ABOUT
FREIHEIT Architecture partners
with developers and private sector owners to design commercial environments to improve the communities we live in.
Our work ranges between complex mixed-use high-rise towers to tenant improvements, from master planning to post construction services. Our multi-faceted design strategies are built upon lessons learned from serving as advocates to owners, tenants, and end-users. Our project approach is very pragmatic, attentive to restraints set by time, budget, and jurisdictional requirements, and working within this framework to find creative ways to reach goals and add value. With the growing options and complexity of the built environment, we believe that collaboration and bringing the right team to the table is invaluable. We value simplicity, tend to be plain speaking, and prefer to roll up our sleeves and get things done in a no non-sense fashion.
OUR SERVICES
Full Service Architectural Design
Master Planning & Zoning Analysis
Interior Design & Tenant Improvements
Programming & Space Planning
Feasibility Studies & Entitlements
Retail Strategy, Prototype Design, & Multi-Site Rollouts
Value Engineering & Sustainability Strategies
Our Values
FREIHEIT Architecture is defined by the projects and relationships, focused around an ethos that makes up the core of our culture. Every action we take centers around these qualities.
BE CONTINUOUSLY CURIOUS
We see every challenge as an opportunity to expand our knowledge base. If we don’t know the answer, we find the resources, develop the tools, and uncover the solution to the problem. We are audacious in our explorations and tenacious in our pursuit of expertise.
BE CONTINUOUSLY CURIOUS
We believe in doing good at all times – for ourselves and for others. We commit to the right choice even if it is not the easy choice. We apply critical scrutiny in evaluation of each decision and display unwavering dedication to improving our communities.
KNOW YOURSELF
We are true to our beliefs, passions, and values. We know what we are good at and what challenges us. We capitalize on our strengths to overcome our weaknesses. In the end, it’s not about what we have, it’s about what we do with what we have.
REACH BACK TO LIFT THE NEXT ONE UP
We take every opportunity to educate our colleagues in the practice of architecture and every opportunity to educate our clients in the process of architecture. We are a cohesive team that works together to achieve a common goal. We place great value on this team.
OBSESS LIKE A CLIENT
We approach every project from the perspective of our client. We obsess over every detail and seek solutions that optimize the success of our projects. We see every project as an opportunity to create something special no matter how big or how small.
DO WHAT YOU SAY
We follow through with our commitments without hesitation and are not afraid to reach beyond our comfort level. We embrace the inevitability of mistakes but when push comes to shove, we own our mistakes, learn from them, and improve for our next task.
ASPIRE TO THE IDEAL
We insist on the highest standards and take pride in results. We are passionate about what we do and work every day to be the best versions of ourselves. We are never satisfied with ‘good enough’. Only the best work is marked with the FREIHEIT logo.
EVERYONE SWEEPS THE FLOOR
We all pitch in and count on one another to do what is necessary to make our team thrive and lead our projects to success.
Our History
Founded in 1985 as Freiheit & Ho Architects, our firm grew quickly based on the leadership of the founding partners Richard Freiheit and Lawrence Ho who built the practice upon the belief that attention to exceptional client service was paramount. From the original focus on office, retail, and industrial projects, our firm has continued to expand its portfolio in the multi-family, mixed-use and hospitality sectors. We have also added capabilities of master planning, sustainable design and interior design.
After the retirement of the founding partners, the firm name was simplified to FREIHEIT Architecture. FREIHEIT means “Freedom” in German, and embodies the notion that anything is possible.
Dustin Thorlakson, Jen Caudle, Michael Langston, and Chris Amonson currently form the partnership that leads the firm ahead. Today, we enjoy being a mid-sized firm that allows us the freedom to give custom attention yet have the resources to support larger efforts.
“Regardless of the project type, we appreciate their collaborative approach to making projects successful. Freiheit is a trusted partner and it is our pleasure to bring their designs to life.”
