Architecture for communities
Design for people
Located in Washington’s historic Georgetown neighborhood, CGS Architects provides architectural design, interior design, master planning, and programming services. Founded in 1981, we have proudly served clients in the DC Metropolitan area and beyond for 40+ years.
We offer a relationship-driven, collaborative approach to the design process and are committed to the principles of design excellence. Our portfolio illustrates our experience creating high quality, sustainable projects that reflect the values, culture, and needs of our clients and the communities they serve.
We believe that architecture has the power to unite diverse communities and shape the environments where we gather, learn, and play. We create beautiful, vibrant spaces where people come together to gather, connect, inspire, and grow.
CGS develops long-term client relationships built on trust and a community-centric approach that creates templates for clear long-range vision. Forged on engaging project stakeholders and tailoring forums that respect their community cultural, we allow input to influence the process using “weigh-in” to facilitate “buy-in.” Our inclusive community engagement process unlocks each program’s social-centric potential, integrating goals and needs as a catalyst for personal connections.
Our projects encompass historic preservation, renovation, adaptive re-use, additions, and new construction. In addition to gaining distinction as designers of public and private K-12 and higher education institutions, we’ve developed a diverse range of institutional projects that include religious, museum, library, recreation, and civic facilities.
Our History
May 1981
KressCox Associates Founded by Jerrily Kress, David Cox, Robin Vasa and Chris Graae
1980's
Focus on Commercial / Multi-family residential Design
February 1989
The Manhattan Laundry Building : AIA DC Award of Merit in Architecture
1990's
Focus on Institutional Design
February 1992
The Washington Ballet : AIA DC Award of Excellence in Architecture
July 1993
Georgetown Visitation Founders' Hall Fire - beginning of the firm's focus on Educational Design
April 1995
Georgetown Visitation Monastery, National AIA Award of Excellence in Religious Architecture
December 1996
Bill Spack Promoted to Principal
April 1997
Washington Theological Union and Western Presbyterian Church, National AIA Award of Excellence in Religious Architecture
June 1997
Arlington National Cemetery Facilities Maintenance Complex, National Honor Award in Architecture
May 1999
cox graae + spack architects formed by David Cox, Chris Graae and Bill Spack
August 1999
Joanna Schmickel promoted to Principal
2000's
Focus on Educational Design : Independent School Work
June 2003
Tom Wheeler and Don Gregory promoted to Principal
May 2006
cox graae + spack architects celebrates 30 years of Award Winning Practice
February 2008
Potomac School Upper School Building : AIA DC Award of Excellence in Architecture
2010's
Continued Focus on Educational Design : DC Public School Work
February 2012
Wilson High School : AIA DC Award of Merit in Historic Architecture
June 2014
Chris Ambridge promoted to Principal
July 2019
Derek Banocy promoted to Principal
Lindsay Hellender, Julianna von Zumbusch and Lexa Rio promoted to Associate
2020's
Continued Focus on Educational Design
May 2021
cox graae + spack architects celebrates 40 years of Award Winning Practice
September 2021
Duke Ellington School of the Arts featured in Graphisoft's International marketing campaign
December 2021
cox graae + spack architects rebrands to CGSARCHITECTS
January 2022
Ed Foley Promoted to Principal
February 2022
Joanna Schmickel Elevated into AIA College of Fellows
Services
CGS Architects is nationally recognized and locally focused. We have earned a reputation as one of the Washington Metropolitan area’s leading architectural firms with more than 75 local, regional, and national design awards.
We offer the following services:
- Architectural Design
- New Construction
- Adaptive Re-use
- Historic Preservation
- Additions
- Renovations
- Interior Design
- Master Planning
- Programming Services
CGS Architects is a Certified Business Enterprise with the Department of Small and Local Business Development in Washington, DC, qualifying for 10 preference points.
CGS Culture
Collaboration is the foundation of our culture. With each project, we facilitate a highly collegial design process that places our client and their community at its core. We produce innovative solutions that celebrate the culture of each user, embracing the challenge to design spaces with a unique sense of place. With shared purpose we harness our diverse skills for the collective good of our clients, our community, and our society.
We commit to providing a personalized approach at every level of leadership. Our principals act as project leaders by setting the direction at project inception, maintaining active daily participation, and possessing detailed knowledge of the project throughout its design, development, and construction.
We ground our work in our passion for the profession and our commitment to our core values.
Our Mission
CGS Architects demonstrates that Architecture has the power to unite diverse communities and shape the environments where we gather, learn, and play. We facilitate a highly collaborative process to produce innovative solutions that celebrate the culture of each user, embracing the challenge to design spaces with a unique sense of place. With shared purpose, we harness our diverse skill sets for the collective good of our clients, our community, and our society.
Our Values
Responsibility
We are reliable and accountable, creating architecture that answers to our community, our society, the environment, and ourselves.
Integrity
We value trust, professionalism, equality, and fairness.
Creativity
We engage in a highly collaborative process to produce innovative design solutions that celebrate the unique culture of each user.
Commitment
We nurture meaningful long-term relationships with our clients, their communities, our consultant teams, and within our firm.
Excellence
We provide outstanding service through strong leadership, creative vision, and active engagement.
Joy
We love what we do!