Thinking Outside the Box

Liquid Design strives to infuse innovative design into architecture

by John Rehkop, Greater Charlotte Biz
02/2002

Money has its limitations; while it may buy quantity, there is something beyond it and that is quality. – Frank Lloyd Wright

In architecture, the quality of the product not only defines the firm and its clients, but it also shapes a city. Calling for buildings more unique in vision and bolder in execution, architects Michael Williams, Mike Standley and Jeffrey Gustin, partners in the local firm Liquid Design http://www.liquiddesign.net/ are resolved to reshape the Queen City.

“Charlotte is on the cusp of breaking out with some really good design,” Williams says. “Charlotte has been a very conservative community, especially in its building design. This conservativism has produced a relatively indistinct design modality; so much so, in fact, that it is beginning to encourage more creative and unique design. For example, you’re starting to see some great design with the uptown housing as a result of this. Office space is being affected similarly; you can’t just keep doing the same old office parks. You need quality design. We want to be at the forefront of that.” With that goal in mind, Williams, Standley and Gustin chose to leave the secure confines of a reputable local architecture/engineering firm to form their own shop.

In April of 2000, Liquid Design was born. The business model was to build long-term client relationships and create quality architecture through a focus on engaging design – elements they felt were lacking in their previous post. “When you are with a larger architectural firm, it doesn’t really allow for continual development with clients,” Williams says. “One of the things we were after was a relationship-based organization that promotes an engaging process. Liquid Design is about relationships, while many other firms are more about [individual] projects.”

Armed with a desire to build long-term commitments and create designs which stimulate the mind, they searched for companies that shared their zest for creativity — companies willing to explore innovative alternatives and challenge their creative might.

Charlotte-based Impact Technologies provided the perfect scenario. The 20-year-old company needed a face lift. “We wanted a strategic firm that could take our idea and turn it into a vision,” says Division president, Kevin Clay. “Liquid Design captured the essence of what we were looking for.”

Clay was looking to transform his disjointed “cubical” environment into an open and more connected space to enhance communication and camaraderie among his employees. His idea mirrored the unusual Asian architectural form, feng shui.

Feng shui is a principle which addresses the relationship between personalities and physical space. “Under the feng shui belief system, everything has to be in the correct location,” Williams says. “If you enter a space, the door can not be visible to any windows because when the door is opened the company’s energy will, theoretically, go out the window. Key departments, such as accounting, must be located in “power point” areas. If it’s in the wrong area, the belief is that the company will struggle financially. Even at the employee level, we had to incorporate a specific fabric or material at each desk that was based on the individual’s personality.”

Clay lauds Liquid Design’s work and the dedication they showed to the project. “They were able to accurately reflect the personality and vision of the company, and really transcended the client/vendor relationship into a successful partnership.”

Williams views it as an example of a forward-thinking alternative that can enhance a company’s culture and create an engaging atmosphere. “Our client was really proud of the fact they were able to break outside the box through design, and create a space they really enjoy working in,” Williams recalls. “We push hard to create a space that is not only comfortable but also fosters creative thinking.”

A Leap of Faith

Walking away from lucrative positions at a financially secure firm to start up a new venture — without a single client — was a dicey proposition. “We were very sheltered where we used to be,” Williams admits. “When we left, the [business] people we knew were not the type we wanted to grow our business with. We wanted to work with clients that would ask us to stretch what the space can be.”

True to their creative focus, the quality of the work remains Liquid Design’s driving force. Unlike most companies, the craft supersedes the almighty dollar in significance. They are steadfast in their commitment to innovative architecture on the cutting edge of design. And they vow to never become a “cookie cutter” type of firm, where profit margins and efficiency are the overriding factors.

“In the 1980s and early 90s, many architects tried to create a niche,” Williams says. “They would say, ‘We are the ATM teller specialists’ or ‘We are the retail specialists.’ We are not about that. Those types of architects are production architects who often focus on the most straightforward and internally profitable solution. We are design oriented. We always try to improve on our designs.”

An example of their dedication to design variance is the pizza chain, Domino’s. Creating a boilerplate design to replicate with each location would have offered the greatest financial return. But it wasn’t the best solution. “No two are alike,” Williams says. “We couldn’t stick the one we designed in Indian Trail, on Highway 74, and place it into the York, S.C., community. It wouldn’t work within the existing environment.” Each location was constructed with unique design elements to accent the building within the surrounding landscape.

Mack Patterson, owner of 38 Domino’s Pizza franchises, considers Liquid Design an invaluable resource. “They are willing to meet with any of our employees, from top to bottom, to discuss functionality and flow within the store,” Patterson says. “Plus, we are always very limited with our budget. But instead of just creating a big box, they really added some pizzazz to the architecture. Other franchisees have flown to Charlotte to see what we have created.”

Building an Identity

Establishing the name, Liquid Design, was the result of an effort to define the state of the industry and symbolize their mission. “We really tried to find a concept to some extent that was bigger than us,” Williams remarks. “We are ‘Liquid’ in the sense that our profession is always changing — from tasks to ideals to materials, everything is always moving. ‘Design’ relates to our constant focus on that aspect of the architecture.”

Ironically, when vying for new clients, Williams and his fellow Generation X partners consider age to be an asset despite the perceived lack of experience they sometimes face. “Some people are afraid of working with a young company, but that is common to any business type,” Williams acknowledges. “But because we are young, we are not stuck in a rut or an area of emphasis. We are able to diversify. We are willing to bring fresh ideas to the table.”

The most difficult hurdle they often face, in obtaining new business, is the common misperception that quality in architecture equates to increased cost. To alleviate those concerns, Liquid Design bills most clients on a lump sum basis, which includes their fees – a system which frequently diminishes profitability in comparison to an hourly rate structure. “Our number one goal is to create quality architecture. It may hurt our profit margins in the short-term,” Williams concedes, “but in the long run it will pay off as we continue our growth with talented staff.”

Any financial compromises they may have made in the past are certainly not apparent on their impressive balance sheet. Liquid Design has realized substantial year-over-year growth. Revenues in 2001 quadrupled to nearly $500,000. And they have already managed to pay off their existing debt, an impressive feat for a company in its second year.

Furthermore, they have the financial where-with-all to remain guided by their creative principles. “We continue to look for opportunities to work with clients that benefit from our approach,” Williams says. “If a client wants to build a box, let’s look at how to make that the best box we can for the budget.”

While commercial and residential architecture is as cornerstone of Liquid Design’s business, their capabilities extend to two-dimensional crafts such as graphic design and web development. In Williams’ mind, offering those services aids in the long-term relationship building approach they take with clients.

As a young, creatively motivated company, with a penchant for pushing the envelope, Williams and his partners have some distinct visions for architecture in Charlotte. But as they try to infuse innovative architecture throughout the city, they realize conservative beliefs die hard.

Q&A with the Partners

Liquid Design principals Mike Standley 35, Jeffrey Gustin 34, and Michael Williams 31, on Charlotte’s architectural scene.

GCB: In what direction do you believe commercial architecture in uptown is headed?

Standley: Uptown Charlotte is at a crossroads. We are on the backside of our growth curve and no where near the explosive pace of three to four years ago. This is the time to focus on quality design and to build “smart.” By “smart,” I mean construction that meets the needs for which it was intended, contributes to the urban fabric of Charlotte, and also provides a sense of “space.” Everyone has experienced that feeling of “wow” when they enter a unique space but they probably don’t know why. As architects, we create the “wow” on a project-by-project basis but over the last ten years the construction industry has become so diluted in its goals for the general public that our sense of space is disappearing. We have to get it back.

GCB: There has been mention in the past of the reluctance to preserve Charlotte’s historic buildings. What are your thoughts on that?

Standley: History is the architect’s best friend. However, I do not believe in preservation just for the sake of preservation. Charlotte has made huge strides in recent years related to its preservation work but, unless incentives are made readily available, historically significant projects such as the Carolina Theatre will continue to disappear. Strict preservation also creates a conflict in that structures built a hundred years ago often do not meet the needs of today’s technology-driven programs. Architects need to have the freedom to modify these projects to make them suitable for use today.

GCB: Do you foresee changes with the “strip mall mentality” in retail suburban architecture?

Williams: Call me a dreamer, but yes I do — and on many different levels. But it will take a focused dedication from everyone responsible for the development of “strip malls.” We are already seeing some changes with some new mixed-use urban centers. Charlotte has to continue to refine and change its zoning regulations to help make this community pedestrian friendly and accessible. Charlotte must find ways to take its abandoned “strip malls” and make the land desirable. This might require changing the existing use completely, but if we can somehow reverse the cycle of — “build, abandon, and move further out” — it will help change the current “strip mall” mentality.

GCB: What are your thoughts on the recent surge in and design of the residential developments uptown?

Williams: I think it’s great. Uptown residents are so vital to a self-contained urban fabric. Actually the quality of life for Charlotte uptown residents is quite good. If you work uptown just think about the personal time gained by not commuting to and from work everyday. You have nightlife, dinning and the arts. Many people will say uptown doesn’t have shopping. Really, neither do the suburbs – you still have to get into a car to go to the local shops. It won’t be long before uptown does have shopping and, with the link of the first transit line towards Pineville, shopping will be extremely accessible for uptown residents.

GCB: How would you characterize the architecture in Charlotte compared to other mid-sized cities?

Gustin: While many cities build upon their history, Charlotte seems to have defined itself by its banking, growth and changing people, not its history. In response, Charlotte’s architecture has been somewhat contrived and undefined. As Charlotte continues to develop and mature it will be ultimately defined by its architecture.

John Rehkop is a Charlotte-based freelance writer.