Neighboring Concepts

04/16/2026

Neighboring Concepts is celebrating 30 years in 2026.

Founded in 1996 in Charlotte, our work began with a simple but powerful idea: design can support, uplift, and strengthen community.

Today, we continue that legacy with a refined vision and the same commitment at our core,

Empowering Communities through Design.

We look forward to collaborating, building, and most importantly... CELEBRATING alongside you this year! Thank you for the continued support over 3 decades.

04/02/2026

Starting the 2026 season with some momentum! Neighboring Concepts opens the Charlotte Area Architects Volleyball League (CAAVL) with a strong first win.

Team Terminetters showing up with energy, teamwork, and a little fun both on and off the court. 🤖🏐💚

Featuring (from Left to Right):
Denver Sells
Courtney Guy
Ellen Filiatreau (Captain)
Gordon Douglas
Logan Winstead
Brittany Howze
Carlos Lopez
Sheldyn Merrell

02/16/2026

Through the City’s Reconnecting the West End project, we continue working alongside City staff and community members to evaluate design ideas and plan for the future together. We invite residents and stakeholders to join us tomorrow, February 17, from 6–8pm to review updates, share feedback, and help guide how the West End and Uptown remain connected and accessible for all. See you there!

12/22/2025

Neighboring Concepts wishes you and yours a joyous holiday season ✨

This time of year invites us to slow down, gather, and reflect on what truly matters. As we near the close of another year, we’re deeply grateful for the communities we serve, the partners we collaborate with, and the trust that makes this work possible.

At our annual holiday gathering, we took a moment to reflect on the people and shared values behind our work, celebrating our inaugural internal Monarch Storytelling Awards, which honor the everyday efforts that help build stronger, more connected communities.

Thank you to for hosting, and congratulations to this year’s recipients:

Mary Groff
Garrett Buell
Gordon Douglas
Brynn DeBrabant
Denver Sells

As we head into our 30th year, we look forward to celebrating the people, stories, and communities that have shaped our work.. and those still to come.

09/12/2025

Swipe to see the Neighboring Concepts staff’s impact for their day of community service with Nourish Up!

Follow the Neighboring Concepts staff as we join one of our clients, Nourish Up, for our annual team volunteer event. Nourish Up is an area non-profit committed to combatting food insecurity in Charlotte. What began as a 190,000 SF Sears warehouse, after undergoing a complete facility renovation, now serves as the Hunger Hub, the Headquarters for Nourish Up’s network of food pantries and meal delivery services.

Together with 14 staff members, we helped distribute more than 40 meals to residents across Charlotte. Neighboring Concepts is proud to support our clients and community as we’re committed to mission-centered, community-driven design that reminds us that architecture isn’t just about structures. It’s about people, their stories, and deepening community impact.

05/09/2025

The time is now
The people are us
The work is RECONNECTION
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Just a few scenes from our team in action lately working on
➡️ Reconnecting The West End
➡️ Historic Pottstown Preservation
➡️ Wilmington Downtown Plan

➡️Reimagine Durham Freeway Plan (not pictured but also in the works)

05/06/2025

Happy !

🍎Creating safe, vibrant and inclusive learning environments for students, teachers and families is one of our most beloved sectors and passions!

📚 Gordon Douglas (center in suit and tie, photo 1) Designer, Job Captain and Construction Administrator for the design of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' Esperanza Global Academy joined the EGA and CMS staff and students for their opening ceremony… the joy was palpable.

✏️ To be part of designing the first Charlotte public school with a Latin name is another beautuful thread woven into our 29-year history of transforming communities through architecture and celebrating diversity.

🍏 70% of the EGA student population is Hispanic and the EGA teachers are predominately bilingual: a beautiful representation of the East Charlotte community.

👏 Teachers: we see, appreciate and celebrate you today and all year long!

📸 photos 1,3-4: WBTV News Enlace Latino NC Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

04/30/2025

What a beautiful way to celebrate Week!

🌎We are honored that our design collaboration with Gensler project, Ella B. Scarborough Community Resource Center, was the winner of Most Inpspiring Building Project Sustain Charlotte Award amongst many other amazing nominees.

🌏 In addition to the vital services this center provides our community on the east side , this 110,000 SF, net-zero ready facility’s current sustainable features include a high performance building envelope, a day-lit interior, solar shading, a geothermal well field and building performance monitoring, providing users and operators continuous feedback on their energy choices.

Daniel McNamee

03/27/2025

Grateful and honored to see our own team member Sheldyn interviewed by NPR's WFAE for this piece on our current Reconnecting The West End Planning project our firm is leading.

A two-day charrette began on Tuesday in Charlotte to gather community input on ways to redevelop Interstate 77 and undo some of the harm caused by its construction.

03/25/2025

Your voice matters!
Reconnecting The West End Community Events Kickoff TODAY!
neighbors and business owners: please join us March 25 & 26 for two days of exploring, listening, getting to know each other and celebrating!

Reconnecting The West End is focused on dismantling the displacement in the 60s in our city and our firm is honored to lead this endeavor.

✨Tuesday, March 25 9am – 4pm
Open Studio – Come talk to the project team, see design work in progress, and give us your ideas for Reconnecting the West End.

✨ Tuesday, March 25 5pm – 7pm
Public Pin-Up – Give feedback on diferent design ideas for the West End interchange area (I-77 / Trade St. / 5th St.), including opportunities for new development, ideas for new community spaces, and recommendations for better walking and biking connections. Refreshments will be served.

✨ Wednesday, March 26 5pm – 7pm Community Celebrarion
hosted by Historic West End Partners with food, live music and a beautiful time of getting to know your neighbors.

03/20/2025

We have been so grateful to be part of the design of this historic renovation in Asheville for YMI Cultural Center. The ribbon cutting ceremony/grand opening was a celebration only magnified in beauty in contrast to the heaviness of Helene.