In year’s past we typically honor our firm’s anniversary of incorporation on April 1,1993, first as Gail Sullivan Associates and later as Studio G. But 2021 is a different year…
This year we celebrate Gail Sullivan’s 30 years leading her architecture practice; to show our appreciation for her mentorship, leadership, and dedication to building sustainable communities right where she lives. She has grown the firm from 1 person to a team of 17 and counting. A certified women-owned business, Gail prioritizes a diverse team, now 65% women, 29% people of color, and 29% LGBTQIA+.
It all started with a child care project for North Shore Head Start. Gail affectionately calls this her first ‘real’ architecture project that was not a house addition or reno and thus began Studio G’s early education path. In 2020 Gail recalled, “About the same time, we started a study and 15-year relationship with Kit Clark Senior Services, designing their Codman Square center and other efforts. For Head Start, I hired a friend as a consultant, and then another person. By two years later, Kit Clark was moving forward as a significant project—the consulting friend network wouldn’t work.“ Her first official employee, Camille Victour, was then hired.
Gail has been recognized for her AEC work throughout her career. The Boston Society of Architects conferred a Women In Design Award of Excellence in 2013. In 2016 Gail earned a Fellowship in the American Institute of Architects for her commitment to people-centered, place-specific, and sustainable design. Leading the design team for Taunton Women’s Recovery from Addiction Program (WRAP), the project received the 2017 Paul & Niki Tsongas Award from Preservation Massachusetts for “Best Use – Community and Social Services”. In July 2021, construction will be finished at WRAP’s companion program, an 86-bed Men’s Recovery from Addiction Program unit, bringing trauma-informed design to men in recovery.
Today, with over 400 completed projects, the future is bright at Studio G due to Gail’s vision and the values she established 30 years ago. Our housing and institutional/education studios are leading the charge on bold projects from supportive housing for Heading Home at 37 Wales Street and the affordable, net-zero housing E+ Highland project to the Florence Roche Elementary School serving 645 students in grades K-4 and Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology’s new campus in Nubian Square.
We celebrated this significant milestone and all the wonderful developments at Studio G with a virtual surprise party for Gail.
The celebration included individually designed signs, a toast by Gail’s partner Connie, and a collection of mini replica buildings from Studio G’s portfolio, handmade by Marisa, Studio G’s admin/marketing assistant and Gail & Connie’s daughter.
Thank you, Gail, for all you have done for us and the communities you have served!
Please visit our previous anniversary blog posts to read more about Gail and Studio G’s accomplishments and milestones:
2020 https://blogstudiog.com/2020/04/01/reflecting-back-happy-anniversary-studio-g/
2013 https://blogstudiog.com/2013/05/28/celebrating-studio-gs-first-20-years/
