Matt McMichael, a Project Architect II in CSHQA’s Denver office has experience in all phases of design and construction from small tenant improvement projects for higher education and office clients to ground up construction for offices, retail, and airport terminals/concourses. He specializes in commercial building code analysis including a short stint at the building department with a bulk of his professional experience in tenant improvement projects. Matt has always been fascinated by the synthesis of art and science in architecture. He enjoys the idea of architecture as an art form with a tangible purpose and an experience that can likewise inspire and nurture its inhabitants.
“Similar to comedians who talk about their first thrill hearing the audience laugh, I still remember the first time a client was taken aback by how much they enjoyed the look and feel of a completed project. As an architect, I am not usually around to catch that moment, yet it’s something I am continually trying to re-create by finding opportunities to do things right or better.” Matt had one client with a high-density layout that pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable per code. Certain aspects were a challenge to both the design, the existing conditions and even the building department who admitted they were undecided about certain aspects. While the first phase involved quite a lot of back and forth with the building department, the second phase sailed through illustrating both a successful learning curve and a newly gained expertise that Matt was proud to have been a part.
Matt spends free time with his kids attempting to learn something about their world, trying to share some knowledge or ideally, a new experience. They make him laugh or smile every day. When he has spare time or money, his favorite hobbies are the kind that take a lifetime to master – poker and golf. He placed in the money at a tournament in the 2018 World Series of Poker and plans to compete at some level each year.
Education
MArch, Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture
BS, Biology, Truman State University
Licensing and Certification
Licensed Architect: CO, UT
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP)
Affiliations
American Institute of Architects (AIA)
Cherry Creek North Design Advisory Board
Featured Article
Unicom Capital Tenant Improvement, Denver, CO (Project experience prior to joining CSHQA)
“ONE OF ONE – 40 STORIES UP, IA INTERIOR ARCHITECTS CREATE AN OFFICE EXPERIENCE UNLIKE ANY OTHER FOR UNICOM CAPITAL” MODERN IN DENVER, Summer 2020, Pages 118-125