TZL 1554 (web)

HEADQUARTERS: Seattle, WA NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 415 YEAR FOUNDED: 1971 OFFICE LOCATIONS: 7 MARKETS: Affordable housing; EV/automotive; experiential retail; financial institutions; food, beverage & entertainment; high- rise; hospitality; industrial & cold storage; interiors; large-format retail, mixed-use; multifamily; office; retail development; specialty retail SERVICES: Architecture, master planning, program management, cost management, design prototyping & guidelines, LEED sustainable design & specifications, interior design, environmental graphic design, casework & fixture design, space planning, and visual merchandising. MG2 Advisory Services include macro trends analysis, behavioral insights, brand & operational analysis, digital engagement strategy, competitive benchmarking, targeted Focus Groups, Qualitative Surveys, Field Studies, SME Interviews, White- space Differentiation, vision & positioning, design exploration recommendations, experience attributes and optimizations, future testing framework

MG2’s 6 Corners Lofts project in Chicago combines mixed-use innovation with historic revitalization.

programs through a data-driven lens using general and proprietary data, consumer insights, etc. to peer into the future, offering not just who the consumer is and what they want to buy today, but also what, where, and how they will shop down the road. “We’re constantly evolving and growing and that energizes the whole firm,” Hazzard says. In its commercial work, which includes multi- family residential, high-rise, hospitality, and mixed-use markets, MG2 contributes to the urban environment. This gives teams in all seven offices the opportunity to contribute to the urban and built environments where they work and live. “Our employees say there’s nothing like walking down the street with family or friends and pointing to an MG2 project. Whether they’re in marketing or architecture, design or finance, they’re proud to have played a part,” he says. ACQUISITION MEETS NATIONAL NEED. MG2 recently acquired Oregon-based Studio C Architecture to expand their housing market. For the next 20 to 30 years, this will be a growth sector. “We recognize the fact that housing is a nationwide need,” Hazzard says. “And, we wanted to expand our commercial work into affordable and senior housing too. So, in addition to a passion for their projects, Studio C principals Jim Walker, AIA, and Brian Bennett, AIA, bring an expertise that immediately adds depth to the housing market that we are already working in.” Moving forward, MG2 is prepared to continue to create transformative experiences for its clients and staff, alike.

ENERGIZED GROWTH, from page 9

“There was a time – in fact, I was in school – when there were 90 percent men and only 10 percent women earning architecture degrees. Universities made a big decision in the ‘80s and ‘90s to recruit women, and today the ratio is closer to 50-50. In fact, MG2’s leadership team skews female with women holding the positions of chief financial officer, chief operating officer, and chief branding officer,” he says. On the flip side, he shares that, as a profession, they have not been very successful with the DEI quotient for Black, indigenous, and people of color. “To improve that number, we have to start at the base,” he says. MG2 is involved in the curriculum of Howard University and engaged with recruiting and studio support at Florida A&M University. They have also set up an endowment with Howard. SUPPORTING CLIENT GROWTH. Retail is at MG2’s foundation. The company works with major retail corporations such as Costco, Target, and Home Depot and these major U.S. retailers make decisions that affect huge numbers of people across the country and around the world. “They have their own corporate goals and growth programs, and we take pride in partnering with them to, for example, introduce innovative ways to be more efficient or offer new design ideas to be more effective, that will help them meet their goals. Supporting their growth is exciting,” Hazzard says. Its new MG2 Advisory looks at retail

THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 23, 2024, ISSUE 1554

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