Today we’d like to introduce you to Harmony Grogan.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I founded Pluck Architecture in 2019 after gaining invaluable experience at other design studios in Austin. In doing so, I wanted to stake a claim as a firm leader in what is still a male dominated field. As the firm’s name suggests, taking that leap after working happily at other firms for several years was both daunting and exhilarating.
As a native of rural West Virginia who grew up without any accredited schools of architecture anywhere in the state, I still had strong aspirations to be an architect at an early age. Living close to Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic masterwork in Pennsylvania, helped. My many visits to the house left a lasting impression.
After graduating with my degree from Virginia Tech, I moved to Austin and started my professional career. My work has been informed by many mentors as well as my on-going participation in the local design community. All these experiences shaped my design studio today. When it came time to go out on my own, I knew I wanted the studio’s portfolio to include preservation work, alongside new construction and even small commercial projects. We’ve been lucky to work on a variety of project types, scales, and budgets.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being a new business owner in the first year presented the usual the learning curve of producing work while managing a business, the technicalities of setting up payroll and IT, and building a strong network. Now that the business operations are put into motion, there is still much to learn to improve our practice and craft. The continual of balance of how best to direct your time and attention can be challenging.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Pluck Architecture?
Pluck’s work is playful and eclectic while being fully grounded in a deeply rigorous design process. Our designs draw on lessons from historic architecture —scale, proportion, and careful attention to detail. All our projects carry depth and character, using what we’ve learned from old buildings to make new construction feel enduring, livable, and connected to place.
We design places that feel joyful, comforting, and welcoming. One of our favorite design tools is the confident and intentional use of color as an integral element of the design story. We design pragmatically for everyday life, are respectful of clients’ budgets, and emphasize elements like millwork, built ins, and smart storage so homes feel immediately lived in and practical. For commercial projects, we employ the same warmth, character, and material richness at an inviting human scale to create spaces people want to spend time in. Our work is not simply a variation on a style; every project is a unique collaboration tailored to one client, on one site.
Pluck Architecture’s studio is set up to be geographically flexible to complete remote consulting work and the same level of service anywhere in the country. We are a full-service firm, taking projects from concept and feasibility studies, design and interiors, to permitting, board of adjustment and planning work, and finally construction administration. Design doesn’t end on paper and administration is a critical step to protecting our clients, carrying the design intent into the field, and mitigating the potential for budget or quality issues.
We care deeply about the built environment, and we’re committed to bringing creative solutions to challenging restraints.
Any big plans?
We’re always excited for future projects that will challenge our studio. We would love to explore hospitality projects, especially those that have a more residential scale.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pluckarchitecure.com
- Instagram: @pluckarchitecture
