Don Guthrie, AIA, LEED AP

Don is a Principal in MCA’s Richmond, Virginia office and has been with the firm since 2007. In his more than 30-year career, Don has cultivated a deep portfolio of experience spanning a variety of project types including higher education, healthcare, and local government. His portfolio of work includes a particular focus on life sciences buildings for educational clients, extensive work for Department of Corrections, offices and infrastructure for private corporations, and retail spaces. In addition, Don’s previous experience as a project manager for the Virginia National Guard (Department of Military Affairs) gives him a unique insight into the needs of the owner as they relate to building projects.

Don has built a reputation for developing an engaging and long-standing rapport with his clients. When asked, he says a keen listening ear and a solid dose of humor help in establishing an easy and productive banter that serves to provide a clear understanding of his client’s goals. Don believes that a great looking building is not a true success if it does not also meet the needs of the users and, as a result, he works hard to achieve a project outcome for which all parties are proud to have taken part.

It’s often not the grand façade or the impressive lobby that makes a project a success. Although those are important, Don says he has learned it’s attention paid to the small details that make a building a good place in which to work, conduct business, and experience. Don will spend time with an owner and the building occupants to genuinely understand how the building and its individual spaces will be used—beyond the necessary functions. For Don, it’s knowing that the courtroom deputy will be standing in a specific spot for 8 hours a day and then adding padding under the carpet in that area that leaves him with a sense of purpose in his work and keeps his clients coming back to MCA time and time again.

Did you know that …

Don plays drums in a cover band called Run Forest Run. They play 80s, 90s, and 2000s rock and roll tunes at breweries, wineries, and bars throughout Richmond and the surrounding areas. When he’s not rockin’ with the band, Don enjoys sailing on the Chesapeake Bay with family and friends.