A Truly Unique Architectural Experience
The firm was originally founded by W. Brent Armstrong, in 2008. We are a full service architectural design firm focusing on custom design for residential, commercial, multifamily, and mixed-use occupancies. Taking a simplistic design approach towards space planning mixed with modern technologies and creative use of materials, together create a unique design specific to the client’s needs and specific site constraints, resulting in a finished product that is comfortable and holds a truly unique architectural experience.
Good design enriches the user experience. Architecture uses form, material and technology together with ingenuity as a recipe for enhancing this experience. Constraints should spark creativity, and should feed a project rather than reduce from its potential. Collaborative efforts of the team (architect, owner, builder, subcontractors, etc.) are as equally important as collaborative efforts of the design elements (site, context, program, materials, details, natural light, etc.), which is where the term "ISOS" comes from; the Greek root for "equal".
ISOS Architecture has experience with adaptive re-use, historical properties, and varied typologies for multiple uses and occupancies. Brent is licensed in several different states, and is a Self Certified Professional registered with the City of Phoenix. He is also an affiliate architect with Kaiserworks, another local design studio and is a member of the AIA and NCARB.
W. Brent Armstrong, Architect, AIA, NCARB
W. Brent Armstrong originally hails from Cincinnati Ohio, and is a proud alumni of St. Xavier High School. He started studying architecture as an undergraduate at Arizona State University, where he was introduced to his mentor and friend, the late George Christensen, FAIA whom he studied under for over four years. Brent received his masters degree in Architecture from Rice University, where he also enjoyed a semester abroad in Paris, France. After graduation, Brent practiced at local design firms and was a faculty associate at Arizona State University while he started his own practice in 2008. Today with over 20 years of architectural experience, he is looking for the next project to add to the collection of awards and publications.
ISOS Mantra
\ i·sos ahr-ki-tek-cher \
ISOS is the greek root meaning equal, and the process of architecture and design is not above the humbling aspect of the constraints that inform our design decisions.
We like the term as a mantra of sorts, where we start any project understanding the initial program, site conditions and owners visions, all on an equal playing field, and evaluating how they all work together and inform each other. As the project evolves, additional architectural elements such as form, light and shadow, and materials begin to inform the architecture, and while some elements may rise to the forefront of any particular project, considering them all equally as the project evolves, helps derive at the best solutions for any project. This process helps to confirm the concept, sometimes found in a design detail, sometimes in a budget decision, or even something as simple as color selection. In totality, it reiterates the end goal.
Similarly, the team members also play equally important roles, from the owners to the general contractors, architects, engineers and sub-contractors, we need them all to perform exceptionally well, with the end goal of the exceptional project. While some roles are large and others are small, they all play their part and larger roles shouldn’t necessarily carry more significance. The architectural profession often struggles with the ego and the architect. The goal of ISOS is to place the significance of the project first, and to honor the project with good work. This is where projects then speak for themselves.