An Ethic
We consider the making of architecture to be a creative response to the land. The land comes first, and when our work is done, one should be able to feel how the features of the site inspired the form of the buildings and gardens.
The structure itself we understand to be but part of a larger entity. Trees, dunes, marshes, the sea, breezes, smells, history, sky, the sun and the moon are all elements of the greater composition. We recognize that a deceptive modesty of the buildings' structure can often achieve a higher level of elegance in the way structure orchestrates the way man interacts with nature.
With its 35-year history of uninterrupted distinguished performance, Thomas & Denzinger is well established, balancing a stable, professional presence with an advancing artistic mission.
People
History
Jim Thomas and Hermann Denzinger established their partnership in Beaufort, South Carolina in 1973. As former classmates in Graduate School at the University of Pennsylvania, fellow travelers through Greece and Turkey, and later as co-workers in the professional office of Louis I. Kahn, Architect, in Philadelphia, Jim and Hermann determined that their shared abilities and values – a passion for design excellence – would form the foundation of a strong architectural practice.
Taking on a wide range of project types – banks, schools, health clinics, and park facilities, to name a few – the partnership gained recognition through the steady accumulation of various Design Awards.
In 1986, Thomas & Denzinger opened a second office in Charleston and gradually became one of the leading firms in the state, recognized for creativity and a high level of quality control in execution. As the firm grew to its present size, a total staff of twenty, associates Joel Newman, AIA and Paulette Myers, AIA, were promoted to partnership in 2002, and David Fisher, AIA, became a partner in 2005. Paola DeCamilis Thomas joined the firm in 1997 as the scope of services expanded into the realm of Interior Design.
Presently, the firm operates out of three studios, one in Beaufort and two in Charleston. The State Street Studio in Charleston, led by Hermann Denzinger, has emerged in recent years as a leading designer in the Public Sector, focusing primarily on schools and civic structures. The St. Philips Street Studio, also in Charleston, led by Jim Thomas, and the Beaufort Office, led by Joel Newman, have become known for exceptional creativity in the private sector – community, recreational, and residential structures.
