Dane Suchoza and Becky Stambaugh, President/Principal, Michael Graves
In an interview with Invest:, Dane Suchoza, president of Michael Graves’ Charlotte studio, discussed the firm’s early milestones, unique market opportunities in Charlotte, the responsibility in large-scale projects, and the architecture and design studio’s expansion plans for the coming years. Principal Becky Stambaugh also joined the discussion to provide her insights.
What have been the key milestones or achievements for Michael Graves Architecture with the opening of the Charlotte studio?
Dane Suchoza: The milestones for us are still unfolding as we’re in the rollout phase, but a few stand out already. For instance, we’ve met with several prominent national developers about potential projects in Charlotte. Although I can’t name them, these are large, mixed-use developers who are seriously interested in the Charlotte market, and we’re aligning some key sites with their visions. Essentially, we’re showcasing Charlotte’s potential, and the response has been phenomenal, almost intimidating, given the scale of the projects being discussed.
Another major milestone is the impact of the Michael Graves brand here. I’ve been working in Charlotte for nearly 40 years, and this brand opens doors in a way that’s really different. The conversations aren’t about fees or experience, they’re about design excellence and how clients can get involved in what Graves has to offer. That’s a transformative shift.
Becky Stambaugh: I’m experiencing that firsthand. It’s been clear from the beginning that this brand changes the dialog. Not only are clients and potential clients excited to work with us, but our competitors have also been incredibly welcoming. I was just speaking with a firm in California that’s eager to collaborate on new projects. Across the board, the reception has been overwhelmingly positive.
What unique opportunities does the Charlotte market present for Michael Graves?
DS: Charlotte presents a unique combination of growth and connectivity that makes it an ideal market for our approach. We’re bringing in a national and even international design perspective, but grounding it with local expertise — both Becky and I have extensive experience here and understand Charlotte’s growth trajectory. Take the Charlotte Douglas Airport, for example. Its exponential growth has made it a key hub for business development and connectivity, which mirrors Charlotte’s expanding influence. As Charlotte grows outward, it’s becoming the central node for the entire region.
With Michael Graves’ legacy, we’re well-positioned to pursue several significant opportunities here, especially in sectors like transportation and mixed-use residential projects. Charlotte has good architectural firms, but what sets us apart is our firm’s 60 years of experience in dense urban environments. For instance, we’re industry leaders in converting office buildings into residential spaces, a trend that’s gaining traction post-COVID as the demand for office space evolves. We’ve successfully done this in cities like Baltimore and D.C., and now we’re bringing that expertise to Charlotte. Beyond large-scale mixed-use and transportation projects, we’re also focused on the public sector. The influx of federal funding has led to growth in civic projects across counties, with new police stations, fire stations and jail expansions. Our goal is to support this dynamic growth while consistently prioritizing design excellence.
How has your team’s involvement in major projects like the airport’s lobby expansion shaped your approach to transformational designs in this market?
DS: Projects of this scale have two main demands: technical expertise and social dynamics. To succeed, you need the right talent, design skills and experience at the table from day one, because it involves an extensive network of stakeholders. With the airport project, we collaborated with multiple architectural and consulting firms, the city, airport operators and a wide range of users, from airlines to retail partners. Managing a project like this requires constant communication, responsiveness and flexibility — it’s as much a social endeavor as it is technical. Design, when you think about it, is inherently a social process. It’s not a one-way street; it’s a conversation. Projects like the Terminal Lobby Expansion remind us that effective design requires alignment among diverse voices, and that collaboration is essential to delivering on large-scale visions.
With projects of this magnitude, there’s a tremendous responsibility to the community, one we don’t take lightly. While I’m not the only lead on these projects — there are other companies and leaders involved — I was responsible for assembling the initial design team, so I feel a deep connection to the project’s direction. When you’re entrusted with a commission of this scale, you have to recognize the long-term investment it represents for the city of Charlotte. If we don’t fully understand and respect that responsibility, it’s the community that stands to lose. When working with public funds and county resources, we’re not here to impose our vision but to reveal what’s already inherently needed and wanted by the community. It’s about collaboration and respect, ensuring we create something that truly serves Charlotte.
BS: A project of this magnitude isn’t just significant for us but for the entire community. It brings a level of responsibility and commitment that we’re proud to uphold. The success of the airport project sets a high standard, and we’re driven to continue delivering at that level of excellence. It’s deeply rewarding to contribute to something with such an impact on Charlotte and its surrounding areas, and it reinforces our dedication to designing meaningful spaces for the community.
How are you applying Michael Graves’ human-centric design approach in Charlotte, and how has the community responded?
DS: As I’ve matured in my career, I’ve come to recognize the importance of starting each project by exploring the cultural and geographical influences unique to the area. My involvement with Michael Graves has reinforced this approach; they bring a depth of storytelling and a commitment to understanding community needs before any design work begins. Becky and I have embraced this process, beginning each project with conversations to uncover the community’s specific needs and desires before drawing a single line. This exploration sets the foundation for a successful, site-responsive project. This method prevents us from imposing designs that don’t belong here — no “drop-ins” from other markets. Instead, it allows us to develop designs that align with the local culture and environment, fulfilling the unique needs of Charlotte. This process of cultural and geographic exploration before conceptual design is crucial. Without it, the final product risks falling short.
Another principle that ties everything together is experiential design. At Michael Graves, we’re not just focused on making buildings look good; we’re creating spaces that offer meaningful experiences. The design process is organic, it evolves through dialog, and the vision takes shape through collaborative ideation. Organic design doesn’t just mean a building looks like it belongs in a natural setting. It’s about creating a process where ideas and solutions grow naturally from interaction and engagement with stakeholders. There’s no prototype; each project is a one-off. In this process, our role as designers is to lead the conversation, to bring everyone together, and to challenge ideas. By respecting the input of all stakeholders, we foster an environment where everyone feels invested in the outcome, creating a design that’s both responsive and rooted in the community.
BS: One area where the Michael Graves approach really shines is in senior living, a sector where designing for the human spirit is essential. Senior housing demands a thoughtful approach to how people interact with their environments. Michael Graves’ legacy is about creating spaces that genuinely engage and uplift people, which resonates perfectly with the needs in senior living. There’s a real opportunity here to introduce designs that cater not just to functionality but to residents’ emotional and social needs, which I believe this market is ready to embrace.
What challenges do you see in the Charlotte market, and what strategies do you have in place to navigate them?
DS: Charlotte, like much of North Carolina, has a tradition of commissioning public buildings with local firms, which can create hesitancy toward outside firms like ours. To address this, we’re not approaching Charlotte as outsiders; we’re building a local presence. That’s why establishing the Charlotte office is so critical: it lets us leverage Michael Graves’ national and international expertise while rooting our team locally. One of our biggest challenges is helping clients envision the value that our firm brings. Navigating this challenge requires us to go beyond typical discussions about cost and scale. We’re shifting the conversation to design excellence, project ROI, and the experiences we can bring from global projects. Our goal is to demonstrate that we’re here to collaborate and to elevate Charlotte’s design landscape, not to replace local talent, but to enhance it.
BS: It’s about showing clients what’s possible. Many clients know what they want, but they may not realize what they could have with the level of resources and design depth we bring. We approach every project as a unique opportunity to bring new perspectives to the Charlotte market, and we’re excited by how well that has been received so far.
What are the top priorities for Michael Graves Architecture’s Charlotte studio in the next two to three years?
DS: Our immediate priority is expanding our physical presence. We’re in the process of finding a larger space and are looking to build out the team with new hires. While it might be tempting to bring in staff quickly to meet demand, we’re being selective in hiring to ensure we bring on people who align with our values and approach. Although we have resources from other locations that we can leverage as needed, we’re focused on creating a dedicated team here in Charlotte. We also prioritize a physical studio environment where team members collaborate face-to-face. While remote work is allowed as needed, we emphasize in-person teamwork to foster the kind of close-knit units that can consistently deliver high-quality, cohesive work. Ideally, we’ll create one or two of these core Charlotte units in 2024. These teams will be focused on the Charlotte market but will also be capable of taking on projects nationwide and internationally, as many of our clients prefer the work to be done locally.
BS: Our hiring needs cover all areas of expertise. We’re not just looking for architects, we’re seeking strategic thinkers, technical staff, marketing professionals, renderers and designers. It’s a truly collaborative effort, and we want to build a team that represents the best of what we can offer across every aspect of design and project execution.
