Commercial Architecture

MDS brings deep commercial architecture experience shaped by work at leading firms—a foundation we’re proud of. The principles of clarity, efficiency, and purposeful design continue to guide our approach. We’ve supported numerous developer clients with creative solutions for complex sites, and commercial architecture remains a key focus of our practice today.

  • The project is a 4 story school housing classrooms, simulation laboratories, learning commons, quiet study area and offices. The complicated program disallowed stacking of most functions. The plans were organized to allow a consistent structural system and core to work for every floor. The owner expressed the desire for an energy conscious building that provided a comfortable, day-lit interior environment. It incorporates active slabs, raised floors, solar chimneys, operable windows and fixed and operable exterior sunshades to achieve the client’s goals.

    I was the associate principal designer. I developed the initial concept imagery, was responsible for building planning, core planning and exterior wall design and detailing, and oversaw the entire project design.

I've had the pleasure of working as a climate engineer with Rob on a variety of projects. Rob has the exceptional capability of focus on design quality at all scales, ranging from challenging the very nature of building types with his live/work tower proposal, to massing and space planning, to development of design details. He is collaborative and open to multiple perspectives, seeking to synthesize them into a single appropriate solution, and I look forward to every chance we have to work together.

-Erik Olsen, Transsolar Klimaengineering

  • A proposal for a mixed-use development of apartments and serviced apartments adjacent to New York University, Abu Dhabi. The planning is based on traditional middle eastern “Fareej” principles: a series of public, semi-public and private spaces that organize residential planning.

    I was the associate principal designer. I developed the initial concept image and building planning.

  • Sustainable residential master plan comprised of several simple walk-up buildings and a central clubhouse. The design is intended to impact the landscape as little as possible, using a modular sustainable, net zero walkup building design that is repeated across the site. It produces its own energy and collects rainwater for irrigation of the landscape.

    I was the design principal. I developed the initial concept image, site and building planning, and oversaw the entire project design.

  • Space for indoor football and baseball fields, batting cages, sport shop, locker rooms and other support spaces. The design is based on the image of a butterfly swimming stroke, composed of simple gable roof structures. I was the design principal for the project.

  • A 25,000 SM office tower for a Dubai bank, this building is a curved bar with a three-story rhythm of accessible exterior gardens that add visual interest. The east and west facades are comprised of a shading system modeled after expanded metal, albeit on a very large scale.

    I was the associate principal designer. I developed the initial concept imagery, was responsible for building planning, core planning and exterior wall design and detailing, and oversaw the entire project design.

  • A proposal for an eight-building office complex near the Hongqiao Airport in Shanghai. Groups of two buildings share central atrium lobbies; auto courts with trellis roofs provide shade and a grand sense of entrance.

    I was the associate principal designer. I developed the initial concept imagery, was responsible for building planning, core planning and exterior wall design and detailing, and oversaw the entire project design.

  • This project is a 4 story corporate headquarters and operations building for the HUB Group, an intermodal transit company. The ground floor contains the executive branch, a small conference center and a deli. There is one level of below-grade parking.

    The client desired a transparent, sustainable building to reflect their company’s values. It incorporates a high-performance unitized glass curtain wall system with custom ceramic frit patterns. A steel trellis and perforated stainless steel screen wall form a fold that wraps the east and south sides. The building has a LEED Gold certification.

    I was the associate principal designer and I developed the initial concept imagery. I developed the exterior wall design and detailing. I worked with the interior design group to coordinate interior and exterior systems.

Rob is the consummate professional. He is always willing to go the extra mile to help out on a number of projects. His technical skills and creativity are second to none. I have worked with Rob for over seven years now, and can honestly say that although he is great at what he does, he is even a better person.

-Michael Ricamato, The Alter Group

  • This is phase 1 of a mixed-use master plan in Lingang, China. It is comprised of 100,000 SM of office space. The office buildings are all grouped to the north and west of the master plan, nearest to the park and the public transit node. The broad faces of the buildings are oriented toward the views to the north and south and the towers are staggered to maintain view corridors.

    All entry drop-offs and building lobbies are located in the intimate setting of the central courtyards. The ground floor of the buildings house supporting retail functions and the entry lobbies. The buildings are small, ranging from 5,000 - 15,000 SM, intended to be used by a single tenant.

    I was the associate principal designer and I developed the initial concept imagery. I developed the exterior wall design and detailing. I worked with the interior design group to coordinate interior and exterior systems.

Robert is one of the most talented architects I ever worked with. We worked together at SCB between 2005-2014. He is a true leader in our profession, one of a very few that is able to cover all aspects of design, from conception to completion. His dedication and professionalism is inspiration to his colleagues.

-Vladimir Andrejevic, Principal Architect at Goettsch Partners

  • This biotech headquarters houses executive offices, a research lab wing, conference functions and a grand indoor/outdoor space called the forum.

    The building had to be knitted into the existing fabric of the site, a series of protected train sheds which were renovated to house office and conference functions. Long east and west facing walls aligned with the old sheds and needed to be protected from the sun, so an exterior rolling shutter system was introduced to shade those facades from heat gain. Glass roofs with an 80% solid ceramic frit acted as large sunshades protecting interior atriums while allowing in generous amounts of light.

    I was the project designer responsible for developing and refining the design in 3D. I also developed all of the exterior wall and roof drawings.

  • New building for six courtrooms as well as probation, traffic and drug court space, bar association space and judicial conference space. The new building surrounds the existing courthouse which is to remain operational during construction. I was the design principal responsible for developing and refining the exterior design.

  • This 720,000 SF corporate campus is comprised of three buildings with structured and surface parking. I was the associate principal designer, handling building planning and exterior design.