Introduction
David Crabtree, an architect and design leader in Charlotte, North Carolina, joins Jack Ossa on The Power of Design Podcast for a conversation about how architecture is conceived, over a bourbon tasting that David brought to the recording. Jack, who worked with David on projects in Charlotte, calls him one of the best designers he has worked with.
The talk covers when to stop designing, how to avoid trends, what a "big idea" does for a project and what David has learned from the buildings he has designed.
About the Episode
David explains that he knows a design is ready to stop when a big idea resonates with the client, the program, the people and the brand story. He tries to find that idea in the first third of the concept phase, because the rest of the time is needed to develop it. He also shares small tricks, such as turning a floor plan 180 degrees to see it freshly.
He and Jack then discuss style. David describes his approach as reflexive modernism, based on the client, site, place and context, and says he is fine with a project having a style but not with a city or client dictating one. They compare prescriptive style rules with performance-based requirements, and Jack adds that a building is a written language of its own.
David talks about his path: first working in construction and earning a contractor's license in Florida, then design-build work, then studying architecture, where he says he had to unlearn a lot. He worked at Architects Design Group in Florida, later at Perkins&Will, and moved to Charlotte. He describes the first project where he took initiative, a small fire station, how it taught him that putting in time to tell a story has value, and what he learned from the Corning headquarters and a police headquarters about depth and proportion. They close with the power of story in mixed-use and workplace design, and why emotional connection helps a client defend the design.
Key Takeaways
- Find the big idea early: in a short concept phase, the first third should produce the idea that the rest of the time develops.
- Change the way you work: when a design stalls, switch modes, such as 3D models, sections or turning the plan.
- Let the project, not a trend, set the style: dig into the client, brand, site and context so the building comes from its place.
- Performance beats prescription: requirements such as pedestrian scale and ground-floor transparency leave room for design; a short list of approved styles does not.
- Be diligent: David's early initiative on a small project turned into trust from his principal.
- Proportion and substance matter: thin walls and shallow window openings can make a building look flat, so depth should be protected in the details.
- A strong story helps a project get built: when the client connects emotionally with the idea, they defend it during value engineering.
Highlights from the Conversation
I think I know when to stop once you have a big idea, and I know that's a cliche, but something that resonates with the client, with the program, with the people, with their brand story, and that's what makes it easy to stop.
David Crabtree
I don't mind things having a style, but I do mind it being told what style it's going to be.
David Crabtree
Architecture is a written text of what you believe, the built text of what you believe, good or bad.
David Crabtree
Topics Discussed
- Knowing when to stop designing
- The big idea and early concept work
- Style, trends and reflexive modernism
- Municipal style codes and performance-based design
- Moving from construction to architecture
- Lessons from built projects: depth, proportion and thinness
- Storytelling in mixed-use and workplace projects
- Mentoring and giving opportunities to others
Why This Conversation Matters
David's focus on a clear idea, on understanding place and on getting the details right is the kind of thinking behind good architecture. In our own work, the Cunningham Office Building and First in Flight show how a clear concept, an understanding of context and attention to construction come together in office and industrial buildings.
About the Guest
David Crabtree is an architect and design principal listed as Principal at Hive Workshop. During his career he has led design at firms in Florida and Charlotte, including Architects Design Group and Perkins&Will, and has worked on corporate, civic and mixed-use projects. Connect with him on LinkedIn or learn more at Hive Workshop.
