Meet the Team | Craig

Partner Craig McClelland describes his architectural background as eclectic—with exposure to a variety of sectors including commercial, educational, hospitality, and medical. This may explain his affinity for working with tribal communities, where he’s able to serve the needs of members through the design of a diverse mix of facilities. Craig enjoys the creativity he can express in these projects while simultaneously honoring the history, traditions, and experiences of the people who will utilize the facilities for years to come.

“We used biophilic design principles at the Nisqually Tribe’s Health & Wellness Clinic, and daylighting was a big driver. A boardwalk runs through the center of the facility with a 208-foot skylight along with many windows and relites, allowing plants to grow inside and sunlight to reach the interior spaces. The finishes were selected to make people feel good and to recognize the Nisqually Tribe as the people of the river and grass. The experience we designed for the users and the staff will be the opposite of a sterile, westernized clinic.”

Craig truly loves practicing architecture and finds joy in mentoring the next generation of designers at KMB architects. Craig’s mentorship focus is production, working with the staff to create clear, accurate construction documents. He coaches his staff in sequencing and how to think like a contractor, using quality control reviews and site visits during construction to explain the rationale behind design decisions.

“The team of staff and consultants that we’ve developed are fun to work with and it feels good to know we’ve got each other’s backs.”

Outside of work, Craig enjoys traveling the world, especially to indulge his fascination with castles. As a child, Craig was in awe of the Sleeping Beauty Castle during his first visit to Disneyland, and it has influenced him ever since. He has visited Scotland, Ireland, England, Italy, Japan, Canada, and Mexico.