About

Introduction

Smith Santiesteban Allen Architects is a full-service architectural firm based in Tampa, Florida. Originally formed in 1985 as Smith Barnes Architecture, the firm has established itself as a recognized leader in luxury high-rise residential design. The firm has completed over 30 high-rise residential projects, over 100 single-family residential and town home projects, and numerous office, retail, and commercial developments.

Philosophy

Smith Santiesteban Allen Architects is dedicated to providing our clients with the highest level of professional services. The firm strives to achieve this objective and distinguish itself by working closely with each client, listening to their concerns, understanding their goals, and sharing their vision for each project. This begins with conceptual design and continues through all phases of the project. Our approach is unique in that each major project contains an in-house “competition” between principals, which provides our clients with multiple schemes from which to choose. Once the concept is selected, the principal continues to oversee the project as it is developed. Through this active involvement by the principals on each project, we are able to provide personal attention to our clients and remain flexible and responsive as the need arises. We feel that this philosophy contributes directly to the timely delivery of cost-effective and profitable projects, as evidenced by the many satisfied clients who consistently seek our unique capabilities for their projects.

History

Established in 1985 (as Smith Barnes Architecture), the firm’s reputation as a leader in luxury high–rise development began by designing the first of 18 luxury high-rise residential towers for visionary developer Raymond Lutgert (The Lutgert Companies). Smith Santiesteban Allen has designed 11 of the 29 high rise projects in the Gulf-front community of Park Shore in Naples, Florida which has been described as, “The Monaco of the Gulf”. In addition, the firm has been the exclusive architect for all 7 high-rise residential towers for Lutgert in the Bonita Bay development. Collectively, Smith Santiesteban Allen has designed over 30 mid/high-rise residential projects for over ten different developers. This collection of work has been recognized for design excellence with numerous local and national awards and publications. Although our core business focuses on luxury multi-family residential development, we also have an extensive background in a wide variety of projects, including single-family custom residential, commercial office, retail, hotel, broadcast media and master planning, as well as religious, institutional and educational facilities.

Principals

Ernest L. Smith, principal and project designer, is the firm’s founder and president. He is a registered architect in the State of Florida and a member of the American Institute of Architects and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards with over 35 years of professional experience designing a variety of award winning projects. Ernie is a graduate of Auburn University, receiving his Bachelor of Architecture degree with honors. As a founding member of Smith Barnes Architecture, Inc. in 1985, his extensive design experience and leadership have guided the firm’s success for over two decades. Ernie’s extraordinary talent has resulted in the design of numerous high rise residential towers throughout Florida, including his involvement with 14 luxury towers for visionary residential developer, Raymond Lutgert. Ernie’s designs also include: The Alagon on Bayshore (Tampa) and The Grandview (Harbor Island). Prior to Smith Barnes Architecture, Ernie was one of the original founders of The Design Advocates, Inc. (1975). His designs for commercial office, residential, recreational and golf course developments have also been recognized locally and nationally through awards and publications.

Alcides Santiesteban, principal and project designer, is the firm’s vice-president. He is a registered architect in the State of Florida and a member of the American Institute of Architects. Al is a graduate of the University of Florida where he graduated at the top of his class (Bachelor of Design in Architecture, 1987) and earned awards and high honors for his academic achievements. Al received his Masters degree at Harvard University in 1990 where he continued to be recognized for his academic success by maintaining a 4.0 GPA and earning the Harvard Grant. His thesis project was nominated for the Kelly Award, recognizing the top thesis project. Prior to working with Smith Barnes Architecture, Al was involved in a wide variety of commercial office, residential, educational, religious and public projects. Most notably, Al worked at the office of Antoine Predock in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he collaborated on the design of the University of California - Santa Cruz Musical Facility and the American Heritage Museum, both published in Architectural Record magazine. In 1995, Al received the Eduardo Garcia Award for Design Excellence, awarded by the Tampa Bay Chapter of AIA Florida. Beginning as an associate member with Smith Barnes Architecture, Inc. in 1996, Al has played a key role in the firm’s success through the unique design of more than 10 high-rise condominium developments. His ability to efficiently design complex residential developments and have direct involvement through construction has contributed to the recent success of the firm. In 2003, Al joined the executive tier as a principal and the firm emerged as Smith Barnes Santiesteban Architecture. Al has designed several notable projects including: WFTS Channel 28 (ABC-Tampa), The Regent, Provence, Aria, and Azure for the Lutgert Companies, Trump Tower Tampa, and Ovation.

Charles L. Allen, Jr., principal, is a registered architect in the State of Florida and a member of both the American Institute of Architects and the Construction Specifications Institute. Chuck received his Bachelor of Design in Architecture (1990) and Master of Architecture (1992) with honors from the University of Florida, receiving recognition for his academic achievements. With early experience in construction, custom millwork and civil engineering, he has developed a well-rounded understanding of the complexities involved in the design and construction of a wide variety of projects. Throughout his professional career, he has been responsible for the design, project management and construction administration for a broad range of building types ranging from single and multi-family residential, high-rise, healthcare, educational, commercial office, retail, transportation, historic preservation, and renovation, to building envelope investigations/rehabilitation and indoor air quality studies. Chuck’s technical abilities and thoroughness have contributed to the quality and success of the firm’s projects. Since 2000, Chuck has served as the project manager on 10 multi-family residential and mixed-use projects, including 6 high-rise projects. Chuck has been directly involved in such notable projects as The Tower Residences at the Ritz-Carlton (Sarasota), Azure at Bonita Bay, and Ovation (St. Petersburg). In addition, Chuck is responsible for managing and implementing the firm’s technology resources necessary for developing design concepts, the production of construction documents and the development of marketing materials. Chuck became a principal in January 2008 after seven years with the firm.

Staff

In addition to the leadership of the principals, Smith Santiesteban Allen Architects relies on a staff of 10 multi-talented professionals that provide the necessary support and teamwork required to consistently deliver quality projects for our clients. The support staff consists of architects, project managers, technical specialists and support personnel. We are committed to our staff and are fortunate to retain a consistent and reliable team of professionals who make it possible to uphold our exceptional reputation. Smith Santiesteban Allen Architects is also committed to maintaining the latest technological resources through the implementation of state-of-the-art CAD software and hardware. AutoCAD, Revit Architecture, 3D MAX, Photoshop CS2, and Adobe are actively used to develop and convey the 2D and 3D qualities of the designs. New technologies are continuously evaluated and implemented as required by each project’s unique circumstances.

For other design services beyond our scope, Smith Santiesteban Allen Architects has built close relationships with engineers and consultants who are leaders in their respective fields. These include structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical engineers, as well as contractors. Additional consultants for wind tunnel analysis, lighting, interior design, code review, cost estimating, elevators, glass and glazing, and roofing are often utilized for their knowledge and expertise in their respective fields.

Smith Santiesteban Allen Architects’ devotion to design excellence, commitment to our clients’ goals, and dedication to technical competency has proven to be a successful strategy for almost 30 years. We look forward to providing professional architectural design and consulting services and sharing our clients’ vision in their future endeavors.