Lessons from Grieving a Spouse and Career Setbacks By Lawrence J. "Skip" Avery, CCM, CCE, CMAA FellowDirector of Club Development, Stone Group Architects Four years ago this October, I lost my beloved wife, Monica. That loss fundamentally changed who I am and how I...
In our recent blog, How Well-Designed Recreation Centers Strengthen Communities, we explored how thoughtful planning turns public facilities into daily-use destinations that support health, connection, and community identity. The Siouxland Expo Center in Sioux City,...
A well-designed building should do more than look good. It should make the people who use it every day more efficient, comfortable and successful. A building can photograph beautifully and still be frustrating to use. An impressive lobby, striking finishes and a...
At Stone Group Architects, we believe great buildings start with a great culture — and this year, we've been living that belief out loud through a company-wide initiative called One Word. The idea traces back to author Jon Gordon, whose book One Word That Will Change...
A great project can be undermined before the first line is drawn. A site may look ideal. A building may appear to have plenty of room. A renovation may seem straightforward. However, once zoning requirements, existing conditions, budget limitations and operational...
A building can be beautiful and still fail. It can photograph well, earn compliments and check every box on a program document. Yet if guests struggle to find the entrance, employees feel disconnected from their workspace or members are not staying as long as they...
At Stone Group Architects, we believe that a well-designed facility does more than accommodate today’s needs. It creates opportunities for tomorrow’s growth. Many organizations approach facility improvements as a response to a problem: outdated spaces, limited...
There are three questions worth asking for every project, every team, every decision. Every building we design is built to serve someone. The question most of us forget to ask is whether that person will ever feel it. Not whether the program was met. Not whether the...
Stone Group Architects is proud to announce that the historic preservation and adaptive reuse project completed for the Warnock–Benson Building in downtown Sioux City, Iowa has been honored with the 2026 William J. Wagner Award. Presented by the State Historical...