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/ BUILDING DIALOGUE / DECEMBER 2016
Partner Tom Current and Principal Liz McDonald.
What stands out in the truly collaborative culture of John-
son Nathan Strohe is the number of women in leadership
roles, and the myriad growth opportunities for associates at
every level, from interns to architects. Women make up 68
percent of the firm and comprise 60 percent of its leadership.
The company is recognized by the American Institute of Ar-
chitects as one of the nation’s top three employers of female
staff. Although this has been a natural byproduct of “simply
hiring the best people,” Johnson sees this as one of the firm’s
key competitive advantages.
“If we’re not employing women andminorities, we aremiss-
ing out because we’re not tapping into the full spectrum of
knowledge and resources available,” says Johnson. “We’re bet-
ter because of the diversity in perspectives we’re able to offer.”
Strohe echoes this sentiment, noting that women are more
often the decision-makers when it comes to choosing a hotel.
Having a female perspective in the design of the project is a
valuable asset. The strong female influence allows the firm to
design so-called “soft buildings,” such as hotels and housing,
and “envision them through a female lens,” Strohe says. “De-
signing from that perspective gives us an advantage.”
/ Pragmatic Beauty Enlivens Downtown Denver Landscape /