Cushing Terrell Welcomes
We’re excited to announce Seattle-based Graphite Design Group has joined Cushing Terrell, adding depth and breadth to our architectural practice. Licensed in all 50 states, the Graphite team specializes in mixed-use, commercial, retail, hospitality, residential, cultural and community, and technology projects. Their expertise and trusted reputation are demonstrated by their design signature across the Seattle skyline and their contributions to some of the most notable projects in the city.
Read more via our press release.
Message from Greg Matthews, Cushing Terrell President and CEO
“Graphite is a highly respected firm we’ve had the privilege to get to know through our overlap in the Seattle region and our project parterships. Through our work together, it became apparent Graphite would be a great partner for the long-term. With Graphite on board, we strengthen our presence in the region, expand our architectural capabilities, and create new potential for opportunity and growth.”
Message from Peter Krech, Graphite Design Group Founding Principal
“At Graphite, we’ve always believed design is about more than buildings — it’s about people and the positive impact we can have both in in terms of the relationships we build through the process and the ultimate user experience. Looking forward, we’re excited to join Cushing Terrell for Graphite’s next chapter and to continue our mission to engage and inspire the communities we call home.”
Two Teams That Match Up Well
Cushing Terrell and Graphite Design Group are committed to the continuous evolution and refinement of the design process and sustained by the desire to forever improve. This translates to a shared belief in the importance of knowledge, learning, and listening as the ideal means to understand our clients and excel in meeting their needs.
Our similar people-centered approaches ensure clients and project partners have a seat “at the table,” and our down-to-earth cultures and collaborative way of working mean egos are left behind in support of the very best solutions. We’re proud to partner with large companies well-known across the world and just as dedicated to supporting local clients and community-driven projects that directly benefit our neighbors.
The Benefits of Joining Forces
- Opportunities for growth and evolution
- A relationship built on trust and respect
- Aligned approaches to design, client service, and collaboration
- Stronger architecture and design presence in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest
- Broad national reach and multidisciplinary solutions
- Shared knowledge, resources, and technical expertise
- Continuity for Graphite’s clients, people, and culture
- A thoughtful path forward that builds on Graphite’s design legacy
Cushing Terrell and Graphite Architectural Leadership
Combined, the team in Seattle now boasts 30-plus architectural design professionals.
Shannon Christensen
Principal in Charge, Architecture
Cushing Terrell
Kara Eberle-Lott
Director of Architecture | Principal
Cushing Terrell
Nicole Dovel-Moore
Director of Architecture | Associate Principal
Cushing Terrell
Peter Krech
Project Manager | Senior Architect
Founder, Graphite Design Group
Martin Hill
Project Manager | Senior Architect
Founder, Graphite Design Group
Brian Ochs
Design Director | Associate Principal
Graphite Design Group
Patrick DiStefano
Project Manager | Senior Architect | Associate Principal
Graphite Design Group
Answers to Your Questions
As part of Cushing Terrell’s strategic growth plan, we’ve been on the lookout for highly respected design firms that would be a good fit to join our firm in terms of location and the added expertise and capabilities they bring. Based in Seattle with projects across the nation, the Graphite team will bolster our work in one of our urban markets and beyond.
We’ve partnered with Graphite, know their team, and admire their work. We have complimentary cultures and their experience will blend well with our firm’s current markets and services, with the addition of bringing specialty expertise in areas in which we’d like to grow. By joining Cushing Terrell, the Graphite team will have access to the resources of a larger, multidisciplinary design firm and expanded opportunities to work on different project types and markets, as well as greater opportunities for career development.
Together, we’ll have a stronger presence in Seattle and the greater Pacific Northwest and will be able to capitalize on our shared knowledge, resources, and technical expertise to provide the best design solutions for our clients and their projects.
Yes. The Graphite team will move into Cushing Terrell’s downtown Seattle office early in 2027. The address is 1201 Western Avenue, Suite 700.
Yes. Cushing Terrell will bring on Graphite’s talented team, contracts, and client relationships.
Between October 1, 2026, and early 2027, there will be an interim phase in which Graphite will be branded as Graphite, a Cushing Terrell Company. After that time, Graphite will fully transition under the Cushing Terrell brand.
The email contact information for Graphite team members will change as of October 1. You will be able to reach your Graphite contacts via email, using the format:
firstnamelastname@cushingterrell.com.
Once the Graphite team has moved into the Cushing Terrell Seattle office in early 2027, new telephone numbers will be assigned, and your project leads will reach out to you and share that information. Until that time, however, they will have the same telephone numbers.
No. Everything will be business as usual in terms of current and ongoing projects. Your Graphite project leads and contacts will remain the same. In the future, when new projects are initiated, there may be some changes to the team make up for each project, depending upon client needs.
Cushing Terrell’s multidisciplinary teams are organized into “service sectors” such as architecture, civil engineering, electrical engineering, interior design, landscape architecture, mechanical engineering, and structural engineering. Depending upon their discipline, each Graphite team member will become part of a specific service sector, and the Graphite architecture team will remain a studio that aligns with their project expertise and clients.