I hope this letter finds you well. We want to express our sincere gratitude for the opportunity to meet with you and discuss the potential for Walker Architects to collaborate with Anderson Carr Construction on future projects. Our conversation was both enlightening and inspiring.
Your approach to problem-solving and delivering exceptional service closely aligns with our values at Walker Architects. We are excited about the prospect of working together, particularly in the automotive market, where you have achieved great success. With Kevin Lackey’s extensive experience working with clients such as Asbury Automotive, AMSI, Autonation, Dream Motors Group, and many independent owners on projects ranging from new dealerships to smaller renovations, we believe our combined expertise will enable us to achieve outstanding results.
However, expertise alone does not create great projects. At Walker Architects, we take pride in being more than just a service provider; we are true partners with everyone involved in the project—from owners to the tradespeople in the field. We listen carefully and work proactively from start to finish. Close collaboration is essential to us, as our goal is not just to meet expectations but to exceed them, delivering exceptional project experiences for everyone involved.
Enclosed is an overview of our approach and a selection of projects that demonstrate our commitment to excellence and teamwork. We hope this gives you a clearer understanding of what it’s like to work with us and the potential we see in partnering with you across various projects.
We look forward to continuing our conversation and exploring opportunities for collaboration. Building a relationship based on trust and mutual respect is important to us, and we’re excited about the possibility of achieving great things together.
Sincerely,
Joe Walker, AIA President LEED AP, BD+C Walker Architects, Inc.
Kevin Lackey, AIA Principal LEED AP, BD+C Walker Architects, Inc.
Agile World
At Walker Architects, we believe there is a better approach to design. Our founder, Joe Walker, began the firm in 2009 because he thought that clients would benefit by having an architectural partner who focused on putting people first by design.
Typically, the clients we serve have many changing needs and limited resources. We believe that agile spaces allow the people who occupy them to be more successful by removing the things that get in the way, and give the building owner the best return on their investment.
Our Agile Design approach is a mindset for design that is all about meeting people's needs—especially the wide range of student and educational needs.
Our clients are trying to do more with less. We offer more flexibility, removing the barriers to success and bringing more value for every dollar spent.
Hundreds of projects over the last decade have taught us that when we remove the limits of creativity and prioritize our clients’ voices, we create dynamic, agile spaces that stand the test of time and lead to better outcomes for all.
Design for an Agile World
One of the guiding principles of our studio's philosophy is Agile Design. We gain a clear understanding of the needs of the people that are affected by a space, then provide multiple, flexible ways to meet those needs not only today, but for years down the road. Our process yields a more efficient design, allowing you to do more with your limited resources.
An agile space is not just about openness; it's about choice.
An ecosystem of spaces brings choice and control into the equation.
A variety of choices within an environment provides people the tools they need to collaborate efficiently and think creatively. A diverse ecosystem allows people to control information and stimulation, increasing engagement and productivity.
People require a combination of open and private spaces for both individual and group-oriented work. While open areas build community, bolster trust, and nurture creativity, areas with more privacy meet the needs of analytical task-doing and focused meetings.
Putting People First, By Design
For the past two decades…
Fortune 500 companies, leading public universities, and top construction managers have all relied on our passionate team of experts to design agile spaces throughout the Southeast.
We have grown through the years because of our ability to listen, collaborate, and solve facility challenges with value-driven designs.
We consistently invest in technology and communication infrastructure that rivals what is associated with global design firms. Our systems empower our team to do big things with small project budgets from anywhere without sacrificing client service.
What is it like to work with us?
Working with Walker Architects, stakeholders feel confident and heard throughout the design process.
We understand your vision and needs and effectively communicate them to the team. Our commitment is to deliver successful design solutions that exceed expectations.
We act as your unwavering advocate, executing your vision and maintaining consensus through purposeful meetings. We prioritize prompt response, continuous updates, and exceptional support throughout the project.
Deliver Legendary Service
It's all about the experience. With every experience, do the little things, as well as the big things, that surprise people. Make every interaction stand out for its helpfulness.
Create the "WOW" factor that turns customers into ravings fans. This includes both internal and external customers.
The Walker Way
What makes Walker Architects different?
It's the way we work.
Our 26 core fundamental behaviors guide our approach to working with clients, partners, and each other.
Every team member receives a "Walker Way" card as a reminder of the values and professionalism we embody in our work. We reflect on our Fundamentals weekly as a team, sharing what they mean to us and how we apply the practices to our work.
By regularly teaching and practicing these Fundamentals, we have created a high-performance culture that consistently strives for excellence.
Mercedes-Benz of Birmingham
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The new 54,000 SF Mercedes-Benz of Birmingham facility sits atop a picturesque hill, offering stunning views both from within the showroom and for passersby.
Positioned in close proximity to the Mercedes-Benz factory just west of the city, this dealership holds a significant role as the prominent face of Mercedes-Benz for retail sales and service in North America.
The service shop, bathed in natural daylight, boasts 22 service bays equipped with in-ground lifts, 2 alignment bays, dedicated open and secure tool storage areas, and a compressor/fluids room strategically designed for potential future expansions. A "U"-shaped internal drive aisle surrounds the service bays, terminating at each end with high-speed overhead coiling doors to facilitate quick turnover.
Adjacent to the shop, a car wash tunnel and 5 detail bays provide added functionality, with the flexibility to transform into a vehicle photobooth if needed. The shop is further supported by a tech parts area designed in a dialoguetower format, facilitating seamless communication between parts managers and technicians. This setup also ensures easy access to fast-moving parts and convenient entry to the full parts storage area and mezzanine.
Prioritizing the well-being of technicians and enhancing recruitment efforts, the facility includes a flexible training/break room and comfortable, well-appointed locker rooms.
Notably, the construction of the shop, showrooms, and the entire 9-acre display and in-service parking area has been future-proofed with infrastructure prepared for the evolving needs of electric vehicles (EVs), anticipating the growing demand for EVs in the automotive industry.
PROJECT DATA
Construction Cost: $13.5M
Size: 54,000 gsf
Completion Date: 01/2018
OWNER CONTACT
Dan Agresti, Dream Motors Group dan82657@gmail.com 832-349-6531
Project completed by Kevin Lackey while with Praxis3
Exactech Headquarters Expansion
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Exactech exists to improve the quality of life for individuals by maintaining their activity and independence. They may manufacture premier medical implants, but they're an innovation company at heart, and purpose drives their product.
When they approached Walker Architects to design a new stand-alone building, they believed they simply needed more space. After hours of on-site interviews, workshops and observations to create a first-ever master plan, we helped discover that what they really wanted was more connectivity among their teams and in daily operations.
Centered around collaboration, the new plan was designed with ‘happy collisions' in mind. A restructuring of not only the space in which people worked but also how they worked has led to an increase in raw attendance and transparency in production.
The new building marries business and manufacturing by concentrating a variety of work and collaborative spaces—open, closed, mobile and stationary— around the production floor. Now showcased, the heart of the company has become the axis of the workplace.
By looking at the company culture holistically, Walker was able to design more than a building. The spaces created strengthened what Exactech already did well and now shapes employee and customer work lives for the better.
PROJECT DATA
Construction Cost: $23M Size: 37,000 gsf
Completion Date: 01/2019
OWNER CONTACT
David Petty, Exactech 2320 NW 66th Court Gainesville, FL 32650 US david@exac.com (352) 519-3494
Southern Crescent Technical College Industrial and Technology Building
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Prior to joining Walker Architects, Kevin Lackey was the Project Manager for the development of an 80,000 sf new home for Southern Crescent Technical College's Automotive Repair, Automotive Collision, Advanced Manufacturing, and Health Sciences programs. As the second building on the college's Henry County campus, the project truly transformed the site into an activated campus with a sense of identity, place, and community.
The spaces in and around the building included educational training mechanical laboratories, multi-purpose classrooms, gathering nodes, offices, support spaces, and covered outdoor training areas. An essential goal of the design was to replicate “real-world” laboratory environments in a safe, learning environment and to celebrate and proudly display each department's activities and attributes.
PROJECT DATA
Construction Cost: $20M Size: 80,000 gsf
Completion Date: 10/2018
OWNER CONTACT
Alan Stanfield, Southern Crescent Technical College (770) 233-6139
Project
completed by Kevin Lackey while with Praxis3
UF College of Engineering Autonomous Vehicle Laboratory
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project was a design for a new 5,000 square foot Autonomous Vehicle Laboratory at the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Building C for the University of Florida College of Engineering. This unique design and occupancy use included an open office area for research staff, a signal control lab, offices, threecar electronics testing garage, and a large visitor welcome area. Through careful collaboration with faculty and researchers, we delivered a design to support both the mission of the College and the needs of the people who are advancing important research in traffic engineering.
PROJECT RELEVANCIES
Real World Laboratory Environments: Laboratories for signal control and electronics testing are designed to replicate real-world commercial conditions while providing adequate space and additional safety precautions appropriate for a learning environment.
PROJECT DATA
Construction Cost: $1,723,000
Size: 4,890 gsf
Completion Date: 02/2024
OWNER CONTACT
Tamera Baughman, UF Planning Design & Construction tbaughman@ufl.edu
Albany Technical College Transportation Center
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
President Anthony Parker envisioned Albany Technical College as the premier regional center for transportation education. A key part of that vision was the Anthony O. Parker Transportation Academy building, which was named in honor of the college president after he passed away during the planning for the project.
The building features the latest equipment and technology, and specializes in providing hands-on training in Diesel Equipment and Auto Collision services.
The building's physical location on campus provides stylistic independence while complementing the campus's aesthetic while embodying a modern feel to reflect the technologically advanced work occurring within.
The building's interior is spacious and well-equipped, with classrooms and training labs for students to learn and practice their skills. The labs feature the latest technology, including diagnostic equipment, lifts, alignment machines, paint booths, welding equipment, a heavy-duty crane, and a variety of specialized tools and equipment, including two high-bay shops, a print lab, and a sewing lab.
The facility also frees up space, enabling the Automotive Repair Department to upgrade its current facility to meet its growing needs and achieve certification of its program. This upgrade allows the college to embrace electric vehicle technology and training by creating a dedicated EV laboratory and eventually providing infrastructure for all bays to service electric vehicles.
This project is an example of Kevin Lackey's work with a previous firm.
PROJECT DATA
Construction Cost: $7.7M
Size: 22,210 gsf
Completion Date: 12/2024
OWNER CONTACT
Dr. Emmett Griswold, Albany Technical College egriswold@albanytech.edu (229) 430-3500
Project
by
completed
Kevin Lackey while with McMillan Pazdan Smith
Walker Architects is a Just Label Organization, committed to diversity and inclusion.
Our retention and promotion strategies are focused on providing a culture and work environment where racially and ethnically diverse employees have the opportunity to be successful in their careers and to be represented at all levels of the organization, including senior leadership.
