Davis Architects

Leadership milestone at Davis Architects: Neil Davis, AIA, becomes Board Chairman after 48 years — and Courtney Pittman, AIA, has been named our first female President. This honors the legacy of Helen Sellers Davis, Alabama’s first licensed female architect (1936). We’re also celebrating leadership promotions: • Gabe Fuller, AIA – SVP, Architecture • Stephanie Pope, IIDA – SVP, Interior Design • Emily Horton, AIA – Principal • CJ Brennan, AIA – Principal • Andrew Taylor, AIA – Principal • Bob Benner, AIA – Principal • Skylar Howard, AIA – Principal Since 1912, Davis has built a legacy of architectural excellence. With this leadership team, we are confident in continuing to serve our clients and communities with purposeful design, creativity, and innovation. #Architecture #Leadership

Well deserved. Proud to have played a part in shaping a campus that continues to stand out nationally. #designedbydavis

If you haven’t finished your bracket yet, this is your sign! The tournament tips off this week, and everyone’s working through those final picks: comparing options, making a few adjustments, and deciding what feels right. It’s a process we know well. Courtney shared a few thoughts on the blog: dadot.com/news-blog/2026… #designedbydavis #marchmadness

An evening surrounded by leaders who are shaping the future of Birmingham, and we were proud to see Andrew Taylor right there among them. Last week, Andrew was recognized as part of the 2026 Birmingham Business Journal 40 Under 40 class. Andrew was honored alongside an impressive group of professionals making a meaningful impact in business and in our community. Seeing him celebrated among such strong company made the night even more special. Andrew leads with intention and consistency, always thoughtful in his decisions and steady in his care for clients and teammates alike. Grateful to celebrate in such good company, and even more grateful for the impact Andrew continues to make.

Samford University commissioned the Davis team to plan and design a state-of-the-art facility to house the rapidly growing Brock School of Business. The owner challenged the design team to site the building on a steeply sloping parking lot just outside of the campus center. The design centers around a 3-story atrium that allows for student and faculty interaction, enhanced circulation, and inviting lounge and breakout spaces. The adjacent grand staircase on the quad-facing side of the building was perceived as a lantern for the whole campus, with ample windows to vertically unite the hillside campus and allow light to fill the atrium and lounge beyond. The instructional spaces include a sixty-student tiered lecture hall, several forty-student classrooms, seminar rooms, and collaborative spaces. The portfolio management room houses six Bloomberg terminals and stock tickers that allow students to quickly access worldwide financial data. Administrative spaces are comprised of a dean’s suite, offices, executive conference center, and career development center. The large meeting room on the top level is used by the University and community for various events, while the rooftop deck provides stunning views of campus. read more about Brock School of Business here: dadot.com/brock-school-o…

From striking overhead features to cozy, unexpected spaces, our interiors team is sharing the Davis projects and details that stole their hearts. click to read more! dadot.com/news-blog/2026…

The Equal Justice Initiative partnered with Davis Architects and Bailey Harris to renovate and expand its Legacy Pavilion in Montgomery, transforming the building into the new Legacy Museum. The project features a dynamic exhibition environment with galleries, digital displays, large-scale audiovisual elements, and back-of-house support spaces. The building layout and visitor circulation are organized around a central lobby, which was fully renovated as part of the project. On the exterior, copper panels and integrated signage were introduced to reinforce and complement the powerful messaging of the exhibits within. In addition & again working closely with the EJI, Davis designed a new Legacy Plaza and additional parking adjacent to the Legacy Museum. The primary goal was to create a meaningful outdoor environment where visitors could pause, reflect, and engage with one another after their museum experience. The design includes an upper plaza and a lower lawn connected by a terraced landscape with traditional bench seating and thoughtfully arranged plantings. The upper plaza is partially shaded by canopies and includes table seating to support the museum’s restaurant, with steps leading down to the terrace below. The change in elevation responds to the site’s natural topography while also framing views of the sculptures on the lower lawn. Circular seating elements are strategically placed throughout the lawn to encourage conversation, contemplation, and reflection. #designedbydavis #architecture #design #montgomeryal

Architecture has always been about thoughtful design. Today, technology helps us communicate ideas more clearly, collaborate more easily, and make better decisions throughout the design process. From early concepts to construction, digital tools play a quiet but important role in creating better outcomes. Read the full article here: dadot.com/.../architectu… #designedbydavis #architecture #designtechnology

Samford University completed the adaptive reuse of a former Time Inc. headquarters in 2016, transforming the 28-acre campus into the home of its newly established College of Health Sciences. Working closely with the university, Davis Architects led a comprehensive planning and design effort to reimagine existing office buildings as a robust academic environment. What were once workstations and corporate offices became 19 classrooms and seminar rooms, two 135-seat lecture halls, nursing simulation and pharmacy teaching labs, specialized research and teaching spaces, and more than 250 faculty and staff offices. Together, these spaces support hands-on, interdisciplinary education across health science programs while extending the life and purpose of the existing campus. #designedbydavis #AdaptiveReuse #HigherEdDesign #CampusArchitecture #AcademicArchitecture #LearningEnvironments #InstitutionalDesign #DesignWithPurpose

The University of Montevallo completed its Center for the Arts, a transformative project for Alabama’s only public liberal arts college. Designed as a creative engine for discovery and innovation, the 36,000-square-foot facility brought together teaching, learning, and collaboration across the College of Fine Arts. Designed in tandem with Theatre Consultants Collaborative, the center provided comprehensive instructional spaces and fostered collaboration across disciplines. The design team worked closely with university faculty and staff to create a performance and educational venue that unified students and faculty throughout the College of Fine Arts. Conceived as a “collaboratory,” the center was designed to encourage interaction, interdisciplinary exchange, and creativity. The facility featured a 350-seat theater equipped with advanced acoustics and technology, as well as a flexible 100-seat black box theater. Additional spaces included an art gallery, theater department offices, multipurpose classrooms and studios, a digital fabrication lab, and dedicated scene design and wardrobe shops. The project balanced the diverse needs of the arts programs while maintaining the acoustic and functional integrity of both performance venues. A spacious front entry plaza created a welcoming “front porch” for the building, offering sweeping views of campus and serving as a dynamic outdoor gathering space for performances, receptions, and events. Project team: Owner - University of Montevallo GC - Blalock Program Manager - TCU Structural - MBA Civil - MBA MEP - Edmonds/Dewberry Landscape - Johnson & Co.

Orange Beach High School Athletics Complex Davis is proud to share the final photography of the new Orange Beach Athletics Complex for Orange Beach City Schools — a state-of-the-art home for the Makos. This $46.1M, multi-sport facility brings together everything a modern athletics program needs: a new 3,500 seat football and soccer stadium with grandstands, video board, and an eight-lane track; a 1,200-seat competition gym with a college-regulation court; and expansive training spaces designed for year-round performance. Highlights include a glass-lined weight room with 16 EliteForm-equipped stations, a collegiate-level training room with hydrotherapy pools, a covered 60-yard indoor turf pavilion, a westering room, a cheer room, flexible team meeting and classroom spaces, and a second-level player lounge overlooking the fields. We are thrilled to help deliver a next-level athletics experience for Orange Beach City Schools. #designedbydavis #OrangeBeach #athleticfacilities #sportsdesign #makonation

Thankful for the people who make our work meaningful. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Davis! 🧡🤎 #thanksgiving #grateful #holidayseason #architecture #architecturelovers #designedbydavis

University of North Alabama Florence, AL | 2025 Progress is well underway at UNA! Bank Independent Stadium represents a vision decades in the making. Nearly 50 years ago, University of North Alabama leaders set out to build a future grounded in belief, belief in the university, its students, and the Florence community. Our team at Davis, working alongside Ampere, is proud to help bring that vision to life through the design of a new 8,000(+)-seat football stadium and a 300(+)-seat baseball stadium, each created to bring fans together and foster shared experiences. Whether for football, baseball, soccer, or concerts, Bank Independent Stadium will serve as a true gathering place where the North Alabama community can connect and celebrate together. We are excited to be a part of the progress with Lion Nation! Highlights include: -360-degree concourse -Premium tower featuring a new weight room -13 premium suites -Multipurpose stadium club -Outdoor gathering areas #DesignbyDavis #RaiseTheROAR #RoarLions #SportsArchitecture

Helen Sellers Davis has always been big part of the Davis Architects story: a visionary designer, Alabama’s first licensed female architect, and the mother of our own Neil Davis. On this day in 2003, the State of Alabama officially declared Helen Sellers Davis Day, recognizing groundbreaking accomplishments of this incredible woman who, in 1936, became Alabama’s first licensed female architect. Helen graduated from what was then Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University) with a degree in architecture. Working through the Great Depression, she built a career defined by determination, talent, and a deep love for design. Her path opened doors for generations of women who followed. Her influence reached far beyond her drafting table, shaping both the profession and our firm, which her son Neil led for more than four decades. Each November 6, we proudly celebrate the legacy she built, one of creativity, resilience, and quiet strength. This year, her trailblazing spirit feels especially close as we mark another milestone: the appointment of Courtney Pittman as the first female president of Davis Architects. Helen’s legacy reminds us that great design is about more than what we build. It is about the courage to imagine what is possible. You can read more about Helen's amazing story here: dadot.com/news-blog/2025…

The AIA Alabama Design Awards celebrate projects that embody innovation, collaboration, and design excellence across the state. This year, we’re honored to receive a Merit Award for the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility Renovation at the University of Alabama. The renovation transforms one of the University of Alabama’s most iconic athletic buildings into a hub for training, recovery, dining, and connection. Every detail was designed to support athletes on and off the field. This project reflects the energy and excellence that define Crimson Tide athletics and the next generation of student-athlete spaces. Thank you to our clients, partners, and the AIA Alabama community for this incredible recognition! #aia #architecture #design #meritaward

The Soul of the South Awards shine a light on those who bring creativity, passion, and authenticity to Alabama’s culture, and this year we’re proud to celebrate one of our own. Kevin Bryant was honored with the 2025 Soul of the South Award for Commercial Architecture at the annual event held at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. This statewide celebration recognizes individuals whose creativity and craftsmanship represent the very best of Alabama. Nominated by Courtney Pittman, Kevin’s work reflects what we value most: thoughtful design, collaboration, and a lasting impact on the communities we serve. The evening was a beautiful reflection of Alabama’s creative spirit, from the locally sourced menu to the handcrafted awards made from the wood of fallen native trees. Every detail honored the people and places that make our state so special. Kevin was in the company of so many talented honorees with unique and inspiring stories of their own. It was a beautiful celebration of Alabama’s finest, and we couldn’t be prouder to see Kevin and his work recognized among them.