Welcome to the first in what I hope will be a long-running series exploring our firm’s philosophy, process, and passion. I thought I would start off with the meaning behind our firm’s name:

There were a few reasons why the firm is not named after any individuals; the first being that my last name has been mispronounced more often than I can count. It is not a terribly difficult name to pronounce yet I am always surprised when I hear a new pronunciation or even an extra letter or two thrown in that does not belong.

Secondly, I did not want all the credit. It takes a team of individuals to make a project successful and I wanted the firm to be recognized, not just the principal, because 9 out of 10 times, the principal, while providing direction and overall support, he/she is not always the one that puts in all the work detailing the drawings.

Thirdly, I wanted a name that reflects the reason we do what we do. I have wanted to be an architect since I was eight years old. I’ve always loved to draw, design, and build.  It is a passion that continues to this day. In my spare time I would draw floor plans and exteriors of houses, random buildings, anything that was an interest to me. The pencil was an extension of my mind. Still to this day, anytime I think of a clever design detail, I immediately grab a pen and paper to get it out of my head. The construction process always fascinated me, but I would always try to figure out why the building was designed the way it was, how connections to the supports were made, or if it could be designed better to create a more intimate experience for the users. So, I wanted a name that reflected my passion and a name that would last through the years, not a quirky, trendy name that would go out of style in a few years. After searching architecture books, generators, and even other languages, I found MERAKI—a Greek word that means:

“The soul, creativity, or love put into something; the essence of yourself that you put into your work.”

That one word captured everything I’d been chasing. It perfectly fits the design philosophy of our firm, and I believe it sets us apart from others because we treat each project as if it were our own, making it more personal. When you make something more personal, you are more aware of budgets, issues that need to be addressed, and you immerse yourself into the design to get a better feel how the space will be perceived by others. It also describes the way I try to explain construction details to my staff (hopefully they will agree). I do not just redline drawings and details and have them pick up the corrections, I take the time to explain why details have to be a certain way with sketches and thorough explanations. I want them to learn as much as they can so they can feel as enthusiastic as I am about architecture.

The point is, I love what I do, I love designing structures, spaces, even furniture. Architecture is more than just designing beautiful buildings—it’s about solving problems in meaningful spaces. At MERAKI, we treat every project as personal, because that’s where creativity and care thrive. Thanks for being part of our story.

Meraki has the same, or similar meaning throughout several languages. Latin, Japanese, Indian, etc., and has even been dissected by some to note that it contains the word Ki (Sanskrit, Hebrew, Chinese & Korean) which is translated to “vital energy” and is further described as “the nucleus where the meaning of life condenses.”  Ki is the Life Force that flows through every living organism, and it expresses the continuous desire to learn and grow.¹

OK. That got a little too deep. I actually just found the “Ki” part out recently and that had no bearing on the naming of my firm, yet it still fits.

 #ArchitectureWithHeart #ClevelandArchitecture #DesignWithPurpose  #ArchitectureStudioLife #SmallFirmBigImpact #ArchitectsOfInstagram

¹Excerpt taken from “The magic of the word Meraki: a thought on the difference between working just using rationality or adding the heart.” By Cristiana Mescalchin