Stephen Pickard, FAIA

Stephen Pickard, FAIA, is a Principal Emeritus at GFF. He has been practicing architecture for over 40 years and has extensive experience designing faith-based facilities. In 2011, he became a Principal at GFF, where he is known for his ability to communicate ideas, translate clients’ visions into memorable architecture, and design projects that appeal to many stakeholders. He is also a talented designer who still loves to draw by hand and ideate through an iterative series of sketches. Today, he serves in an advisory role for GFF, where he offers project-related expertise for civic, institutional, higher ed, and master planning projects, mentors the current generation of firm leaders, and still practices design when engaged on special projects.

Stephen led GFF’s Church Works Studio for 12 years, during which time the studio won several national design awards for projects that are spiritually, environmentally, and community driven. He is a respected thought leader whose faith-based projects have widely influenced thinking about a centuries-old building type.

In 2022, Stephen was elevated to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects for his exceptional work and contributions to architecture and society. He is often engaged as a speaker and writer for his knowledge of faith-based facilities and has been published on numerous occasions. His work has been featured extensively and has become an industry model for faith-based architecture. He also serves on the Dean’s Circle for Texas Tech University College of Architecture Design Leadership Alliance and was the 2021 Chairman for the AIA Interfaith Design, the American Institute of Architect’s Interfaith Forum on Religious Art and Architecture.