Smith & smith architects chicago

We have long been a practice guided by ideas that have a positive impact on humanity. Several main ideas have emerged after over two decades of exploration:

SECOND NATURE

Second Nature begins with design that mimics the natural world and its positive impact on our mental health (also known as biophilic design), and is environmentally sustainable.

Yet Second Nature goes even further: we create new types of environments that inspire the sublime, one of the core characteristics to our relationship to nature. By doing so, we create a direct and healthy relationship to our cities and our world.

We do this by having the built environment be something that appears to be grown from nature itself. Our studio is out to build natural formations wherever we go.

COMMUNITY WELLNESS

Causing communities is a central activity of our office, and requires us to be activist architects.  In a culture that is increasingly mediated and dispersed, we connect people throug