opportunities that appealed to Emir and many of his University of Utah classmates and led them to HKS. As a result, while their talent is always busy, organizing work across many offices can be demanding. HKS has embraced a hybrid work model since 2022, not only for design, documentation and delivery but also for the daunting tasks of managing workload, accounting and budgeting. Project leaders directly connect weekly in staffing meetings, going through every project to determine its level of needs. The firm is leveraging new technologies to connect with each other and with clients and partners. Emir observes that the design industry has evolved a lot in the last 20 years and continues to evolve. He predicts that AI will be a common tool like Revit and AutoCad, particularly to help look for precedents, methodology and materials. In the Salt Lake City office, as well as firmwide at HKS, there is a keen focus on sustainability on a holistic level. The firm became carbon neutral in 2023. “We are surely thinking about the carbon footprint, resilience and wellness to a much higher degree than in the past. Because technology has made the industry sleeker and faster, teams are smaller, and expectations have grown. Still, our design process hasn’t really changed. They are incredible tools, but you cannot design a building in a week.” The takeaway from 25 years of HKS’s success as both a regional office and local architecture firm? Leverage the strengths of having loyal clients and a wealth of professional expertise both nationally and internationally and dig your roots very deep into the community. Make it your home. Emir and Michael feel very fortunate to have contributed so significantly to Utah’s built environment. “We have been part of so many impactful projects and been able to play an integral part in the development of our city and state; we believe our body of work reflects that. We want this anniversary to be a celebration of our clients and our community,” said Michael. 13
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