Paxson Fay

This week, the World Cup kicked off in Seattle, one of 16 cities across North America hosting matches this year.

Among the hundreds of thousands of fans expected to take part in the city's World Cup festivities, many will pass through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which last week unveiled its expanded C Concourse. Designed by our client The Miller Hull Partnership and Woods Bagot in collaboration with the Port of Seattle, the project reimagines the passenger experience through light-filled spaces, intuitive wayfinding, and a stronger connection to the Pacific Northwest anchored by the sculptural "Tree at C" wood element that rises from the Grand Stair.

Explore this project and other civic infrastructure shaped by the World Cup in a roundup by The Architect's Newspaper: https://www.archpaper.com/2026/06/north-american-cities-preparing-world-cup/.

Photography: Port of Seattle
'Tree at C' Product Manufacturer: Armstrong Ceiling Solutions

We walked The PR Net through a day in our life at NeoCon Shows.

Swipe for a behind-the-scenes look of our time at The Mart, exploring showrooms and immersive activations, and diving into the latest trends in commercial interior design.

Discover Lantern House, Syndicate Smith’s island retreat, featured in today's The Wall Street Journal.

"'The goal was to make the new house modern, airy and light—the opposite of the small dark cabin across the street,' said Todd Smith, founding partner of Syndicate Smith. The highlight is the entry, which is vast and high, filled with modern handblown glass pendants with LED filaments."

Thanks, Nancy Keates, for the lovely feature! Keep reading: https://bit.ly/4x1CeaF.

Photos: Will Austin

We'll see you at NeoCon Shows!

Catch us running around Chicago connecting with friends, meeting with editors, and taking in the latest launches.

Speaking of which, here's a peek at a few of our can't-miss showrooms this year, including a few debuts from our own clients:

📍 our client CF Stinson, #355
📍 our client Coronet LED, #1111
📍 our client Móz Designs, #145
📍 Flora Materials, #7-5033
📍 Ferroluce, #7-1017
📍 our client Sabin, #7-1045
📍 Andreu World, #300
📍 Formica, #10-120
📍 Emma Hayes, #7-9076
📍 Stackabl, #7-1030

Step inside the Dyes Inlet House by SHED, recently featured on Dwell.

"Kirsten and Rick’s property is a former oyster farm, and while the original house has some fancy brickwork, there are still several old, simply framed farmhouses in the area, says Kirsten. 'We wanted something that would fit in with the neighborhood,' she says. To that end, Hale and the team drew up what they call a 'strong gable shape' that was informed by their research into Scandinavian barn and farm buildings."

Thank you, Melissa Dalton and Dwell, for the lovely article.

Keep reading: https://paxsonfay.com/shed-architecture-designs-dyes-inlet-on-dwell/

As seen on the cover of Atomic Ranch: Dyna Builders’ Mid-Century Luxe project on Mercer Island, WA.

“Keeping the balance between preservation and renovation was at the forefront of the design and build team’s mind. Because of this, much of the changes took their cues from the original [1973] design. ‘We strove to keep the shape of the exterior of the home and really didn’t affect the fenestration too much,’ says Ren [Chandler, principal at Dyna Builders] … ‘We moved walls around and opened things up, but kept the main fireplace and stone on it.’”

Thank you, Atomic Ranch for the lovely cover feature!

Photos: Rafael Soldi

A&D friends, in the past month, how many ADU projects have you seen on Instagram? online? in your neighborhood?

Odds are a lot. And while yes, they’re reshaping backyards, they’re also reshaping zoning and housing policy.

Cities are catching up to what architects have known for years: density doesn’t have to mean higher towers. ADUs are a powerful tool for making cities more affordable and interesting to inhabit.

We’re seeing this play out across the US. From San Jose, CA, to Leavenworth, WA, pre-approved ADU plans, including one by Syndicate Smith are embedding good design directly into policy, cutting the red tape that often prices out smaller builders and homeowners.

Cincinnati’s BuildReady program is taking it further, opening a public design competition for missing middle housing this summer. Winning concepts will be developed into pre-approved plans by firms, and two projects will be built with grant funding.

The throughlines across all of it: good design and affordability aren’t at odds. When cities make room for more housing, architects have a real opportunity to shape what small-scale, livable housing looks like.

Slide 1: Lafayette ADU by Mahya Salehi Studio | Architecture + Interiors’, clad in Nakamoto Forestry and shot by R. Brad Knipstein
Slide 2: Alley Cat by SHED Architecture & Design shot by Mark Woods
Slide 3: Phinney Mini by Best Practice Architecture shot by Rafael Soldi

We’re heading to NYCxDesign and ICFF!

A few days of reconnecting, discovering new work on the ICFF floor, and seeing what’s pushing the industry forward. Swipe for a few of the talented designers and brands who have inspired us from afar and that we’re especially excited to see in person, including: Gantri, AudHaus, Ridezign, Coronet LED, Koba Furniture, Beginner Ceramics, and Mike Serra.

Will we see you there?

In architecture and design, “small business” isn’t the exception. It’s the norm.

According to ThinkLab, 82% of U.S. design firms have four or fewer employees, with the vast majority operating with fewer than 20.

During National Small Business Week, we’re highlighting the small but mighty firms shaping the built environment: Best Practice Architecture, Dyna Builders, Love Schack Architecture, Mahya Salehi Studio, SHED Architecture & Design, BuildingWork Architects, and Syndicate Smith.

As a small business ourselves, we’re deeply proud to support this community.

Slide 1: Lil Shingle by Best Practice Architecture shot by Rafael Soldi
Slide 2: The Quincho by Dyna Builders shot by Rafael Soldi
Slide 3: Washington Residence by Mahya Salehi Studio shot by Adam Potts
Slide 4: Bozeman Passive House by Love Schack Architecture shot by Whitney Kamman
Slide 5: Lark House by SHED Architecture & Design shot by Rafael Soldi
Slide 6: The Metropole Building Project by BuildingWork Architects shot by Doug Walker
Slide 7: Deer Harbour House by Syndicate Smith shot by Will Austin

As seen in Architectural Digest: 15 Tiny House Ideas That Prove Small Spaces Unlock Big Creativity.

Our clients, SHED and Best Practice Architecture, were recently featured on Architectural Digest for their approach to tiny home living.

Read more: https://paxsonfay.com/clients-featured-on-architectural-digest/.

Slide 1: SHED Architecture & Design’s Black Pine Cabin shot by Rafael Soldi
Slide 2: Best Practice Architecture’s Oak Cliff Casita shot by Lisa Petrole
Slide 3: SHED Architecture & Design’s Alley Cat shot by Mark Woods
Slide 4: Best Practice Architecture’s Granny Pad shot by Ed Sozinho
Slide 5: SHED Architecture & Design’s Guemes Island Bunkhouse shot by Dain Susman