Project Architect

Role Overview

Project Architects are senior members of CO Adaptive’s architecture team who lead the translation of design intent into coordinated, code-compliant, and constructible documentation. They guide internal design teams, coordinate with consultants, and the AHJ and ensure that every design decision reflects CO Adaptive’s values of creative reuse, low carbon, energy efficiency, healthy materials, and design for disassembly. Working closely with the Project Manager, Integration Lead, Senior Designers and Principals, Project Architects create drawings and details which align design excellence with constructibility, cost, and performance. They mentor junior team members, refine standards, and ensure that lessons learned in the field continuously inform design practice.

Core Responsibilities

• Design Leadership + Documentation
• Lead the development of coordinated, buildable documentation through all project phases.
• Review and guide detailing, assemblies, and specifications to ensure technical accuracy and adherence to CO Adaptive’s standards.
• Conduct code and zoning reviews; integrate regulatory compliance into design decisions.
• Cover consultant input (structural, MEP, energy, etc.) for alignment with design and client goals.
• Coordinate consultant input and ensure alignment with budget and performance targets.
• Establish prioritization of decisions needed from Clients, in concert with the Project Manager, to ensure effective layering and coordination.
• Capture and document assemblies, details, and materials for inclusion in the CO Adaptive Standards Library.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of QA/QC processes, BIM standards, and template documentation.
• Integration with Build Team
• Collaborate early and continuously with the Integration Lead, and Lead Carpenters to ensure constructibility, sequencing, and cost awareness are incorporated into CO Adaptive drawing sets.
• Support trade partner coordination through review of submittals, shop drawings, and Requests for Information (RFIs).
• Participate in site reviews during construction to verify adherence to design intent and gather lessons learned.
• Client + Consultant Communication
• Serve as a knowledgeable technical resource for clients and consultants, maintaining clarity in communication and documentation.
• Prepare or review visualizations, diagrams, and presentations for client communication and regulatory submissions.
• Maintain documentation of decisions, design changes, and coordination outcomes in Confluence.
• Mentorship + Collaboration
• Delegate effectively to Designers, Senior Designers, fostering growth and skill development across the team.
• Depending on specific Project Team size, collaborate closely with the Project Manager to align design priorities with schedule, budget, and client expectations.
• Engage in internal reviews, project or scope de-briefs, and lessons-learned sessions to enhance practice-wide learning.
• Phase-Specific Responsibilities
• Schematic Design
• Conduct zoning and code feasibility reviews; support early constructibility and pricing conversations.
• Align schematic concepts with CO Adaptive’s design values and carbon reduction goals.
• Collaborate with the Integration Lead to identify potential material, system, and sequencing efficiencies early.
• Design Development
• Drive technical development of assemblies, materials, and systems.
• Coordinate consultant input and ensure alignment with budget and performance targets.
• Integrate feedback from Integration Lead, Lead Carpenters and trade partners into documentation.
• Establish prioritization of decisions needed from Clients, in concert with the Project Manager, to ensure effective layering and coordination.
• Construction Documentation
• Lead the production of complete, coordinated contract documents.
• Oversee QA/QC to maintain accuracy, clarity, and adherence to standards.
• Ensure documentation reflects constructible solutions aligned with cost and sustainability objectives.
• Construction Administration
• Review submittals, shop drawings, and RFIs for consistency with design intent.
• Conduct periodic site visits and participate in page-turns or punch list reviews.
• Support project closeout and contribute lessons learned to practice documentation.

Success in this Role Requires

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture (licensure preferred).
• 5-8 years of professional experience with increasing responsibility in project coordination and documentation.
• Expertise in code research, detailing, and consultant coordination.
• Proven ability to lead teams through design and documentation phases with technical rigor and collaborative leadership.
• Clear, professional communication across disciplines, knowing when to escalate and when to problem-solve independently.
• Proficiency in Revit and familiarity with integrated delivery tools (Airtable, Confluence, Bluebeam).
• A mindset rooted in accountability, inclusivity, and systems thinking—valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion in daily practice, with attention to both big-picture goals and technical detail.
• Embodies CO Adaptive’s core values: creative reuse, low-carbon design, energy efficiency, healthy materials, and design for disassembly, while questioning the status quo, valuing time, and appreciating the beauty of process.

Reporting + Collaboration

• Reports to: Principals
• Collaborates with: Project Managers, Lead Carpenters, Integration Lead
• Delegates to: Senior Designers, Designers
• Keeps informed: PM on coordination issues, design clarifications, and major design changes

Application

Please apply at coadaptive.co/connect!