As an architect, the people around you matter and help you hone your craft. And you deserve to work with a team of like-minded creatives in a fun, collaborative environment where your talent and creativity matter more than titles or company tenure. But this can be difficult to find at large, stuffy architecture firms with a stifling hierarchy. Thankfully, when you join the Architecture Design Collaborative (ADC), you join a team of architectural all-stars who work and play hard. With us, you can rest assured that you will have the guidance, opportunities, and resources to master your craft.
Since 2014, ADC has been a nationally ranked architecture firm that serves Southern California and beyond with innovative designs. But our success is only possible thanks to our team. In the next installment of our ADC All-Stars series, you’ll meet Chris Weimholt, who brings our firm passion and joy in equal measure.
ADC All-Stars: Meet Chris Weimholt, Senior Principal
Chris Weimholt, one of the partners at ADC, is a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo alum, and while he says it didn’t prepare him for his current role, it gave him the tools to start this career as Senior Principal at our firm.
Chris joined ADC ten years ago because he wanted to grow a company he was a partner in and could have a say in its direction with the projects we go after, the clients we work with, the company culture, and our team.
“When I decided to join ADC, it was really important to have a team that communicates internally and a flat structure. I’d been a part of companies that weren’t like that, and I know what that experience is like.”
– Chris Weimholt, Senior Principal, ADC
Chris worked at a big firm before joining ADC and values working closely with all the staff. He didn’t want the hierarchy and wanted to feel like just another person working on their project.
“This flat structure aligns with my values and personality because I like connecting with people and teaching. I want them to be comfortable coming to me. When we work together, I’m just another team member. I don’t want them to have that fear of working with the boss.”
– Chris Weimholt, Senior Principal, ADC
Chris believes that his personal superpower is his sense of humor, and that serves him in making people feel comfortable with him. Outside of work, he says he has strong family values and wants his kids to appreciate their Chinese ethnicity since his mom is Chinese.
When he’s not working, you can find him surfing, spending time with his family, camping, hiking, or, well, surfing some more. He’s a staunch believer in South County having the best surf with places like San Clemente and Sacramento.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say that my local beaches, Bolsa, Blackies and San O in Orange County, didn’t have a special place in my heart. I like going there for longboarding. But I mostly just like staying active.”
– Chris Weimholt, Senior Principal, ADC
At work, you can hear podcasts about football or alternative and country music playing at his desk, and he’s a huge fan of Marvel movies, like The Avengers or Spiderman. And his guiding philosophy?
A quote by none other than Coco Chanel, “Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.”
“I like that quote because it’s a good reminder not to let the fear of failure stop me from trying to achieve something important. You can’t achieve something if you do not try, and sometimes, fear holds you back from trying in the first place. It is relevant to my life personally, in my relationships, and professionally, with my career choices.”
– Chris Weimholt, Senior Principal, ADC
What Chris Weimholt Loves About ADC!
Chris joined the ADC team in June 2014 as the Principal responsible for Multifamily Design and overseeing the design and planning of all of our residential and mixed projects. Chris loves that he has more control at ADC and has embraced that challenge.
“One of my favorite things about this role is that I have more control over the team and culture. Every architect knows how the job is. It has its ups and downs, like a marriage, so you need people you can be close with and feel comfortable working with.”
– Chris Weimholt, Senior Principal, ADC
He believes his work superpower is his personality, which helps him connect and collaborate with the team. He is adept at site planning and building programming, and his duties are mostly planning design for multifamily projects.
But his passion is his second superpower because, when he works on a project, he loves seeing how well things turn out. And he loves that when a client comes to ADC, we can produce a product that meets their goals.
“You know, when you’re working with another coworker on a project here, the goal is always just to produce the best product. And everyone has a different perspective. We have a great team where everyone is encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas. That’s built on trust, and that trust helps us succeed.”
– Chris Weimholt, Senior Principal, ADC
As for his three favorite projects at ADC? He would say they are the Anton Noma because he thinks it’s the best-looking project we have completed, Alexan Kendry because of the overall design of the community, and Hero’s Landing because it’s the largest homeless veteran’s apartment development in O.C.
And that’s why he believes that architecture is a great career.
“Architecture is amazing because you really make a difference in communities with the work you do, and Hero’s Landing is a great example of that.”
– Chris Weimholt, Senior Principal, ADC
Do you Want to Join a Team of All-Stars and Create Innovative, Inspiring Spaces? Apply Today to Join ADC!
The people you work with and the company you work for determine your experience and growth, both on the job and at home. And when you work at ADC, you join an all-star team of architects and a culture that encourages fun, nurtures growth, and drives success, personally and professionally.
Do you want to do the work you’ve always dreamed of when you first became an architect? Visit our Architecture Jobs page and join a team of architectural All-Stars. Work’s more interesting when you work with interesting people.
