Tiffany Coyne, AIA, DBIA, is a Principal in the Arts, Community & Education practice in Northern California. She has more than 20 years of experience in project management, design, and construction management working with arts, education, corporate, public, and healthcare clients. She approaches design as artistic problem-solving that supports aesthetic, function, and value.
Her work includes the El Camino Fundamental High School Center for the Arts, Cañada College Science and Technology Building, Sacramento City College Natural Sciences Building, State of California Resources Building Renovation, and Clovis Community Medical Center Bed Tower.
In the following, Tiffany shares challenges and opportunities impacting her clients—and favorite projects that inspire her.
Tiffany Coyne
Principal
What are the challenges you see in your practice today?
We always have had a blended practice in our Northern California offices, so I have the benefit of assessing the market from several perspectives and building types. In higher education, which is one of my primary focus areas, some challenges are post-COVID reassessment of spaces needs. There have been changes in how and where students are learning—whether in a classroom, remote from home, or in another setting. We’re still at that stage of trying to estimate how much space is realistically needed depending on the campus.
Does it depend on the specific campus or college itself?
The hybrid learning model is impacting all campuses. But the exciting news is that clients are stepping up to the challenges of a new learning paradigm and looking at how architecture and campus planning support different approaches to student engagement. It’s necessary to consider how to bring people together, activate spaces that support different activities and experiences, and create a sense of community.
How do you do that?
We must address the mind shift of where we were to where we are now, in which some variation of on-site, remote, and hybrid is the norm. As architects, it’s about understanding the clients’ needs and how they see their future. Our job is to help define that future.
For me, the common thread to my design approach starts with building a foundation of trust and respect with the overall team.
Tiffany Coyne
Principal
Your work spans building types. Is there a common thread to your design approach?
For me, the common thread to my design approach starts with building a foundation of trust and respect with the overall team. This really comes from open communication, transparency, and active listening with everyone on a project and finding consensus when challenges arise.
So, a big part of your job is balancing different viewpoints?
I would say it is one aspect of my job that I find most rewarding because different perspectives are important to enriching any project. Embracing diverse viewpoints can truly elevate any project and bring out creativity and depth that might not otherwise surface. It also encourages collaboration, which can lead to innovative solutions.
Do you have a favorite example of this census-building?
Certainly, one of my favorites is El Camino Fundamental High School Center for the Arts. The synergy between the contractor, design team, and the San Juan Unified School District made the project successful. We had a great open dialogue throughout the process, but we also had a lot of fun. And in the end, we created a beautiful building for the school’s music and drama programs.
What's down the road?
We’re continuing to build our Arts, Community & Education practice in Northern California. We have a lot of team members who are stepping up into new roles, who are bringing added expertise, diverse skill sets, and fresh perspectives. Our goal is to do more amazing projects where we can bring value to our clients. That’s where the fun comes in.
Learn more about the work our interdisciplinary design team is doing with leading clients in Northern California and the Central Valley.
