Our work grows from the land—enhancing, connecting to, and at times repairing the natural landscape. Our buildings create a heightened awareness of the land and a strong connection to the environment. We consistently explore how the light of a specific region enlivens a space, brushes a wall, and animates materials. We embrace the nature of materials and find inspiration in the simplicity of industrial and agricultural buildings. We find fresh solutions for traditional problems. Our design process seeks contextual cues at many levels, from a neighborhood to the region. Our goal is to stitch together fragments—to mend, connect, and make more vibrant and livable communities. Our buildings blur the line between indoors and out through spaces that expand beyond their walls to form outdoor rooms. Spaces between buildings are as important as the buildings themselves. Environmental issues have always been central to our design approach. By employing sustainable strategies, we design architecture that conserves energy and natural resources, while creating high performance buildings and healthy built environments. Lake|Flato designed the first LEED Platinum for new construction project in Texas and Indiana’s first LEED Gold for new construction. In 2006 and 2007, three Lake|Flato projects were selected as Top Ten Green Projects by the national AIA Committee on the Environment. A fourth will be awarded in May 2009.