Consensus Through Collaboration 

Consensus Through Collaboration 

By Laura Vertes | Principal at Swaim Associates  

Swaim Associates is committed to making a difference in our community, enhancing the ways in which Tucsonans live, work, and play. Throughout our history, we have built upon the central business philosophy of our founder, Bob Swaim. He said, “We provide a service and people come to us with a problem to solve. Architects are problem solvers.” To fulfill this problem-solving mission, Swaim Associates focuses on a few core philosophies: collaboration and teamwork, personal service, technical expertise, and design innovation. 

Swaim Associates has a long history of working closely with the community to develop consensus through collaboration. In the 1970s, Bob Swaim was hired by the City of Tucson to work on the El Rio Neighborhood Center project. Through his work on that project, the importance of involving end users in the design process and listening to their needs became clear. With encouragement from a well-known community activist, the neighborhood coalition engaged with Swaim, and their input was critical to the success of the project. This legacy of collaboration has become a central business tenet and integral to the success of both the firm and its projects. Swaim seeks to create opportunities for teamwork with organizations, businesses, and agencies throughout the city, county, and state to benefit each project and the greater community. Together, we can solve the problems of today and the future. 

Swaim Associates has continued to remain committed to personal service and technical expertise to support the visions of our clients. This commitment starts with the involvement of principals throughout each project and extends to a dedication to proactive partnerships with owners and contractors. Regardless of the size of the project, Swaim recognizes the importance to the client and approaches each one with the same level of service.  

Swaim has cultivated long-term relationships with several clients, including school districts, hospitals, the University of Arizona, Tucson Electric Power, and others, working on projects of all scales. Most recently, we have been working closely with Rio Nuevo on the development of the Tucson Convention Center, both in a design capacity and as project managers. Design projects have ranged in size and complexity from the Arena remodel and locker room renovations to the larger TCC DoubleTree Hotel and Lot A Garage. Swaim Associates’ commitment to a vibrant and active downtown goes beyond our professional role. You can often find members of our staff cheering on the Roadrunners and Sugar Skulls. 

As we move into the future, Swaim is focusing on design innovation as the basis for creating inspiring environments in which people work, live, play, create, and learn. We are pursuing projects that seek to break new ground and develop leading-edge models fostering communities through education, wellness, business, and mixed-use development. We eagerly anticipate continuing to work in partnership with school districts to envision the future of education. Innovative features, such as the student union at the recently completed Mica Mountain High school, bring together key support functions to nurture the whole student and create a heart for the campus.  

We actively seek projects that allow us to explore the concept of wellness, whether it is a brand-new hospital for TMC, a wellness center for the Pascua Yaqui tribe, or Spawell at El Conquistador. Each project allows for an opportunity to explore how wellness is connected to place, experience, nature, and culture.  

Swaim is invested in the future of Tucson and the ability to attract and retain innovative companies. Through our work with clients such as Tech Parks Arizona and World View Enterprises, we see the incredible ingenuity and innovation possible when creative development approaches allow startup businesses a place to thrive. Hand in hand with attracting businesses, creative mixed-use developments are crucial to attracting and retaining talent. Projects such as Ronstadt Center are incredible opportunities to reimagine what it means to live, work, and play in downtown Tucson. As Bob said, people come to us with a problem to solve. Not only do we seek to solve the problem, but we also strive to uncover the opportunities, possibilities, and vision hidden within. 

We have built our success on long-term client relationships. We are invested in the communities and organizations with whom we work. The success of our clients is our greatest reward as architects, as businesspeople, and as members of the Tucson community. We will continue designing to support the whole person and the whole community, at work, at play, at school, and beyond, well into the future. We look forward to working alongside you in this endeavor. 

To read the complete 2022 Chamber Edge digital edition, click HERE.