Lake Flato believes in architecture that is rooted to its place, responds to the natural environment and merges with the landscape. With a palette of regional materials, we create buildings that are tactile and modern, environmentally responsible and well-crafted.
Lake Flato has been honored with over 400 design awards, including the American Institute of Architects Firm of the Year Award in 2004 and 16 Top Ten Project Awards from the AIA Committee on the Environment. Twenty years after receiving the Firm of the Year Award, David Lake and Ted Flato were honored with the 2024 Gold Medal Award, the AIA’s honest honor, recognizing individuals whose work has had a lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture. Lake Flato has also received the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture and was named one of the Ten Most Innovative Architecture Firms in the World by Fast Company. Lake Flato placed 1st in Architect Magazine’s 2019 Top 50 — an annual ranking of the best U.S. firms.
Lake Flato is committed to operating with a strong social ethos that demonstrates accountability and furthers the conversation around social justice. Attaining rigorous B Corp certification and participating in the International Living Future Institute’s JUST program are a testament to the firm’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. By holding ourselves accountable to these high standards of verification and transparency, we aspire to serve as a model for other firms.
As architects, teachers, environmental stewards and community advocates, we strive to elevate the public’s appreciation of architecture and foster the education of the next generation of architects.