KGD Architecture - Kishimoto.Gordon.Dalaya Inc

KGD Architecture - Kishimoto.Gordon.Dalaya Inc A collaborative studio of architects & design professionals focused on client service and design

A collaborative studio of architects and design professionals focused on client service, design excellence, and creating meaningful healthy spaces.

It’s not everyday that a team gets to mark a monumental anniversary for a colleague, especially one that represents 20 y...
05/19/2026

It’s not everyday that a team gets to mark a monumental anniversary for a colleague, especially one that represents 20 years!

This month, all of us here at KGD are especially delighted and honored to celebrate Associate Principal Alex Shifflett. Upon earning her Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech, Alex embarked on her career having joined KGD when our firm was in the midst of reaching its own milestone of 10 years in business. Since then, Alex has evolved as a trusted teammate from strength to strength, inspiring many along the way all whilst remaining diligent in honoring each client commitment, striving for excellence in the details, designing award-winning projects, and taking the time to mentor the next generation of our designers. Most importantly, she does all of this with a smile, humor, and a measure of grace to take time from her own personal commitments to whip up a magical treat to celebrate any one of us from birthdays to anniversaries and more. In her day-to-day role and responsibilities, Alex is integral to the very heart of what makes collaborating at KGD so much fun and rewarding. Thank you for all your hard work, dedication, and being everything that makes you a solid rock star, Alex!

Yesterday, KGD had the honor to join our clients and teaming partners for the official groundbreaking celebration of The...
04/30/2026

Yesterday, KGD had the honor to join our clients and teaming partners for the official groundbreaking celebration of The Source, a catalyst for positive change in Howard County – fostering innovation, sustainability, and opportunity while honoring the legacy of a place that has long been central to Columbia’s story. This transformative moment for Howard County has been actualized through its development led by Columbia Concepts with Columbia Community Care, along with KGD as the architect and interior designer plus Hamel Builders for its construction.

Upon completion, this 65,000 SF facility will include a state-of-the-art sports complex; modern food and social halls; and tenants who will provide community-facing services in education, medical care, and daycare. The Source will also be home to community partner, Columbia Community Care, which will provide vital services for Howard County’s most underserved residents, including literacy programs, a food pantry, and creative programming and safe spaces for their youth to dream, explore, and become more of who they are meant to be.

Howard County Executive Calvin B. Ball III, Ed.D. best summarizes the shared vision, love, and care that have gone into developing and designing this project when he said, “When successful communities see and opportunity to improve, they take it. When they can invest in future generations, they do it. When no place exists, they build it.”

Our congratulations to Columbia Concepts, Columbia Community Care, and Howard County. KGD has been honored to collaborate with the entire project team. We especially enjoyed being included in this milestone event. The KGD project team includes Principal Tom Donaghy, Associate Patrick McGowan, Architect Xinlei Liu, and Architectural Designers Rachel Martinka and Ipsha Patel.

This year, KGD Architecture proudly collaborated with the team from the University of Maryland (UMD) in the NAIOP Capita...
04/29/2026

This year, KGD Architecture proudly collaborated with the team from the University of Maryland (UMD) in the NAIOP Capital Challenge, an annual intercollegiate real estate case study competition organized by the NAIOP DC|MD Chapter. KGD professionals worked closely with the student team throughout the competition, providing guidance, technical insight, and real-world perspective. The collaboration proved highly successful as the UMD team won the 2026 National Capital Challenge, reflecting both the talent of the UMD students and the effectiveness of KGD’s mentorship-driven engagement in balance with others who collaborated closely with the UMD students, including Trammell Crow Company, AMT Engineering, DPR Construction, and Founders Bank.

UMD Student Paul Abonjuah, PMP summed up the experience best when stating, “…representing UMD Colvin Institute of Real Estate Development, was a testimony to hardwork always pays!!! The experience we went through before putting together a masterpiece (365-days activation) development proposal for the Washington Commanders (RFK Stadium), is indelibly printed on our hearts.”

Our congratulations to Paul and his fellow teammates: Joshua Kim, Sai Venkat Jillellamudi, Shekinah D., Victor Ojo, and David Ragland! Well done!

Congratulations, Graduates! All of us here at KGD are wishing you the best as you begin your career. To help jumpstart y...
04/24/2026

Congratulations, Graduates! All of us here at KGD are wishing you the best as you begin your career. To help jumpstart your new journey into the great wide world, we have gathered some advice to help you along the way. Good luck and soar!

Last week, KGD celebrated our clients, teaming partners, and 30 Years! That’s right, our famed Sushi and Sake event retu...
04/16/2026

Last week, KGD celebrated our clients, teaming partners, and 30 Years! That’s right, our famed Sushi and Sake event returned after being on hiatus since 2019.

What started as a humble gathering with those who entrusted KGD for their projects, culminated on April 8 into our greatest gathering to date for sushi, sake, and even kushiyaki fare. We had beautifully crafted origami cranes throughout the office along with illuminated lanterns. There was also a private corner space set up for guests to make their own origami creations, following various templates with instructions and a vast selection of Japanese craft papers. Lastly, as each guest departed, we presented them with a token gift of bespoke chocolate bonbons featuring miso and caramel, strawberry matcha, and ube with toasted coconut flavorings.

KGD Principal and Co-President Manoj Dalaya best sums up the night in sharing, “This was an evening that reflected the strength of our relationships, warmly shared, with a clear reminder that our best work is built on trust, collaboration, and appreciation. Our thanks to everyone who joined us to celebrate.”

KGD’s annual March Madness Bracket Competition showcased some fierce competition, lots of school loyalty, and a ton of f...
04/10/2026

KGD’s annual March Madness Bracket Competition showcased some fierce competition, lots of school loyalty, and a ton of fun. A big “thank you” to all those who participated and the KGD Social Committee for organizing such an exciting competition. Congratulations to our KGD March Madness Final Four, Bracket Winner, and University of Michigan Alumni. Go Blue!

04/03/2026

This week at KGD, we hosted an imposter game at the office and quickly realized being an architect does NOT mean you’re good at this. The confidence? Unmatched. The logic? Absolutely missing. People were fully making things up and somehow convincing everyone else. Safe to say, trust in this office is now under review. In the meantime and to summarize this moment in time:

Nia absolutely stole the show with her expressions.
Jocelyn proved it’s impossible for her not to guess the word.
Afsana has a friendly reminder in that there are words other than “crazy.”
Micaela… we all saw you trying, and we respect it.
Ipsha… maybe next time, say something that makes sense. 😅

At KGD, we’re excited to celebrate Principal and Co-President Manoj Dalaya, FAIA, AICP, being named a 2026 Prominent Pat...
03/27/2026

At KGD, we’re excited to celebrate Principal and Co-President Manoj Dalaya, FAIA, AICP, being named a 2026 Prominent Patriot by George Mason University.

This prestigious recognition highlights Manoj’s outstanding contributions to the field of architecture, his commitment to advancing human-centered design, and his leadership in shaping high-performance, wellness-focused environments. Through his work, Manoj continues to push the boundaries of design by integrating sustainability, resilience, and evidence-based strategies that enhance the way people live and work. Beyond practice, his dedication to mentorship, research, and engagement with the academic community also reflects a deep commitment to the future of the profession. His influence extends across the industry, from award-winning projects to thought leadership and service within professional organizations.

We are incredibly proud to have such an inspiring leader at KGD. Congratulations, Manoj, on this well-deserved recognition and for continuing to make a meaningful impact on our communities and the built environment.

03/26/2026

Join KGD Associate Principal and Project Director Alex Shifflett for a site walk at one of our latest construction sites. Set for completion in 2028, The Exchange at Spring Hill is located just minutes from the Spring Hill Metro Station. This multifamily and community center development will serve over 500 families, making it one of the largest affordable housing communities in Virginia.

We were also pleased to have Mitch Crispell from True Ground Housing Partners joining us on site to share insights into the vision behind the project. It is exciting to see the work take shape.

Special shoutout to our partners at KCM and Clark Construction for helping bring this project to life. Big thank you as well to KGD team members Tom Donaghy, Henry Mahns, Alex Shifflett, Patrick McGowan, Leah Kleinman, and Nia Furr for their hard work and contributions throughout the whole process.

Today, we want you to meet Alex Shifflett, AIA, NCARB, CDT, CSI, CCCA – KGD Associate Principal and Project Director, li...
03/20/2026

Today, we want you to meet Alex Shifflett, AIA, NCARB, CDT, CSI, CCCA – KGD Associate Principal and Project Director, licensed architect, and renowned baker. Alex is known for her exceptional communication skills and ability to maintain close, trusted relationships with her clients and team members. She has worked with developers, non-profit, and private sector clients on projects ranging from office buildings to multifamily residential. Beyond Alex’s direct professional responsibilities, she leads multiple company initiatives contributing to building KGD’s culture of excellence and team collaboration. When not building staffing charts, Alex uses her precision and organizational skills to bake and garden.

In honor of Alex celebrating 20 years at KGD this year, we asked her a few questions about herself and her career. Here are her thoughts on the subjects we discussed. For a complete transcript of Alex’s interview, please visit our website News page via the link in our bio above.

Address

1101 15th Street NW
Washington D.C., DC
20005

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 5:30pm

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+12023383800

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