The ability to solve a problem while considering the goals of a project is critical. Embracing project realities & constraints, cultivating a rigorous design attitude, and maintaining high aspirations all enable creativity.

Inside the McKinney York studio, we share a belief in the transformational power of people united in a common purpose. Our goal is to create places that draw people together, serve, and inspire.
This belief manifests itself in collaboration. That means ongoing communication in the studio and with our design team, a lack of ego from the top down, and a collection of highly-capable, enthusiastic design professionals. Our staff are all exceptional designers and, rare within the profession, the majority are registered architects. Collaboration extends beyond the studio to embrace our clients. With each commission we actively engage our clients and listen attentively to uncover the unique qualities of their project and site. The aim of this effort is to reveal not only the client’s top-of-mind goals, but also latent functional and aspirational goals, as these often determine the real success of a project.
Our portfolio is evidence of this empathetic focus, rarely repeating a style, strategy, or solution from one project to the next. Clients tell us they value our ability to create designs that reflect their unique needs and personality.
From churches and chilling stations to branded workspaces and second homes, we have earned a reputation for timeless design and an expertise in tackling unusual projects. These qualities and sustained design excellence earned McKinney York the 2007 AIA Austin Firm Achievement Award and the Texas Society of Architects 2013 Architecture Firm Award – the highest honor a Texas architecture firm can receive. Our work has also appeared on or been published by Wired, The Wall Street Journal, HGTV, The Globe and Mail, NPR, Architectural Record, Architecture, Southern Living, and Texas Architect.
Heather is a guiding force behind the firm’s design voice. Her ability to listen critically has shaped our collaborative design process, and her skill at teasing out the underlying and unspoken needs of clients is a substantial factor in our projects’ success. Relying on her depth of experience, she offers insight and wisdom to all of our projects. In addition to her design contributions, she has devoted herself to cultivating the architectural profession through years of service on boards, commissions, and panels both locally and around the country.
“As a teacher, I am delighted by what her work affords – guidance for my students who are hungry for inspirational examples.” – Andrew Vernooy, AIA, Dean Texas Tech University College of Architecture
Al is a creative thinker with a knack for disentangling the most inscrutable problems. With our clients, as well as inside the studio, he plays a special leadership role for the firm – the person able to shift a conversation, reconcile differing viewpoints, or ask the right question at the right time to keep a project moving forward. In addition to his thorough understanding of the technical aspects of architectural practice, Al came to the firm with a background in teaching, having received multiple honors for his work at Texas Tech College of Architecture. Al believes in a rigorous formal design approach capable of underpinning an aesthetic flexibility.
“Al’s three-dimensional waterproofing details… I was amazed… I’ve never seen one again on any other project other than a McKinney York project… amazing.” – Carm Tassone, Harvey-Cleary
Michelle believes in the constant improvement of everything. She brings to the table a tenacious focus on creative design through every stage of every project. Complexities and limitations are not allowed to impact a project negatively, and the search for design opportunities is perpetual. Inside the studio, she constantly evaluates roles and responsibilities, adjusting them to solve problems and match the strengths and desires of every individual. Michelle places particular importance on creating a communicative and collaborative work environment.
“I cannot recall anyone with as much enthusiasm and dedication to her profession as I experienced with Michelle on our church project. I am reminded of her dedication every time I step onto our campus.” -Barbara Ruth, Oak Hill United Methodist Church
As a graduate of both the Architecture and Engineering schools at the University of Texas, Will brings a unique design perspective to the firm. He is an advocate for modern building practices and energy efficiency with an interest in reconciling those obstacles with the desire for elegant solutions. In the studio, he leads an ongoing charge to develop and refine our production standards and processes. Will is also interested in materiality and detailing and how they inform design through all phases of a project.
Interests
Photography, travel, cooking, building science
What is your favorite quotation?
“Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work.” -Chuck Close
Brian has brought a honed design eye and extraordinary client service to a range of high-profile, award-winning projects over his tenure with the firm. He is an avid and informed gardener, and is sensitive to orienting buildings within a landscape in a way that anchors them to their environment. Brian’s project leadership enriches our design collaborations with clients; they value his thoughtful responses to their needs and appreciate the clarity, comfort, and character his designs afford.
“We worked closely with our project manager, Brian Carlson… We were continually pleased by his ability to carefully listen to our needs and respond with innovative design solutions that surpassed our expectations.” – Owner, Robbs Run House
Interests
Gardening, cooking
Who was your most valued mentor?
It would have to be my high school art teacher, Eileen Montgomery. She challenged me to think conceptually about what I create.
Aaron is drawn to the cause without a champion. In architecture, that may be a project with a modest budget, a building that contributes to the fabric of the city rather than its monuments, or simply an unconventional design concept that deserves exploration. His interest in architectural history and theory infuse his work with a sensitivity towards context and precedent. His experience includes a range of work on educational buildings, science centers, museums, mixed-use developments, and private and institutional master planning.
“Thank you for your efforts to date on our project. The congregation at large is very excited about the expansion and looks forward to a beautiful and functional facility addition.” – Michael Delamore, Trinity Episcopal Church
Ginger is the business anchor for the firm. She is integral to our contract preparation and management processes and she manages the firms accounting. Her previous experience in the fast-paced construction industry helps her identify and evaluate ways to run our business better, freeing our architecture team to fully invest their energy into their projects. She’s a stickler for details with the sharp mind and calm demeanor of an old-school accountant.
Interests
Scuba diving, running, strength training, gardening, NFL
What is your favorite quotation?
“If you argue for your limitations you get to keep them.”
What do you spend the most energy doing outside the office?
Fitness, gardening, being outdoors
What are you good at?
Finances, numbers, analyzing, projecting
Interests
Other places and everything that goes with that including getting there, the food, the urban design, the transportation network, the buildings, the culture, the history; Almost anything to do with cooking, dining, food history, food culture; Maps – how they’re made, why they’re made, what they do and don’t communicate
What do you spend the most energy doing outside the office?
Cooking, thinking about what to cook next, picking out the next restaurant to try
What was your favorite project?
My favorite project was working on urban design for the Baltimore Red Line light rail. I enjoyed researching other cities to understand the relationships between transportation, physical space, and people, and identifying design opportunities that were based on these relationships and appropriate for the city of Baltimore. It was very enlightening and challenging to work directly with community members across the city during design, and to see their varied responses to the many aspects of the project.
What is your favorite city?
Paris – They nailed it.
Interests
Guitar, music, public policy, The Simpsons
What would you do if you weren’t in architecture?
Make music.
What is your favorite building?
The Eames house is one of my favorites. I like its simplicity, and how such a design was able to respond to and work so well with its site.
Why did you get into architecture?
I like the idea of making environments for people to thrive in, and I enjoy the mix of creative and technical work involved.
Interests
Biking, Woodworking, Lindy Hop, Bowling, British/Swedish murder mysteries, On the Media (Radio)
What do you spend the most energy doing outside the office?
Discovering Texas swimming holes
What is your favorite type of building?
Buildings that celebrate the craft of construction
Interests
BBQ, stand-up comedy, running
What would you do if you weren’t in architecture?
I’d be a developer/builder of single- and multi-family homes and small-scale commercial buildings.
What is your favorite quote?
“A house is a machine for living in” – Le Corbusier
Who are your favorite architects?
Renzo Piano and David Baker. Piano makes large scale commercial projects look so graceful. Baker keeps finding ways to be inventive in multi-family housing, and he does many affordable housing projects in San Francisco, which are vital in such a high-cost housing market.
What would you do if you weren’t in architecture?
I would scavenge for old and unloved motorcycles, restore them, and find new homes for them.
What is a random fact about yourself?
I am an identical twin, like Tadao Ando.
What is your favorite place?
Teshima Art Museum by Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA. It is a simple, semi-enclosed concrete structure where you quietly observe drops of water move across the floor. This may sound a bit odd, but it is a powerful experience, I promise!
Interests
Sculpture, woodworking
What do you spend the most energy doing outside the office?
Looking for ways to bottle and distribute the endless supply of energy and joy my son seems to be tapped into.
What is your ideal project?
A monument, memorial or large scale public art project
What architects and artists do you find inspiring?
Maya Lin, Renzo Piano, Martin Puryear, James Turrell, Richard Serra, Santiago Calatrava, Michael Heizer, Constantin Brancusi, Andy Goldsworthy, Chris Drury, Robert Smithson
What do you spend the most energy doing outside the office?
Making things! I feel it’s sort of a dying art. It’s always exciting to have a new project, see it progress and then enjoy the satisfaction of a completed product! I knit, crochet, bead, sew, cross stitch… the list goes on.
What was your favorite project and why?
The Forsyth County Animal Control in Winston-Salem, NC. It was a fun, challenging project, and it was very fulfilling knowing the animals would have a much better chance of being adopted in the new facility than the old, dark, dank one. I left the dedication ceremony with my kitty, Zelda (who I am still lucky to have 12 years later!).
What is your favorite place?
In terms of architecture? Columbus, Indiana. It seems largely unknown but is teeming with wonderful architecture. For fun? Rome. There’s no end to the things to do and see. It’s amazing to consider its age and how long structures have been there in comparison with the United States.
What would you do if you weren’t in architecture?
I’d probably work as a furniture maker or chef… something that would still incorporate creating.
What accomplishment are you most proud of and why?
I was part of a couple design/build projects at UT that won a couple awards, but what I’m most proud of is the way they are used and enjoyed by the community.
What do you spend the most energy doing outside the office?
Camping and hiking. It’s nice to get some fresh air and get closer to nature.
Interests
Carpentry (and fabrication of any kind), genealogy, philosophy
What would you do if you weren’t in architecture?
I’d be involved in both fabrication and academia. I’d really like to teach and make things.
Who was your most valued mentor and why?
A professor in undergrad; she opened my mind to the idea photographs could be about space and encouraged me to use photography as a vehicle to explore the world, spatially.
What do you spend the most energy doing outside the office?
Renovating a 1960s house and building my wood shop. I spend more time building the wood shop itself than building things in the wood shop.
What is the most difficult lesson you have learned?
The value of design is not always easy to convey.
What is your favorite place? Or building? And why?
My family’s farm in rural Alabama. I’m fortunate that we still have it, and that I’m the third generation who can call it home. My favorite kind of building is one that reveals multiple layers of time and usage. I’m drawn to buildings that contain stories.
Interests
Travel and culture, art (from film and photography to dance and music), and nature
What would you do if you weren’t in architecture?
I would probably be a filmmaker or a professional dancer. Now I enjoy both as hobbies.
Who are your favorite architects, and why?
Interests
Making. That extends to almost everything: graphic design, a backyard deck, music, a dumb joke… I like the process of creating. I also just realized why my house is perpetually cluttered.
What do you spend the most energy doing outside the office?
Rehabilitating my basket case vintage BMW. Absurd classic car bubble notwithstanding, it’s a fun and affordable hobby (provided you do every bit of work yourself).
What was your favorite project?
Frost Bank 26 Doors. It looks like a fairly straightforward finish-out, but the now-40-year-old building was rife with significant structural and MEP and building code and accessibility considerations. All those layers combined to make a particularly challenging set of constraints that the project team had to negotiate. I think the result is simultaneously respectful of the character of the Old Austin shopping center and the architectural brand identity of Frost Bank. I’ve heard Al say many times that to bring out his best work, you have to challenge him; throw a bunch of restrictions on him; cut the budget in half (please don’t cut the budget in half!) – the ability to thrive in those situations is a major part of who we are as McKinney York Architects.
What is your favorite place?
Right now it’s probably Klyde Warren Park (in Dallas – gasp!). From the front door of our office you can see traffic on the scourge that is I-35, and it’s comforting to think that maybe, someday, we can transform it into a treasured, walkable social hub.
Interests
Film photography, New York City in the 1970s, craft beer, roadtrips and exploring new cities
What would you do if you weren’t at McKinney York Architects?
I’d be a stuntwoman, for sure.
What was your favorite quotation?
“Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.” -Kurt Vonnegut
What is your favorite building?
The Getty Center in Los Angeles. I remember visiting for the first time when I was about eight years old. I got off the trolley that takes visitors up the winding and bumpy path built into the side of the hill and asked my mom, “Is this heaven?” The way the series of pristine white buildings looked against the cloudless blue sky was unforgettable.
Interests
Sketching, watercoloring, photography, cooking, woodworking
What would you do if you weren’t in architecture?
I’d be either a chef or a painter.
What do you spend the most energy doing outside the office?
Sleeping, cooking, photographing
What is your favorite building?
Kahn’s Kimbell Art Museum. There is something magical about its lighting.
Interests
Painting, travel and photography, fashion design
Interests
Running, community service, being an amateur makeup artist
What is your favorite quotation?
“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
What are you good at?
Dancing! I studied in a dance academy from age 6 to my last year of high school.
Interests
Food culture, swimming, traveling and exploring new cities.
What would you do if you weren’t in architecture?
It’s a toss-up between a career as a pastry chef or a mathematician.
What do you spend the most energy doing outside the office?
Cooking (…and cleaning up after)
What is your favorite quote?
“The sun never knew how great it was until it hit the side of a building” – Louis Kahn
Honors & Awards
Publications
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AIA COMPONENT AWARDS
OTHER AWARDS
TOURS
HEATHER MCKINNEY, FAIA, LEED AP
AL YORK, AIA
MICHELLE ROSSOMANDO, AIA
HEATHER MCKINNEY, FAIA, LEED AP
AL YORK, AIA
HEATHER MCKINNEY, FAIA, LEED AP
AL YORK, AIA
BRIAN CARLSON, AIA
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