LSW Architects has been rooted in Clark County for the last 66 years, first opening its doors in Vancouver in 1955. Ever since then, the highly entrepreneurial organization has been working hard to make a positive impact through innovative design. The firm has a rich heritage connecting to educational architecture and has had the honor of designing many K-12 schools around Southwest Washington. LSW Architects also assists with multi-family and mixed-used projects, affordable housing and urban master planning.
Today, the company has a professional staff of around 50 people, and they serve clients around Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado and Montana. One thing is certain – the firm has built an outstanding reputation for quality design and its ability to support and uplift the local community.
“Vancouver and the greater SW Washington area is our home,” said Esther Liu, president and principal at LSW Architects. “We’ve grown and forged invaluable relationships here. It’s especially important that we leverage our experience and skills to focus on problem solving and service, especially as the city navigates so much change and growth.”
When the pandemic hit, the team at LSW Architects viewed the obstacles and challenges ahead of them as opportunities in disguise. They got creative and rallied together to serve clients, while staying flexible and adaptable. But the change was real, and it is something they are still working through.
“This experience has changed us,” Liu said. “I think that’s really important. Even with good systems in place to close the physical gap (at least in a functional way) through technology, we’ve learned so much … from the ripple effects of the pandemic. It has forced us to talk about mental health, scheduling, race and so many issues that can be sidelined when everything is operating under ‘business as usual.’ The upshot is that we’re unlocking new life-giving ways of doing things that would have seemed unrealistic before we were forced to rethink our norms.”
Looking at the future, Liu explains that the firm will continue to do its part in taking on projects that focus on benefitting the community for the long term.
“We see this as a critical time of growth across the region – and we want to continue doing everything we can to support and help shape it in a way that makes it the best place it can be,” Liu said.
LSW Architects is located at 610 Esther St., Suite 200, in Vancouver.
LSW Architects is one of the Vancouver Business Journal’s Strategic Partners. To find out more about our Strategic Partner program and how to become a Strategic Partner, contact Steve McDonagh at smcdonagh@vbjusa.com.
