Laying Our Foundation
Our story began in 2003 in Charlotte, NC, when three seasoned architecture and design professionals, Wes Jones, Kim Marks and John Weller, with distinctly different talents, more than 60 years of combined experience and a 10-year history of working together, left a larger firm to create ai Design Group Inc.
The plan from the start was to offer the quality product and solutions often attributed to large firms, but with the highest level of service that can only be achieved when principals actively lead every project. Coming from one of those large firms, we were passionate about over-delivering on that vision.
Thanks to our loyal Fortune 1000 clients and an initial group of nine talented professionals who made the move with us, we embarked on a journey with one destination in mind: the intersection of good clients and great design.
Framing Our Future
After our first year in Charlotte's Historic South End, in 2003 we found our home in a prime Uptown Charlotte location on The Green, across from the Convention Center. As Charlotte continued to boom commercially, with cranes and crews transforming the Queen City into a corporate mecca, it was important for us to be at the center of the action. Our location, in the heart of the business district, has become an integral part of our identity.
Building on Our Successes
By 2006, at our three-year milestone, we now had a short but impressive history. We had built the company we envisioned, retained the clients we started with, added new ones of all sizes, tripled our staff and significantly increased revenues.
Our high profile architectural projects for automotive and motorsports giants such as Sonic Automotive and Speedway Motorsports as well as interiors work for top corporations and building management companies including Time Warner Cable and Spectrum Properties, had started to create a gratifying buzz that to us, sounded a lot like hard work paying off.
Maintaining Our Momentum
Today, more than eight years later, specialties have emerged in racing and retail. Our NASCAR work and design of the state-of-the-art ZMAX Dragway in Concord, NC have now caught the attention of international audiences. The 160,000 square-foot Ballantyne mixed-use development in South Charlotte has led to similar projects in Indiana and Hilton Head Island, SC. Our interiors practice is thriving with the completion of the Sonic Automotive Headquarters and National Board of Examiners in Optometry. Long lasting relationships with our clients as well as developer, construction and brokerage communities continue to pay off every day.
Still calling the Carolinas home, we have projects on the boards across the country. With active principal involvement on every project, we remain committed to high quality service in our ongoing pursuit of good clients and great design. We invite you to meet our most valuable asset, the team behind the work, explore our portfolio and contact us with a need or to learn more.