relationships in-house that also go back over 10 years. He describes the feeling in the office as “more like a family than it does like a workplace.” The leadership team comprises three partners – David Premi, Petra Matar, and Patty Clydesdale. Petra is an architect, Patty is an interior designer, and both have worked for DPAI for over 10 years. There is also another senior architect on staff, Pablo Navarro, who has 20-plus years of experience under his belt. “We have some really good technologists. We have talented designers-turned-architects and great support staff,” David says. “We have some really technically adept people who work hard and love what they do.” “We’re always thinking about how we can improve processes and make ourselves better as a team,” he adds. “We’re starting discussions about finding a new flexible work model that may help staff balance their home and work lives better.” David believes that the staff’s ability to adapt, objectively criticize their manner of operation, and find ways to work more efficiently helps them in delivering better quality to clients. DPAI’s employee count currently stands at 16, but David hopes it grows to 30 in the nearest future. Recalling some pre-pandemic events, David mentions how the staff would go away each year as a group to have some fun, party, enjoy nice meals, and see some architecture or art galleries. “We would rent a bus or drive a few cars to Detroit for a DPAI
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTYzNTg=