YBA was formed at a time when architecture
firms had to evolve or risk failure.
It’s a gutsy move to start a business during a recession. While other architecture firms struggled to downsize staff and deliver work on dramatically lower project budgets, YBA founders Alex Yale and Matt Brown were building a team of creators and artists with a flexible mindset, focused in equal parts on noteworthy and enduring design, and on the realities of recession-era budgets, timelines, and review processes.
That effort and commitment didn’t go unnoticed. They attracted visionary developers and investors who were equally committed to turning hardship into fuel – fuel for creativity, for doing more with less, and for changing the landscape for the better. Together, they’ve pioneered new building practices, pushed forward necessary building code changes, and positively shaped our urban landscape.
Today, YBA is still anchored in the principles of good urbanism, a deep respect for modern design, and a passion for creating thriving communities. The firm is renowned for its flexible, sharp, partnership-based approach to exemplary architectural design.
We employ the principles
of good urbanism
Human Scale
Connect to folks at a human scale, especially at the street level, no matter how tall the structure
Density
Create density that doesn’t compromise quality
Transit-Centric
Emphasize walkability and proximity to mass transit
Green + Gathering Spaces
Offer greenspace and community gathering places where none previously existed
Sustainability
Find every opportunity to utilize sustainable materials + practices
Our Guiding Principles
Our work is firmly rooted in a set of guiding principles. We view them as a direct reflection of our core values. We evaluate all of our decisions, relationships, and goals against these principles.
We put people first
We approach every project by considering all the people involved and impacted: our clients, the tenants and residents, and the broader community served by those places. Their experiences, needs, culture, aspirations, and history inspire and inform our work.
We want our work to make a difference
We help communities pursue a future that is healthier, better connected, more equitable, inclusive, and resilient. We follow and advance best practices in social, economic, and environmental sustainability, and seek to leave communities better than we found them.
We pursue innovation in every project, while staying grounded
Every project — and every client — deserves exceptional, captivating design regardless of budgetary constraints. Our work is uniquely suited to each place, purpose, and community; we never take a commoditized approach.
We believe in the value of creative collaboration
Great design comes from intentional collaboration. We believe the best ideas and solutions can come from any member of the team. We seek diverse views and perspectives, and enable all of our collaborators to be part of the creative process.
The buildings at Alta Civic Station are carefully crafted to maximize the use and enjoyment of the new urban plaza and outdoor landscape.
ALTA CIVIC STATION | GRESHAM, OR
