MSR Design has hired 23-year architecture veteran Jeffery Davis, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, SEED AP, as the firm’s newest senior associate. He has been involved in the planning and design of more than five million square feet of public building space and more than six million square feet of higher educational facility space, with an emphasis on libraries and cultural arts centers. Jeff’s mantra “remember people” has led him to focus on expanding the positive impact buildings have on communities and the environment. As a SEED accredited professional, he has deep experience in public engagement, positively impacting underserved and culturally diverse communities across the western United States.
“We are delighted to welcome Jeff to MSR Design,” says MSR Design CEO and president Traci Engel Lesneski, CID, LEED AP, Associate AIA. “His belief in architecture’s role in creating resilient and equitable communities aligns well with MSR Design’s values. Jeff’s hire extends our firm’s presence in the western region, a key area of growth for our practice.”
Based in Utah, Jeff will help the firm build momentum in providing design services to the western states through his experience guiding public participatory processes, creating equitable design, and realizing ambitious sustainability goals (such as having served as project manager for the design of California’s first Living Building Challenge certified project).
Regarding his new position, Jeff states, “The people I design for have always been at the forefront of my architectural journey. Joining a design firm so focused on changing and enriching lives gives me increased opportunities to remember that, at its core, the architecture we design is for people and their communities.” He continues, “I am excited to bring my library, cultural arts, and educational design expertise to MSR Design and the firm’s diverse clientele.”
While senior principal at Architectural Nexus, Jeff led the firm’s library practice and contributed to the firm’s higher education and cultural facility design work. Key projects Jeff has led include Salt Lake City Public Library’s LEED Gold certified Glendale Branch Library (Salt Lake City, Utah); Salt Lake County Library’s AIA Utah Honor Award winning and LEED Gold certified Millcreek Community Center (Millcreek, Utah); the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium Performing Arts Venue (Sacramento, California); the Northeast Stockton Library and Community Center (Stockton, California); and the Gillette College Education and Activities Center (Gillette, Wyoming). Higher education campuses he has provided design services for include the University of Utah, Utah State University, Brigham Young University, and Weber State University, among others.
“Senior associates have ownership stake in our firm,” explains Traci. “In this leadership role, Jeff will contribute in many meaningful ways, including marketing our firm and leading projects.”