Alex Pitkin

AIA, MCPPO

Senior Vice President

At SMMA

  • Leads the institutional practice and advises clients on planning, programming, and design strategy
  • Sought after by clients and firm colleagues for his practical and creative approach
  • Known for his abilities in big-picture planning and goal-setting; works across multiple studios
  • Applies his 30+ years of experience to collaborate with clients in creating award-winning schools
  • Strives to achieve a balance between the technical imperatives of architecture and the need to improve the beauty of the built environment
  • Guides firm management and operations as a Principal and Board member 

Placemaking

What makes a particular destination stand out as a favorite gathering space? Alex’s approach to architecture integrates great design with creative placemaking. By establishing an authentic and appealing connection to the environment around it, a space becomes a popular gathering place. This dynamic applies to school communities, where students experience a small-town closeness, even within a large high school.

“School communities are microcosms of modern cities, where people crave the experience of a special gathering space that humanizes the larger institution.”

Making It Personal

Alex’s dad was a physician who refused to give up making house calls. Dr. Pitkin’s work with patients was “deeply personal,” Alex recalls, and closely entwined with the community in which he lived. Evening meetings on the road with school building committees and community stakeholders are a current-day reprise by Alex of that personal connection and commitment he observed as a kid.