AMHERST — Kuhn Riddle Architects & Designers announced that Clara Danso joined the firm as a project designer in January.

Born in Ghana, Danso brings her educational and professional experiences from her years there, as well as her work experience in New York City with Adjaye Associates, a major international architectural firm.

She received her bachelor of architectural studies degree from Mount Holyoke College in 2017 and expects to receive her master of architecture degree from UMass Amherst in 2027. She recently completed the Architect Registration Examination, an important milestone on the path to architectural licensure. This accomplishment reflects her hard work, perseverance, and commitment to the highest standards of the architectural profession.

“Clara’s strong design perspective, dedication to thoughtful problem solving, and clear commitment to professional growth make her a valuable addition to Kuhn Riddle Architects & Designers,” the firm stated. “We look forward to the creativity, collaboration, and energy that Clara will bring to our projects and team in the months ahead.”

AMHERST — Kuhn Riddle Architects & Designers announced the promotion of Mallory Nurse to senior interior designer and senior project manager, recognizing her design leadership, client service, and growing impact across the firm’s work.

In her expanded role, Nurse will continue to lead interior design efforts across a diverse range of projects, shaping spaces that are both highly functional and deeply resonant with clients’ goals and brand identities.

Her work has consistently elevated the firm’s design quality through a strong command of materials, detailing, and user experience, paired with the ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary teams, manage complex schedules, and deliver projects successfully through construction.

Beyond her project work, Nurse has played a central role in leading the firm’s marketing efforts, strengthening its reputation, visibility, and strategic positioning as a design-focused practice in a competitive marketplace. Her leadership has contributed to the development of proposals, award submissions, client-facing materials, and storytelling that more clearly communicate the firm’s design values and distinct approach.

AMHERST — Kuhn Riddle Architects & Designers announced the promotion of Ruoqi (Rosy) Zhong to senior architect, recognizing her outstanding contributions to the firm’s mission-driven design practice and her growing leadership in sustainable architecture.

Over the course of her work with the firm, Zhong has been deeply engaged in several multi-family housing projects designed to meet passive house standards. She has helped advance design solutions that balance energy performance, constructability, resident comfort, and architectural quality. Her work demonstrates how rigorous sustainability goals can be integrated into projects that serve both people and place, and reflects the firm’s broader focus on creating resilient, environmentally responsible buildings that support healthier communities.

In addition to her project leadership, Zhong has strengthened the firm from within by helping to develop and refine overall design standards. She has supported greater consistency across project teams, improved workflow efficiencies, and elevated the quality of design deliverables.

NORTHAMPTON — Kuhn Riddle Architects & Designers announced that Lindsay Comeaux Schnarr, AIA has joined its growing architectural team. Her primary architectural interest is in public spaces, and she is pleased that her first project is working on CitySpace in Easthampton, renovating an existing historic building to include a theater space and other community-use areas.

“I am excited to join a firm that is woman-owned and is focused on equity, sustainability, and community outreach,” she said.

Schnarr interned as a student with Kuhn Riddle from 2009 to 2011 and continued after graduation through 2014. She described her return to the firm 15 years later as “bookending” her career to date. “It’s satisfying to see how far I’ve come in in those years and to rejoin a firm whose values are so aligned with mine.”

Schnarr received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 2002 from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She graduated in 2011 with her master’s degree in architecture from UMass Amherst.

She has been on the Amherst Design Review Board for many years, taught design as an adjunct lecturer at UMass Amherst from 2015 to 2020, co-founded the Emerging Professionals Development Program for the Western Massachusetts American Institute of Architects (WMAIA), and is a member of WMAIA’s Women in Architecture Committee.

AMHERST — Kuhn Riddle Architects, an Amherst firm established in 1988 by John Kuhn and Chris Riddle, has rolled out its new name and new look.

The firm is now Kuhn Riddle Architects & Designers and is headed by its second generation of leadership, President Aelan Tierney and Principals Jonathan Salvon and Charles Roberts.

The firm worked with a Northampton-based creative studio, Transit Authority Figures, to develop a logo, signature colors, fonts, and a name that reflects the firm’s foundation, as well as its transitions, growth, and views toward the future.

The new Kuhn Riddle logo is built on a simple grid using elemental shapes to create a symmetrical, abstract ‘KR’ monogram. These forms, each consisting of a quarter-circle and a triangle, face each other and together form a square. The new logo reflects Kuhn Riddle’s dedication to smart and creative problem solving rooted in timeless foundational principles.

The font used in the new logo recalls the Goudy Old Style used in the original firm logo, yet has its own history, weight, and meaning. The new font, called Martina Plantijn, was developed by the Klim Type Foundry and named after the strong and formidable Dutch businesswomen who ran the Plantin-Moretus publishing house — then the world’s largest — in the early 17th century. As a woman-owned business, Kuhn Riddle takes inspiration from Plantjin’s entrepreneurial spirit and the family-owned company’s legacy of empowering women, which inspired a series of women descendants who went on to manage the business for much of the next three centuries.

To complement the new logo, the firm chose deep blue and radiant yellow, color hues that are unique, bright, and friendly.

“Kuhn Riddle is well-known with deep connections to the community, so we felt it was very important to hold onto the name,” Tierney said. “But we also wanted to present the firm as who we are currently and who we are becoming. In thinking about who may be the next generation of owners, we are more than architects. We are interior designers, project managers, passive house consultants, planners, and possibly more. We wanted our name and our fresh, new look to be inclusive of the many different strengths and capacities of our team, and to welcome the future.”

AMHERST — Kuhn Riddle Architects & Designers announced the promotion of Garrison Piers-Gamble to the position of senior project manager.

Piers-Gamble brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this elevated role, having demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep understanding of sustainable architecture principles throughout his career. As a certified passive house consultant, and with experience working on a Living Building Challenge project, he is poised to drive the firm’s commitment to sustainability to new heights.

Piers-Gamble has played a pivotal role in the firm’s engagement in the AIA 2030 Commitment, with a goal that all the firm’s projects will achieve net-zero emissions by 2030. His dedication to excellence, coupled with his strong background in architectural project management and enthusiastic approach to sustainable design, has earned him recognition from clients and colleagues alike.

As senior project manager, he will lead the firm’s efforts in advancing sustainable and passive house design principles across all projects. He will work closely with clients, design teams, and industry partners to develop tailored solutions that minimize environmental impact while maximizing energy efficiency and exceeding clients’ expectations.

“We are thrilled to announce Garrison Piers-Gamble’s promotion to senior project manager,” said Aelan Tierney, president of Kuhn Riddle Architects & Designers. “With his expertise and passion for sustainable design, he will play a key role in shaping the future of our firm and driving positive change in our local architectural community.”