural design services. The community features exciting amenities including an event lawn, outdoor workout space and dog park. Conveniently located off US 75, residents have easy access to local favorites such as Lake Texoma and the 83-acre Herman Baker Park. Experience all that Sherman has to offer by shopping and dining downtown and attending local community events. Homes in Bel Air are zoned to Sherman ISD which includes the brand-new Sherman High School.
Knoxville Town Center
Knoxville, TN
East Point
Atlanta, GA
Richmond, VA
Mixed-Use
Cascades
Tallahassee, FL
Transforming Tallahassee’s downtown, Cascades brings a dynamic mix of living, working, and playing to the heart of the city, while preserving the area’s cultural and historical significance.
Led by prominent developer, North American Properties, the MixedUse Cascades Development is Tallahassee’s only architecturally, culturally, and historically significant downtown destination, offering all the benefits of downtown living on Cascades Park. This live, work, stay, and play development spans two full city blocks and serves as a catalyst for Tallahassee’s long-held desire to cultivate a revitalized 18-hour downtown in the capital city.
The development includes market-rate apartments, retail, and restaurant space, Class A offices, and an AC hotel. Two structured parking garages, fully concealed beneath a new public plaza, serve the development and provide additional public parking. Phase II will offer two additional mixed-use multifamily buildings. Our design team was instrumental in the predevelopment master planning efforts and the engagement of public and private sector stakeholders. The DAG team served as the design lead and Architect of Record for the entire project, bringing this impactful and iconic vision to life.
Biltmore Park Town Square
Asheville, NC
Town Center design that blends smart growth, green living, and pedestrianfriendly spaces taking inspiration from Asheville’s unique downtown architecture. Designed as a multi-phased development comprising 1.75 million square feet and spanning 42 acres, Biltmore Park Town Square serves as a blueprint for a pedestrian and environmentally friendly community. This vibrant town center reimagines the Main Streets of the past and creates a forward-thinking community based on smart growth, green living and reduced dependence on the automobile. The design is driven by the eclectic mix of downtown Asheville’s architectural styles. The project encompasses 29 buildings, including two condominium buildings, three townhouse complexes, two office buildings, ample retail and entertainment, as well as several parking decks.
Designed by Principal, Larry Sweat, while with previous firm as one of five design firms collaborating on the project.
Town Center at Alys Beach
Alys Beach, FL
A visionary town center design that seamlessly blends residential, retail, and office spaces while prioritizing pedestrian flow in a high-demand coastal community.
In collaboration with Hart Howerton, the DAG design team worked with the developer to create a cohesive town center plan that would provide residential, retail and office space, further defining this new urbanist community. Careful attention was paid to designing the proper flow of pedestrian traffic through a busy oceanfront community. Working within the critical height restrictions along with the high demand for residences, the team put forth a viable plan to serve as the foundation for current and future city development.
Okaloosa Gas District
Valparaiso, FL
DAG is leading the planning, design, and construction of Okaloosa Gas District’s new facilities. We developed the master plan, program, and concept design for the Valparaiso campus. The facilities include a 101,000 SF administration building, 200-car parking deck, warehouse, meter shop, fleet maintenance shop, weld shop, fuel depot, associated surface parking, and site improvements. The project is presently in the Schematic design phase, with further design development and production of construction documents forthcoming.
8 West
Atlanta, GA
Influenced by the industrial context of the west side, the contemporary loft design promises to attract high-tech companies and entrepreneurs searching for an inspirational place to work.
This 198,000-square-foot, nine-story loft office building is part of the rebirth of West Midtown Atlanta and will serve as a gateway to Atlanta’s newest redeveloped area. Retail currently onsite is being integrated into the plan, complementing the culinary district’s attraction with three new restaurants. In addition, 8 West is part of a mixed-use development that also includes a 230unit multi-family project and a shared seven-story parking structure.
Charleston Tech Center
Knoxville, TN
West Waters Avenue
Tampa , FL
The renovation of 6401 West Waters Avenue in Tampa, FL repurposed an unoccupied and neglected retail building shell to become a shining, inviting new facility for the operations of a compounding center for a confidential pharmaceutical provider.
We gutted the existing building and re-used major structure, exterior wall structure, and foundations. These provided the basis for a new metal panel enclosure to house the client’s product storage and lab processes, with their requirements for cleanliness and climate control, in a modern and tech-aware enclosure. A new entrance element, generous glazing and exposed structure creates generous interior height and a sense of openness and welcome that are crucial to contemporary workspace.
DAG coordinated closely with the client’s interior designer to integrate the company’s brand in the overall design.
PenAir Credit Union Corporate Office Building Pensacola, FL
The new headquarters’ design integrates seamlessly with its residential surroundings and provides employees with a flexible, light-filled interior fostering collaboration and individual work styles. Situated on the edge of a residential area, the design minimizes its impact on the neighborhood by orienting the narrow end of the building toward the street and creating a residential-style “Front Yard.”
This vibrant green space features Heritage Live Oak trees, including a majestic 500-year-old oak, providing shaded walking paths and areas for outdoor work and recreation. The building’s central feature, a cross-axis circulation area named “Main Street,” fosters informal interactions among employees. The shared break room, known as the “Commons,” incorporates a residential feel with a mix of café tables, living room furniture, and private booths.
Designed in collaboration with HLGstudio.
Fairfield Inn & Suites at Berry College
Rome, GA
Rosemary Beach Owner’s Club
Rosemary Beach, FL
Rosemary Beach is an iconic new urbanist community located on Highway 30A in Walton County, Florida. The facility combines a resortstyle pool with cabanas as well as a cozy clubhouse often used for private events. In addition to a bocce ball court, there is an outdoor performance amphitheater for community use. The covered stage was designed to be partially enclosed to heighten acoustic quality, and the terraced landscape seats approximately 400 spectators. Stepped lawn terraces with concrete pavers are on each side for picnic tables, providing casual seating for smaller events, such as movies, concerts, lectures, and celebrations. The 72-foot tower provides an iconic landmark visible from the main highway and within the resort itself.
DAG partnered with Carey McWhorter and HLGstudio on the design.
The Killearn Club
Tallahassee, FL
Originally built in 1967 and now under new ownership, DAG has led master planning and visioning sessions to preserve the neighborhood’s original character, while enhancing members’ experiences by creating engaging spaces that foster connection in a relaxing and enjoyable environment. The new vision elevates the golf game with cutting-edge technology, including facilities equipped with TrackMan and PuttView components. The centerpiece of the facility will be a new 18,000-square-foot clubhouse, designed in a classic Southern style with an expansive porch that seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor experiences. The clubhouse will feature a high-end restaurant and bar, private dining, and pro shop.
Designed in collaboration with HLGstudio.
Alys Beach Pickleball Facility
Alys Beach, FL
The Town of Alys Beach recognized a need for their existing Fitness and Wellness Center to improve their offerings within the existing tennis facility due to increased interest in racket sports. To achieve this, DAG was tasked with converting the existing basketball courts to six new pickleball courts along with expanding the existing tennis courts at the ZUMA Wellness Center. We took the opportunity to enhance the play experience for guests throughout the site by capitalizing on the site’s topography to create stronger visual connections between the tennis and pickleball complex and the wellness center.
Our approach provided diverse vantage points for observing games, while comfortable seating options were incorporated to accommodate extended events like professional tennis exhibitions and social gatherings. Detailing of the project follows the aesthetic established by the town, featuring red clay courts, white stucco plaster walls, stained and sculpted wood columns, expressed wood framed roof structure, and copper accents. Fresh landscape plantings and greenery complement the redesign and immerse the athletes in this picturesque location.
Healthcare
Sacred Heart Medical Office Building
Port St. Joe, FL
IHMC Research Complex Pensacola, FL
Designed for innovation and flexibility, the IHMC Healthspan, Resilience, & Performance Research Complex blends state-of-the-art laboratories with adaptable workspaces, creating a cutting-edge environment where scientific discovery and collaboration thrive.
The three-story, 46,000-square-foot facility includes space for administrative support, outreach, and training, in addition to state-ofthe-art laboratories. Program spaces with human activity are oriented to take advantage of north and east natural light. The main entry, with its large protective canopy, extends an invitation to visitors. The third floor provides a south-facing covered terrace beneath the large canopy, giving staff and researchers a sense of choice while enjoying views and breezes to the south. The interior lab spaces are designed for human interactions. Each open lab area is designed to be reworked and reconfigured quickly to accommodate changing tests. Technology built into the facility is designed to be easily upgraded as new testing methods and hardware are developed.
DAG partnered with Cooper Carry on the design.
Georgia Hand, Shoulder, & Elbow
Atlanta, GA
Phoebe Putney Living & Learning Center
Albany, GA
Phoebe Putney Hospital System teamed with Albany Technical College Nursing School to create this 40-million-dollar Living & Learning Center, located on hospital property across the street from the main hospital entrance.
The facility was designed in the same location and style as the abandoned Lee County High School, which had served the community for over 50 years. On the first level is a 46,000 SF state-of-the-art nursing school with ample classroom space, lecture halls, and simulation labs for future nurses to gain work experience. This education program also includes administration, student lounges, and break-out study spaces. The second and third levels are designed to house 80 market-rate nurse dormitory apartments.
The partnership between Albany Technical College and Phoebe Putney has spurred significant educational expansion, with a 37% year-to-date growth in student enrollment.
DAG partnered with HLGstudio on the design.
Multifamily
Lilli Midtown
Atlanta, GA
Rising 24 stories in Midtown Atlanta, lili is a luxury residential tower designed with features such as spacious units, a striking threedimensional facade, and abundant natural light.
lili is a 24-story luxury residential tower comprised of 197 units, all with a footprint larger than the average high-rise residential development in Atlanta. lili Midtown is sited on less than a third of an acre on the south side of Midtown Atlanta, across from the landmark Fox Theatre. Utilization of an adjacent Hotel Indigo parking deck was key to the project being approved, with a bridge connecting the deck to the urban infill building. Street-level spaces for retail and restaurants were carefully designed in concert with a strict Midtown Alliance requirement for pedestrian-friendly venues.
The facade has 50% more exterior glass than the typical urban high rise, which gives the units a fresh, airy feel with ample natural light. This modern vertical structure caters to urban professionals and empty nesters with high-end finishes, deluxe amenities, a roof-top pool, and clubhouse with private dining facilities. Balconies are uniquely carved into the building for a striking appearance.
Designed by Principal Larry Sweat while with previous firm.
Reflection
St. Petersburg, FL
Reflection offers a refined architectural condominium experience set against the backdrop of the serene waters of Mirror Lake in St. Petersburg and its downtown skyline along with the distant shimmer of Tampa Bay. Its artful exterior façade engages with the historic character of the surrounding streetscape, creating a visual dialogue between new and old. At the ground level, landscaped walkways and thoughtfully integrated amenities enhance the lakefront pedestrian experience, while retail spaces activate the street and frame the building’s welcoming two-story lobby.
Inside, 88 meticulously designed residences redefine modern-urban living. Dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows flood the interiors with natural light, framing sweeping views, and establishing a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. Residences on the 7th level offer expansive private lawn terraces—unusual for urban living—while those on the 8th floor and above feature terrace-style balconies that float above the city.
Designed in partnership with SMP Architects.
Luna at Viera
Viera, FL
Luna is a 245-unit, urban-style apartment complex situated in Viera’s Town Center. Designed to enhance and integrate with the future development of Viera Town Center, Luna offers a distinctive residential experience within the Viera community.
As the first in the area to provide residents with structured, secure parking, and mixed-use retail spaces on the ground floor, Luna sets a new standard. The sixth-floor Sky Lounge features a wine bar with views over Duran Park and Golf Club. Amenities include a pool with grills, a green space courtyard, fitness and yoga studios, a business lounge, and a juice bar. Constructed with precast concrete, the building is not only resilient and sustainable but also highly efficient, utilizing modular and repetitive precast components to optimize space.
Kaiya Club Residences
Inlet Beach, FL
Kaiya Club Residences represent a refined architectural vision within a masterplanned, residential resort community, Kaiya Beach Resort. Situated on the iconic Highway 30-A, nestled between Seagrove and Alys Beach, the architectural narrative is rooted in wellness, tranquility, and a seamless integration with the surrounding coastal environment. The 28 Club Residences showcase a spacious layout with generous private balconies, chef-caliber kitchens, and primary suites complete with spa-inspired baths. There are two penthouses and one two-level townhouse for elevated living. Additional on-site amenities include an enclosed parking garage, decorative fountains, and lush landscaping. The rooftop pool crowns the building with panoramic views of surrounding 30-A communities and the Gulf beyond. The building’s relationship with the street is uniquely addressed for the first-floor units, as the private tiered terraces offer walk-out access to 30-A and public spaces. The design celebrates the intersection of built form and natural context, offering a timeless coastal aesthetic that enhances wellness, invites connection, and elevates everyday living.
Designed in collaboration with Khoury-Vogt Architects.
The Hub (Big Chill on 30A)
Santa Rosa Beach, FL
Located along the iconic 30A highway, The Hub links several well-known planned communities. It offers a blend of restaurants, entertainment, and shopping, appealing to both locals and Gulf Coast vacationers.
The master plan for this three-acre site features a mix of small retail spaces and larger restaurant areas positioned at each corner of the development. An event lawn provides ample seating for outdoor concerts and movies, while the centrally located Pavilion boasts a multipurpose stage and amphitheater, a 25-foot-wide outdoor movie screen, and a screened porch with a fireplace and large-screen TVs.
The architecture adopts the mid-century modern aesthetic that was once prevalent in this region. Concrete masonry units, cypress wood, galvanized steel, and painted brick are the predominant materials, with the palette defined by their naturally occluding colors. These materials are sourced locally and are very low maintenance.
Developed in collaboration with Lew Oliver.
Brighten Park
Atlanta, GA
A 1986 neighborhood shopping center is renovated into an upscale destination blending organic-modern design with a refined mix of retail, grocery, and dining options to create a vibrant community hub.
The renovation of Brighten Park represents the quintessential design of current neighborhood centers. It answers the demands of this upscale community with a unique mix of organic grocery, retail, dining, and services amidst quality modern design with an organic sensibility. The renovation of this 1986 center not only extends the life but also rejuvenates an everyday neighborhood center into something special and unique to serve its community. Brighten Park’s unique revitalized vision provides shoppers reason to come back time and time again, not only to shop and dine but to gather and celebrate with their neighbors.
The center was designed with sophisticated exterior finishes, reflective of the high-end shopper, as well as architecture that reflects classic sensibilities with organic-modern details. The site design included patterned and textured shopping streets, as well as lush, stylized landscaping that not only enhances the organic feel of the center but serves as protective barriers for shoppers.
Designed by Principal Larry Sweat while with previous firm.
Paces Ferry Plaza
Atlanta, GA
Paces Ferry Plaza, a 63,254-square-foot retail center, was renovated with an updated village aesthetic.
This contemporary design brings an urban ambiance to the space, with facades redesigned with painted or rustic brick, accented with metal canopies. The enhanced landscape and hardscape add richness and warmth to the center. The center also included a 365 by Whole Foods Market, integrated with a new subterranean parking deck. The grocery store façade was envisioned as an old warehouse adapted and repurposed as a modern facility. Given the customer’s desire for outdoor dining, multiple spaces were provided along the shop fronts. Parking and traffic pattern circulation around the center was reconfigured to provide better flow and safety for pedestrians.
Designed by Principal Larry Sweat while with previous firm.
The Hub at the Farm
Allen, TX
Building on the success of the Big Chill on 30-A (formerly The Hub), The Hub at the Farm serves as the vibrant centerpiece of a 135-acre mixed-use development featuring 2,400 multi-family units and 1.6 millionsquare-feet of office space, known as The Farm in Allen. DAG designed the prototype concept, which will guide the development of future Hub locations across the country. The design includes 15,000 SF of weatherprotected communal dining and gathering areas, a 5,200 SF event lawn, and a 12,000 SF of outdoor space. The Hub boasts 11 distinct restaurant and bar concepts, offering a dynamic and social destination for residents, workers, and visitors alike.
Shelter Cove Towne Centre
Hilton Head, SC
Shelter Cove Towne Centre is a 42-acre redevelopment featuring over 270,000 square feet of retail space, 240 luxury waterfront apartments, and a seven-acre linear park.
Originally an enclosed single-level mall with three anchor tenants, the site was transformed into a vibrant mixed-use development. It now boasts an array of shops, restaurants, and residences, all overlooking Broad Creek on Hilton Head Island and connecting a public walkway to other neighborhoods. Designed to resemble a southern fishing village, Shelter Cove Towne Centre offers a unique, upscale shopping experience in a park-like setting. This revitalized destination caters to both the island’s residents and the 2.5 million annual visitors. The building palette pays homage to Hilton Head’s heritage with indigenous colors and materials to create a distinctive, inviting atmosphere. At the geographical center of the island, this mixed-use project has evolved into the island “town center,” and its park regularly hosts community events.
Designed by Principal Larry Sweat while with a previous firm.
The Shoppes @ Inlet
Inlet Beach, FL
The Shoppes @ Inlet is a 14,000 SF retail and restaurant complex design that enjoys a prime location on East Emerald Coast Parkway (US98). In keeping with the architectural vernacular of the area, the buildings are styled to pay homage to the Historic Florida style, with reclaimed wood accents, white painted lap siding, and a panoramic 120-degree presentation window. The courtyard offers a multi-use outdoor landscape complete with a relaxing water feature and comfortable seating for dining and enjoying music.
