It’s time to take a new look at this seasoned design firm. OLSON LEWIS + Architects opened its doors over 32 years ago. Since its founding, this North Shore architectural, planning and interior design firm has gone through several phases of growth and change. For the past several years, it conducted business under the full name Olson Lewis Dioli & Doktor Architects & Planners. Recently, after reviewing its mission and identity, the firm embraced a contemporary interpretation of their original business name. They’re now rebranded as OLSON LEWIS + Architects. 

The firm has also updated its website and other communication materials, including its logo. This new name and logo honor the company’s traditional roots, but also add a stylized “plus” symbol for “more.”  The “more” reflects expanded services to a wider range of clients (homes, schools, commercial, biotech, hospitality and healthcare), innovative and responsive design aesthetics, growth in professional staff, and leadership in long-term industry trends such as sustainability and other movements that affect the future of architectural design and planning.

Honoring Tradition: Olson Lewis and a Classical Architectural Logo

Originally a sole practice in John Olson’s home, the firm quickly grew into a collaboration between the two Harvard alumni. “I had a major project that generated more work than I could handle alone. I asked Randy Lewis if he wanted to join me. The rest is history,” recalls Olson. The firm operated under the name Olson Lewis for almost two decades.

As they took on new partners, the business title eventually expanded to Olson Lewis Dioli & Doktor Architects (OLD&D), acknowledging the respective contributions of two newer principles: Arthur Dioli and Christopher Doktor. Like many businesses operating with extended formal titles, the firm often used its initials: OLD&D.

And yet, people continued to abbreviate the firm’s name. “To this day, our clients often refer to us as Olson Lewis. That was our name 30 years ago,” says founder John Olson. Adds his partner H. Randolph Lewis, “Although we changed the company’s name over time, many clients continued to shorten it. We’re listening to the wisdom of that habit.” Rather than struggling to remind clients of the firm’s extended business name, they responded by re-interpreting its original company name.

Until now, the firm also used a logo first developed over 30 years ago. It was a hand-drawn column capital. “Our original logo was inspired from one of our projects which was the Charrette New Haven Pediment,” reflects Lewis. “Like the name, it stuck.” Though the business name has expanded over the past several decades, the logo remained constant until this year.

Looking Ahead: Plus

Everyone asks whether Dioli and Doktor, the partners whose names aren’t spelled out anymore, are staying with the firm. “Absolutely,” confirms Doktor. “We helped guide this process, and we’re an integral part of the firm’s future.” Adds Dioli, “We’re the plus in the re-interpreted name. It symbolizes our presence at the heart of the firm, but gives us room to pursue new directions.”

Within the name OLSON LEWIS + Architects marks a forward-looking and streamlined approach to aesthetics and design. It also represents the firm’s full complement of professional partners and staff, as well as a comprehensive spectrum of design services. It expresses connection to future paths of professional growth and client service.

As the firm enters its fourth decade of practice, its leadership team now offers expertise in more disciplines: biotech, commercial, hospitality, education, healthcare, and residential design. It includes a fifth partner, Bill Mead, and remains one of the largest firms north of Boston, with a staff of 20 people. Its in-house services include architectural design, master planning and interior design. It maintains cutting-edge training in essential trends such as sustainable design, including LEED certification and design implementation.

Combining the Past and the Future

The new name and logo serve as cues about the firm’s re-defined identity and mission. In addition to the name OLSON LEWIS + Architects, they translated the firm’s original hand-drawn logo into a more colorful, stylized version of a column’s capital. The vivid logo balances classical vocabulary with a contemporary and iconic design approach. The new logo and name both preserve traditional components of the company’s identity, but adapted to a forward-looking palette and style.

Says partner Art Dioli, “In many ways, this name and logo are an extension of our firm’s culture. We’ve always used a balance of classical approaches and cutting-edge practices.” For example, projects often start by sketching on tracing paper, followed by design exploration with computer-based technology. The methodologies of the partners and their staff are complementary.

The firm has always designed responsively, with respect for tradition. Developing a revised identity proved to be just that kind of challenge. “Rebranding the company by using the familiar name and logo, in new ways, is a great example of a sustainable design,” says Chris Doktor, ”It preserves and adapts the most enduring part of our past, then applies new ideas to its use and meaning.”  Looking at the company’s existing frame of reference, the firm worked with consultants to create a contextual solution.

Located in centuries-old Manchester-by-the-Sea and Ipswich, Massachusetts, OLSON LEWIS + Architects is a full service, multi-discipline architectural firm with a collaborative design process. For 32 years, their award-winning work has taken root in the landscape of New England and other regions of the United States, as well as international locales. Responding to each project’s location and setting, the firm is known for creating culturally and ecologically sensitive design solutions. Their in-house teams focus on specific disciplines: biotechnology, hospitality, healthcare, education, and residential.

Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA

Since its founding in 1984, this import business has grown by 20-30% per year; thus outgrowing their original facility and requiring a new office and warehouse.

On the first floor is the storage and shipping. In keeping with the barn’s character, the large open space and lofty ceiling fulfilled a need for plenty of elbow room to crate, stack, and ship. On the second floor, beneath the rafters of the former barn, open offices provided intimacy for a small, closely-knit team of designers, business people and customer service staff. The new interior partitions, window trim, and workstations were detailed to reflect the character of the barn. The original barn door at the second floor was replicated to match the original design and is used on warm days to open up the second floor to the outdoors.

 New Haven, CT

An open-plan showroom in a former foundry building was created using a freestanding pavilion in the form of a Greek temple to display furniture.

OLSON LEWIS + transformed an 1860 carriage harness factory into an 18,000 sf graphic supply retail showroom and regional warehouse facility. The Greek “Temple” is a large lighting device with lighting fixtures that are able to be rearranged.  A freize on the temple displayed stylized images of Charrette’s merchandise.

Wenham, MA

To conform to the needs of an advertising agency, OLD&D renovated the nunnery dormitory into offices and restored the original mansion after it was nearly destroyed by fire.

The mansion is built primarily of stone, including half-timbered facades, leaded windows, and dormers. Subsequently offices were added on the flat-roofed portion of the dormitory. A new wing creating a courtyard for the offices has most recently been constructed.

Curacao, Netherlands Antilles

Inspired by an architectural style unique to the Netherlands Antilles, a slightly curious Caribbean interpretation of Dutch architecture of the period, the two-hundred-forty room Sonesta Hotel stretched along its Caribbean beach in a three story series of quadrangles.

Carefully studied gables maintain the scale of the traditional architecture.  As the guest approaches the entry they experience a delightfully framed axial view of the sea, the pool and a fountain.

The new Children’s House serves Pre-K and Kindergarten grades at Bay Farm Montessori Academy, along with its Visual Arts and Music programs.

The new school would offer sequence and structure, encouraging each child’s one-to-one development as guided by inspiring teachers and enhanced by communal learning. Designed with the appropriate use of the surrounding building proportions and materials blend with the overall campus character, often compared to a bustling, intimately-scaled Nantucket village. The design team incorporated elements of the Montessori teaching philosophy into the overall learning environment. Natural lighting through an abundance of windows allow for a science program and are sited with views to the outdoors and one well-loved playground. the new building.

Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA

In the first stage of building, OLSON LEWIS + provided Brookwood with a design for a new middle school suite, situated on an upper level.

This new wing integrates formerly free-standing structures, such as the gymnasium, making them a coherent part of the campus by re-cladding and connecting these buildings to the academic structure.

South Hamilton, MA

As the first phase of master plan implementation, Pingree School built a new academic wing serving grades 9-12.

It replaces an existing 1968 facility. The new science and academic annex was the first priority identified by the design team and the school toward supporting its long-term educational mission. The new structure contains state-of-the-art classrooms, innovative science labs, and a lofty gathering space. New technology infrastructure is built into and available in every learning space, including classrooms and public areas. The new 28,000 square foot academic wing takes its architectural cues from the school’s historical Pingree Hall, including stone exterior, generous period windows and stately columns in a Georgian style.

Lexington, MA

OLSON LEWIS + designers applied a rigorous methodology to the development of the built environment by allowing the building to reflect its occupant’s corporate culture.

OLSON LEWIS + defined a “narrative walk” down the central corridor of the newly adapted structure, to showcase the company’s unique R&D process. It provides generous beginning-to-end views into off-limits technical labs and computer spaces. When taken on a tour, investors glimpse secure technology and patented research processes at work.
At the rear entrance to the lobby, the “narrative path” terminates after a series of views into secure labs and high-tech spaces. The path ends, at the gallery of R&D models displayed at the rear entrance. The wooden gallery walls also echo the materials and forms used in the formal front entrance lobby, with its wide angled mahogany reception desk.

Lexington, MA

To contrast with other area companies, and depart from understated grays and monotones, were the client’s goals for this workspace.

In response, the design team infused the space with vivid colors in primary shades to awaken the existing infrastructure. Throughout the offices, labs and café, a bold ensemble of graduated hues hits high notes and spontaneous riffs, making it a lively and memorable setting for visitors and staff alike. Sophisticated jazz is often the phrase that describes the bright and vibrant carpet in offices and public spaces designed with the corporate logo in mind.