NCET Biz Tips: From Hotels to Stadiums - Building Beyond Style

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We see it daily, whether running an errand, taking a road trip, or watching TV.

Architecture and building designs that capture our attention.

Most of us don’t give much thought to how these innovative designs and memorable spaces are created. Yet unsung architectural firms are often behind iconic spaces you remember nationwide.

One such architectural studio based in Reno is OneStudio D+A. Their project resume includes major hotels and casinos, office parks, community and retail centers, convention and meeting space, restaurants and bars, medical facilities, and the recent remodel of Greater Nevada Field, home of our Triple-A Reno Aces of the Pacific Coast League.

How did it all start? OneStudio D+A was established in 1983 as Morris and Brown Architects in Las Vegas. Initially focused on hospitality and gaming design, the firm grew and opened a second location in Reno. In 2006, the firm became MBA Architecture + Interior Design and officially moved its headquarters to Reno and expanded into new sectors. In 2020, MBA rebranded to OneStudio D+A, and 3 additional partners were added.

Today, OneStudio D+A has 6 registered architects, 5 registered interior designers, 5 project managers, and 4 support staff. The firm is run as a studio with a strong culture built on a fundamental belief that collaboration and exceptional design result in thoughtful and functional spaces that form a sustainable identity for their clients. 

You may be asking what value-add architectural firms bring to the project table. First and foremost, architectural firms like OneStudio D+A transform visions into sustainable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing realities. OneStudio D+A benefits its clients with creative vision and innovation, efficient and functional design, problem-solving and flexibility, technology and innovation integration, sustainability and environmental impact, risk mitigation, and more.

OneStudio D+A has certainly been recognized for its innovative work. Here are just a few recent awards.

  • 2024 ASID CA/NV ANDYZ Award for Best Hospitality Space and Best Commercial Space

  • 2024 NAIOP NN Architecture Firm of the Year, Hospitality Tenant Improvement of the Year and Healthcare Tenant Improvement of the Year

  • 2023 Boutique Design Magazine Gold Key Award Finalist

  • 2022 BANN Banner Award – Interior Design Award

Success does not come without its challenges.

OneStudio D+A states our local design community is starved for young, qualified design professionals with accredited degrees.

Although the Nevada region has long been a pipeline of new talent graduating from local universities and colleges in architecture or interior design, Nevada has no accredited Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) program. Our Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) Bachelor’s of Architecture is in its infancy. The TMCC has been accepted as eligible for candidacy for accreditation through the National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAB) as of December 2022. This means the first graduating class will be in Spring 2025. Yet only then will the NAAB be eligible to apply for accreditation.

How is OneStudio D+A overcoming that challenge?

Many members of OneStudio D+A staff are committed to advancing TMCC’s BArch degree path. Staff is volunteering their time through teaching courses, supporting the curriculum, and attending and hosting student events and activities.

Is there a question that people often ask OneStudio D+A?

Yes. That question is, “What kind of work do you do? The answer? A little bit of everything already mentioned above. OneStudio D+A has leveraged its early experience in the hospitality and gaming experience to a range of projects that involve large and complex facilities that integrate a wide range of functions.

Is there a question that OneStudio D+A wishes people would ask them?  That question would be, “How can holistic design services elevate my space? The answer is weaving brand direction into the core services of architecture and interior design. This is where the magic happens, creating spaces that elevate beauty and functional space into a one-of-a-kind, engaging environment.

OneStudio D+A is one architectural firm that can be counted on to transform visions into sustainable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing reality.

NCET Tech Wednesday, November 13, is your opportunity to learn more about OneStudio D+A.

Sign up early for OneStudio D+A’s presentation from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. with networking from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. During your visit, you will see and hear about:

  • The $4 million Greater Nevada Field renovation project started in early 2023 to continue attracting visitors, fostering community engagement, and breathing new life into one of Reno’s downtown anchors.

  • The renovation of all 20 private/corporate suites and owner’s suite, reimaging of the right field berm, update of the bullpen deck and baseball mountain, modernization of the Kid’s Zone, concession stand updates, addition of food/vendor outlets, more hospitality and picnic areas, renovation of the Aces Team Store, and so much more.

So don’t be late. Register now by visiting NCET.org.

Bill Leonard is VP of Communications at NCET and a ghostwriter for startup founders, business leaders, and consultants who seek to boost their influence and authority. Connect with Bill at linkedin.com/in/billleonardusa. NCET produces education and networking events to help people explore business and technology.

NCET Biz TipsBill Leonard