Architecture & Design Firm Announces New Higher Education, Technology Leaders

Architecture, interiors, landscape, and planning firm Carrier Johnson + Culture (CJ+C) recently announced that it has filled two significant leadership roles within the company. Nash Reyes, Assoc. AIA, will serve as the new Director of Technology; and Craig Atkinson, AIA, NOMA, DBIA, LEED AP, as the new Director of Higher Education, according to a news release. Both will work out of the firm’s office in Los Angeles, Calif.

Reyes comes from the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector and has served in technology direction roles at Gensler, HMC, and HDR. The news release discusses his vision to foster collaboration between technology and design teams, boost technical skills, stay on top of emerging trends, and matching technology solutions to client needs.

“Carrier Johnson + Culture’s commitment to innovation and reputation as a forward-thinking firm aligns perfectly with my vision for integrating technology into the architectural processes,” said Reyes. “I believe technology is a transformative force that will enhance our design capabilities, streamline operations, and increase client satisfaction. Together, we will revolutionize AEC through tech-driven innovation such as sustainable technology, AI-driven design solutions, and collaborative virtual environments.”

Meanwhile, Atkinson’s 30-plus-year career has centered largely around designing educational facilities like universities, community colleges, K–12 facilities, and more. His educational spaces incorporate elements of his experience in civic facility design like security, mobility, and greenery. He also serves as a member of the American Institute of Architects and as the President of the Southern California Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects.”

“I've always found that educational facilities enrich their surrounding communities,” said Atkinson. “A gymnasium can double as a polling place; a lecture hall as a town hall; a library as a public book reading. Each project is an opportunity to cultivate this symbiotic relationship.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Indiana University Launches Capital Campus in D.C.

    Indiana University recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new IU Capital Campus in Washington, D.C., according to university news. The eight-story facility will provide a central hub for the university’s existing programs and business operations based in D.C., uniting them under one roof and providing the opportunity to expand.

  • Classical building columns display digital data streams

    The Campus Nervous System: Why Facilities Risk Is Now a Leadership Issue in Higher Education

    Facility performance now intersects with safety, compliance, on-campus experience, institutional reputation, and financial resilience. That places it firmly on the leadership agenda.

  • California High School Opens New Classroom Building for 7th-, 8th-Graders

    Santa Rosa City Schools in Santa Rosa, Calif., recently announced the completion of a new classroom building for Piner High School. As the campus transitions to a Junior/Senior High School, the facility will play home to the school’s new population of seventh- and eighth-grade students.

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.