Difficult place to work - Recensione dipendente - Architect presso Form4 Architecture

Responsibility is given based on performance and desire, creating an environment where you can expedite your growth without the obstacles of age or experience found elsewhere.

A bit disorganized but moving in the right direction. Struggling with maintaining culture in a work-from-home environment

One of the three principles is a genuinely nice person and a very knowledgeable architect.

I don't take leaving a negative review lightly; but consider this a public service announcement to unwary designers. I have worked at quite a few studios around the Bay Area, and this was easily the worst position I have ever held. The work culture in the office is acutely toxic from the top down. There is much back-biting, finger pointing and blame finding among the principles and managers, who don't understand that it is leadership to blame for the failure of their projects. With one exception, firm leadership is all but absentee. One principle flounces about the globe to design conferences and elaborate vacations. Another made the baffling decision to move out of the area. There are no shared values, chemistry or vision shared between firm leadership that I could discern in my time there. If you are interested in design, please note that you will absolutely not be designing at this firm. That work is jealously clutched and guarded within one silo. Don't be fooled by the flashy graphics and nice projects on the website. Those are all projects from days past when there was stronger leadership. Current leadership does not have the ability to retain quality clients, or pull in good projects. You will be working on suburban sprawl, and dated single-family residences. The actual physical office is and embarrassment, but a good representation of the firm's cohesion.