AG is pleased to announce the promotion of Andrew Alden to Senior Design Architect and a member of the AG Leadership Team. In this expanded role, Andrew will continue to lead stakeholder engagement, conceptual and schematic design on complex projects, while managing and mentoring the AG Design Team. He looks forward to playing a role in deepening the firm’s commitment to research-driven, experiential design.
A Passion for the Profession
Andrew’s passion for design is deeply personal, shaped by growing up surrounded by older relatives and developing an early appreciation for their stories, needs, and wisdom. That experience inspired his lifelong commitment to designing environments that support dignity, independence, and meaningful daily life.
For over 25 years, his work has focused on living environments, especially senior living communities, where thoughtful design can make a difference by impacting how people live, work, heal, and connect. His new position gives him a broader platform to shape that impact—both inside the firm and in the communities AG serves.
“Andrew’s promotion reinforces AG’s commitment to resident-focused environments and experiences. His dedication to client engagement and research will continue to refine our collaborative design process,” describes AG Chief Design Officer Eric Harrmann. “I admire his passion for the profession and mentorship. His leadership will support the next generation of the firm, ensuring our legacy of excellence in designing places where people live.”
A Respected Leader
Connecting research with practice guides Andrew’s design thinking and fuels his daily practice. He always looks for ways to teach and learn from students, emerging professionals, colleagues, and clients. Andrew believes the best environments are shaped by empathy, listening, and a genuine respect for the lives and relationships that make each community unique.
“We appreciate Andrew’s methodical approach to projects, discussions, and meetings. His calm demeanor, great attitude, and respect for all people support open and productive conversations that keep teams on track and moving forward,” says AG Chief Operating Officer Mike Miller. “Andrew doesn’t shy away from a challenge and applies his ‘let’s solve it now’ approach to find resolutions that accomplish the tasks at hand while aligning with the big picture project goals. I have great respect for Andrew, and he will bring excellent insights and contributions to our Leadership Team. His rise within the firm is well deserved.”
A Q&A with Andrew Alden
What does this new role mean to you, personally and professionally?
This new role provides greater opportunity to influence more projects and more people, both internally and externally. Professionally, it allows me to shape design direction across the firm, especially in complex living environments like senior living communities. Personally, it’s exciting to grow in a profession I’m genuinely passionate about and to use that growth to positively impact more lives through design.
How will your internal leadership intersect with client & community relationships?
My internal and external roles are tightly connected. Internally, I’m helping guide the design team, clarify roles, and support design leadership. Externally, that means we show up for clients as strong collaborators—bringing our national experience, our research, and our design philosophy to the table in a way that’s still tailored to their community and their residents. Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that design excellence, research, and empathy for the end user are aligned on every project we touch.
How do you hope to engage and inspire the AG Team?
From multifamily developments to senior living communities, we work on incredibly complex environments—places where people live, work, play, heal, rest, and learn. I don’t think we always fully appreciate how much our work shapes their everyday experiences. I value learning from real people in real places and translating those lessons into better design outcomes. One of my goals is to get more of our team out into the communities we design. Seeing people actually use the spaces and understanding how those spaces support (or challenge) their daily lives is powerful.
What most excites you about your role in continuing the AG legacy?
AG is uniquely positioned—we’re not a huge firm, so we can build strong relationships and stay closely connected as a team, yet we work nationally and bring experience from communities across the country. That balance of scale and reach allows us to pair strong design and research with close collaboration, reflecting each client’s culture and community while drawing on a deep base of precedent and knowledge. I feel very strongly that we do meaningful work here. As such, I take my role in upholding the firm’s legacy of making a real difference in people’s lives to heart.
Learn more about Andrew Alden.