Sense of place

Spaces matter. They ground us and lift us. They connect us to each other and to ourselves. With the right team, the right process, and the right vision, architecture can elevate our experience of the everyday and the once-in-a-lifetime.

That kind of impact is no mean feat. At Studio Combine, we know the kind of effort it requires–the stakes, the stress, and the sacrifice. We consider it a privilege to guide clients on that epic voyage from concept through completion. Our charge is to sherpa your team through the pass, shouldering your burden and easing your mind through all the ups and downs of a project’s long and winding path.

Small team, big experience

Our core team is three designers. Principal Andrew Ballard, AIA leads the firm, supported by senior designer and BIM manager Jim Zeller, Assoc. AIA. Previously colleagues at Neumann Monson Architects in Iowa City, both designers have extensive experience with large, complex projects. Studio Combine allows us to operate with more efficiency, practice with greater agility, and enjoy deeper relationships with our clients. Gautam Pradeep, Assoc. AIA joins the team as a nimble designer and visualization manager with a wealth of technical expertise. We are based in North Liberty, Iowa and work on projects locally and nationally.

An engaging process

Studio Combine thrives on complex problem-solving. Each project is different. Our mission is to guide flexible, site-sensitive design solutions that optimize program potential. We listen closely, test vigorously, and distill each iteration of discovery and exploration with clear, easily legible graphics. Internal rigor smooths the process for the rest of the project team. Discussions, workshops, and design reviews are accessible and productive. In our experience, cool heads and proven competence fosters team-wide comraderie and a shared can-do attitude, no matter how daunting the challenge.

We love what we do and our engagement extends beyond our practice at Studio Combine. We teach and review advanced architectural studios at Iowa State University’s College of Design, contribute to the regional discourse on the intersections of technology, landscape, infrastructure, and urbanism through Iowa Architect Magazine, and help build our local community through Habitat for Humanity. We are all in, with each success building a richer whole.

Relationships, research, and realization

Great projects begin with needs and notions, from the requirements of square footage to the pleasures of daily routines. Let’s see what makes this thing (and you) tick.

A vigorous design process streamlines decision-making, keeps to schedule, and turns over the appropriate stones. What surprises emerge? What strategies fit the budget? Trying, testing, and talking help sort the wheat from the chaff.

Finally, we take pains to distinguish between ‘cutting edge’ and ‘bleeding edge.’ The former–where we operate–relies on technical knowledge, skill, experience, and innovation. We stand on the shoulders of giants, not guinea pigs (nothing against guinea pigs, fyi; they’re cute, just small shoulders is all).