+ OUR STORY
cotton (verb): to get along with; to come to a full understanding of; to build a relationship with
Cotton Architecture + Design was founded on the principles that shared success can be achieved through building meaningful connections and working with a passionate team brought together by a common vision. After accumulating years of experience across other companies, Ryan Short and Steve Goodman branched out on their own to start Cotton Architecture + Design in 2019, built on the idea that these strong, genuine relationships are the foundations for collaboration and growth. They believed that trust, connection, and partnership are key to creating long-term relationships and achieving consistent results.
Cotton Architecture + Design originally specialized in healthcare projects, with experience spanning over multiple decades across numerous facilities and practice types. Ryan and Steve both worked on a wide array of healthcare projects at large architecture firms in the past, including behavioral health facilities, surgery centers, and medical clinics, gaining valuable experience across diverse design challenges. This broad expertise fueled their desire to expand into a larger variety of project types, ultimately leading them to start their own company. Today, Cotton Architecture + Design is proud to go wherever our work takes us, providing services in the healthcare, industrial, and commercial market sectors across the United States. We are grateful to have this opportunity to expand the scope of our work due to the lasting relationships we have built and look forward to creating new ones.
+ OUR PHILOSOPHY
Cotton Architecture + Design approaches every project with agility, focus, and a fresh perspective unconstrained by traditional solutions or rigid processes. One of Cotton’s defining qualities is our ability to offer the best of both worlds: the nimbleness and personal attention of a small firm, combined with the experience and know-how often found in larger firms. This allows our team to tailor their approach to fit the unique needs of each client and each project, ensuring that every design is not only successful but also aligns with each client’s vision. This also gives us the opportunity to allow firm principals to have hands-on involvement on each project, regardless of scale.
Collaboration is at the heart of Cotton Architecture + Design’s process. We pride ourselves on achieving shared success by bringing together a talented team and aligning their strengths. This collaborative approach leads to designs executed with a high level of sensitivity, pragmatic approaches, and technical expertise. From the initial concept to the final build, Cotton focuses on developing a strategy that prioritizes creating and cultivating lasting relationships. These relationships are the foundation of our practice and allow us to do what we do best and look ahead. We see a future where our work goes beyond architecture and design, becoming the essence that creates an unbreakable bond between people and place.