Luke Perry joined us eighteen months ago as an architectural designer and project manager. His commitment to social justice and environmental progress informs his work and the service we provide our clients.
Luke is now Associate, so we checked in to see what’s new.
How have your responsibilities changed and grown since you joined the firm and what do you look forward to doing now?
I’ve taken on more project management and design responsibilities with a number of projects. I’m excited to be doing more in multi-family housing design and we have several large, unique projects in that area.
Now that you’ve been here a while, what do you think about the way the firm works with its clients and the restorative design mission?
I’m still trying to understand the full extent of restorative design! Initially, I thought it focused solely on the delivery of more sustainable, green buildings to increase energy efficiency and reduce operating costs.
Now I know that what we deliver is so much more than that. Restorative design embodies a high level of service and commitment to our clients, coupled with the desire to create unique and meaningful spaces that stand the test of time. Integrating this into an approach that prioritizes sustainable design gets to the heart of restorative design.
One of my goals is to better integrate sustainability earlier in all of our projects, not just those where we have a sympathetic client. That being said, we’re always trying to attract clients who share our values.
Still, it’s our responsibility to help educate and inform all of our clients and partners about the importance of sustainability in all of our projects, especially since there are often clear economic benefits.
You work on residential, mixed-use and multi-family housing projects. Tell us about your commitment to sustainability and social consciousness, and how that affects what you do.
Delivering high-quality, energy efficient buildings can be a challenge in its own right. Trying to do that and make those buildings accessible and affordable to people who need it the most goes to the heart of why I became an architect in the first place.
We’re in the early stages of developing a small affordable housing project for Soteria, a non-profit in the Sans Souci neighborhood that provides support, jobs and housing for men re-entering our community after being incarcerated.
This is a perfect example of a project that could (and will) benefit from restorative design. Sustainable measures are often viewed as cost-prohibitive for projects with very low budgets, but they’re the projects that need it the most, since there are usually reductions in operating costs over time.
Beyond that, I think that restorative design helps to create high-quality spaces that speak to individuals, telling the community that all of our neighbors are valued.
Other projects I’m currently working on, such as the redevelopment of the old Piedmont Shirt Factory building and new apartments near Hampton Station, are helping me grow as a designer and better understand how buildings come together. I’m also learning how to better navigate budget and regulatory constraints, to reduce the cost of housing in Greenville.
I’ve enjoyed tapping into the collective and creative experience at Johnston Design Group and look forward to digging deeper into this in the coming years. I want to be part of projects that not only help address Greenville’s affordable housing challenges, but create spaces that enhance the quality of life for everyone.
