Firm

Founded in 1960 by Jerry Cooper and Walter Carry, Cooper Carry has had a long and storied 63-year history. But we are just getting going. We are proud to be one of the top architecture firms in the country, and thrilled to be listed the top architecture firm in Atlanta by the Atlanta Business Chronicle for three years running.

In 2016, Cooper Carry acquired restaurant and bar design firm The Johnson Studio, and in 2023 they acquired 505Design, known for mixed-use, multifamily, retail, EGD and placemaking. The firm now has 5 offices in Atlanta, Washington, DC, New York City, Charlotte and Boulder.

Cooper Carry is a creative collective, actively working to break down the traditional walls between studios and building types. We approach each project as a unique entity and recognize that our work is sometimes a reflection of a changing world and sometimes a herald of it, but that no matter what it is best approached with fresh eyes and an open mind. We’re known not to have a style, but to design each project precisely for our clients’ needs, the context of the location, and the delight of the end user.

We believe that well-designed places have the power to positively affect people’s lives.

What is The Center for Connective Architecture?

The Center For Connective Architecture articulates our belief that connectivity is the centerpiece of our architectural, planning and urban design approach. Our process combines multiple disciplines in a rich composition of functional, thoroughly connected spaces designed to unite the experience of indoors and out.

The Connective Architecture process includes the assessment of the sustainability of materials, the suitability of assembly methods, and the options for organizing buildings and landscapes into compositions that maximize the advantages of solar orientation, weather, daylighting, building conditioning, and other variables that affect the building’s environmental performance. We also study ways to optimize the human habitat in our designs to elevate the quality of life for the occupants.

The Connective Architecture Convergence

We’ve learned that as a firm and industry we must constantly adapt, change, evolve and progress. Today we still practice Connective Architecture but it has taken a new direction as building types blend into each other in new and interesting ways.

We are a mixed-used minded architecture firm with a firm-wide focus on the convergence of building types for the benefit of societies, communities, and individuals. Our studio leaders are advocates and expert negotiators for their specialties – be it hospitality, multifamily, science and technology, workplace or beyond – empowered by a legacy of deep industry expertise to make decisions that prioritize place-making, civic space, and the greater good of communities, tenants, residents and visitors in places where buildings designed for specific uses must relate and react to those around them to create a cohesive, sustainable, experience-filled whole.

Stewards of Sustainability & Inclusivity

As individuals and as a collective we recognize the critical part we play in shaping not only our environments and spaces, but the places that millions will encounter and inhabit on a daily basis. We are armed with both the knowledge and conviction to influence the design of the world for the better. We endeavor to leave a legacy marked by good stewardship, and are committed to sustainable design and inclusive architecture.  We believe in transparency, which is why we have embarked on a process of receiving and continuing to improve upon our first Just.® label for recognition as a socially just and equitable organization. Created by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), the Just program is a voluntary disclosure tool for organizations to elevate internal discussions, policies, and procedures and a measurement framework for publicly committing to practices that exemplify social justice and corporate social responsibility