Creative Loafing's "Best of Atlanta: Cityscape" gave the Critic's Choice award for "Best Architect" to BLDGS, an Atlanta architecture firm founded by two Georgia Tech School of Architecture professors.

David Yocum and Brian Bell founded BLDGS in 2006 and have transformed buildings in Atlanta from midtown to Sandy Springs.

“Teaching at the School of Architecture has been pivotal to our development as a firm in Atlanta," said Yocum. "As Professors of Practice we are able to move fluidly from professional work in the office, to the discourse and dialogue of the studio classroom, with each setting richly informing the other.  This is especially important when we are involved in projects on the campus of Georgia Tech itself."

Yocum and Bell aim to use their buildings as teaching tools for their students, since they are "examples of the varied opportunities and complex challenges of contemporary architecture, right at the doorstep of the studio," said Bell.  The new Caddell Building, home of Georgia Tech's School of Building Construction is just such an example, he said. 

"During construction we were able to take our students through the building in the midst of the work and at the conclusion, discussing both broad goals and the smallest of construction details.  It is precisely this kind of educational interaction in the setting of professional practice that challenges us, and empowers our students to develop the creativity and skills necessary for their own careers.”

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