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So Far in 2026!

We’re thrilled to share that McKinney York Architects has been recognized as a Longhorn 100 company, an award that celebrates the fastest-growing businesses owned by alumni of the University of Texas at Austin around the world.

This recognition reflects the dedication of our incredible team, the trust of our clients, and the support of our collaborators. It is even more special as we are proud to be part of the Longhorn entrepreneurial community and maintain strong ties to the UT family, including many proud alumni within our firm. We are honored to share this milestone with everyone who makes our work possible and look forward to the rankings reveal on April 24!

McKinney York Architects is thrilled to announce the elevation of Navvab Taylor, AIA, RID, LEED AP BD+C to Principal and Partner. Promotion to Principal recognizes individuals who have developed the expertise to lead key aspects of the practice. Principals demonstrate leadership in combination with a shared vision for firm success, as well as exceptional performance in design, management, and project execution. As Partner, Navvab will join the McKinney York leadership team, where her expertise in sustainability and passion for community engagement will be an undoubted asset to the fulfillment of our firm’s mission.

Navvab represents the very best of McKinney York: design excellence, clear communication, and a deep commitment to collaboration and community. As our Sustainability Leader, she has consistently pushed our projects to meet higher environmental standards and has reshaped how we think about our responsibility as designers. She works collaboratively with clients to develop environmentally responsible solutions with award-winning designs, including the Austin ISD Sánchez Elementary School Modernization. Working on a range of new construction and renovation projects in the education and civic market sectors, she approaches architecture not only as a design discipline, but as a form of communication—one where materials, light, and space express a sense of place, energy, and calm.

A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture, Navvab joined McKinney York in 2010 after working in Boston, New Haven, and London, England. With over twenty years of experience as a project architect, she has led some of our most meaningful and impactful projects—most recently Comedor, Austin ISD’s Allison Elementary School, and the Texas Facilities Commission’s Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Outside of the office, she has served as chair of AIA Austin’s Architecture: K-12 Committee that hosts Architecture In Schools in collaboration with AISD’s afterschool programs. Navvab also facilitates a service-focused youth group through Baha’i Faith of Austin.

In her new role as Principal and Partner, Navvab will lead the thoughtful, sustainable design of civic and educational projects. Her leadership, grounded in thoughtful listening and a strong respect for diverse perspectives, will continue to shape the future of McKinney York Architects. Please join us in congratulating Navvab Taylor on this significant and well-earned milestone.

McKinney York Architects is proud to announce the elevation of Aaron Taylor, AIA to Associate Principal.

Over the course of his fifteen years with McKinney York, Aaron’s work across civic, educational, and residential projects consistently reflects a commitment to meeting the needs of unique and underserved user groups while balancing strong ideas with real-world constraints. As an Associate Principal, his expertise in “Design for All” methodologies will continue to foster a sense of equity, dignity, and belonging in our work. Aaron will also maintain his role as co-chair for McKinney York’s design committee, working collaboratively to blend practicality with compelling designs that are thoughtfully rooted in the communities they serve. Aaron received a Bachelor of Architecture from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Architecture from Yale University. He worked in Boston, Los Angeles, and London, England before joining McKinney York in 2010. Since then, he has played a significant role in shaping both our work and our culture. Projects such as the City of Austin Women and Children’s Shelter, Community First! Micro House, and our ongoing work for the Texas School for the Deaf speak to his ability to pair clarity of design with social responsibility. Outside of the office, he has been a member of the AIA Austin Homes Tour Committee and consistently serves as a guest critic at The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture. Aaron represents so much of what we value as a firm; his thoughtful and empathetic design approach treats architecture as both a craft and a responsibility. We are grateful to have him on our team and look forward to his future with McKinney York. Congratulations, Aaron!

We’re excited to recognize Lu Zhang, AIA and Paul Holmes, AIA on being named Associates at McKinney York Architects.

Lu joined McKinney York with eight years of experience as a design lead on flagship institutional projects recognized with AIA New England design awards. Her recent work for the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin intertwines with our ongoing work at the school, making her a perfect fit for our firm. She approaches her projects with creativity, technical rigor, sustainability, and contextual sensitivity. Her current role on the Texas Facilities Commission’s Texas State Library and Archives Commission design team highlights her ability to consistently arrive at thoughtful, well-resolved solutions. In just a short time, her technical skills, detailing, and rendering abilities have already made a meaningful impact on our work. Drawing inspiration from her hometown of Chongqing, China, Lu strongly believes that architecture can shape the chaos and beauty of everyday life.

Paul joined our firm in 2024, bringing over five years of experience across single-family, commercial, and adaptive reuse projects. His current work in the educational and civic sectors is grounded in collaborative design thinking and community-oriented design. Paul’s reliability, thoughtfulness, and eye for design make him a valued leader on public projects such as Austin ISD’s Allison Elementary School and the Texas Facilities Commission’s Texas State Library and Archives Commission. He maintains an interest in always learning more—whether through his involvement with the AIA BEC, exploring evolving tools in the profession, or lessons learned in the field.

Congratulations, Lu and Paul! We can’t wait to see what you do in 2026.

It is with deep sadness that McKinney York Architects shares the news of the passing of our Principal, Al York, FAIA, RID. Over the course of three decades, Al’s leadership has had a profound impact on the growth and identity of McKinney York Architects. His simple, thought-provoking approach to architecture exposes the underlying grace of the ordinary, revealing beauty within familiar situations. As a distinguished leader and advocate in the design community, Al was a celebrated architect, cherished friend, and beloved mentor.

Al’s loss is felt profoundly by the countless lives he has touched. He spent his career pushing others forward, offering calm wisdom and unwavering generosity to all. Al leaves behind a lasting legacy of design that reflects his belief in architecture’s power to engage the mind, touch the heart, and elevate the human experience. He will be sincerely missed.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rawson Saunders School Al York Fund, or the McKinney York Architects Scholarship at The University of Texas at Austin.

Photo: Al seated in the iconic breezeway of one of his recently completed works, Inks Lake State Park Headquarters Building for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.

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Hogg Memorial Auditorium wins 2025 American Architecture Awards for Restoration/Renovation!

McKinney York Architects is honored to be recognized by the Austin Business Journal as one of Austin’s Top 30 Fastest-Growing Companies.

Hogg Memorial Auditorium wins Preservation Texas 2025 Honor Award for Historic Rehabilitation!

 

McKinney York Architects is honored to be included in the Austin Business Journal’s list of the Women-Owned Businesses.

McKinney York Architects and Landmarks celebrate the groundbreaking of the College of Education Entry Renovation & Art Installation!

McKinney York Architects joins SOM-led Team to Design New Arrivals and Departures Hall at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

Photograph of existing facilities by © Ken Griffith

Photograph of existing facilities by © Ken Griffith

McKinney York Architects is recognized by the Zweig Group as one of the Best Firms to Work For 2025!

 

Austin ISD Sánchez Elementary School featured on America ByDesign!

Writer’s Retreat wins HBA Max Award for Custom Home/Project Design, 2025!

Bookshelf's surrounding the central window of a white room.

Texas Facilities Commission, Groundbreaking for a new Archival and Records Storage Facility

St. Julian of Norwich Parish Hall wins Outstanding Construction Award, Associated General Contractors’, 2024!

We are excited to announce the elevation of Navvab Taylor, AIA, RID, LEED AP BD+C to Associate Principal and Lauren Gamboa to Associate. Navvab exhibits design excellence and employs strong communication and project management skills to build and maintain rewarding client relationships. She is a champion for sustainable design and will serve as the firm’s Sustainability Leader, working collaboratively with clients to develop environmentally responsible solutions and ensuring the firm’s practices align with rigorous standards. Lauren demonstrates skillful management of the marketing department and a remarkable ability to execute with precision, creativity, and efficiency. Her expertise and attention to detail has driven successful campaigns and streamlined the firm’s marketing processes. We value the leadership and knowledge of these team members and are thrilled to spotlight their advancement!

Looking Back at 2024…

AIA Austin WiA Profiles 2024 featuring our Associate Navvab Taylor!

Hogg Memorial Auditorium achieves LEED Platinum Certification!

View along curved rows of seats in an auditorium, facing a series of windows.

AISD Sánchez Elementary School wins TxA Design Award 2024!

straight on view of stairway that also functions as a social gathering space in elementary school, books are displayed on the levels and children and teachers are in the foreground

Comedor wins AIA Austin Design Award of Merit 2024!

People seated at bar and high tables of a nice restaurant.

River Ranch County Park wins a Texas Travel Award  and gets featured in Parks and Recreation Business Magazine! Have you been there yet?

Outdoor pavilion in a field of wildflowers.

 

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Tales of Texas Treasures

Exhibit Design Rooted in Place and Purpose

In the context of an increasingly digital world, the physical objects that represent our collective history take on an important role. As the stewards of these valuable artifacts, museums and archives seek to connect the public with the past by sharing their collections with a broad audience. Such a monumental task demands the design of spatial environments that are both functionally and conceptually suited to showcase these diverse collections.

The value of an exhibit lies not only in the objects being shown, but also in how they are presented. Just as curators choose artifacts for display based on their relationship to a central theme, so too do architects select elements dependent upon their relationship to a design concept. Working together, architects and curators can develop a spatial narrative that weaves together the physical and conceptual aspects of a collection. The introduction of multimedia components and new strategies in exhibit design necessitate a shift in perspective, extending the concept of the ‘exhibit’ to encompass the built environment surrounding the objects on display. Gallery spaces are no longer simply containers for exhibits, but have themselves become critical components of their collections. Creating a holistic visitor experience by fully immersing patrons within the spatial narrative enables an exhibit to leave a lasting impression, encouraging the formation of deeper connections between the visitors and the collection.

McKinney York Architects has worked with a number of cultural institutions to design exhibits that bring their ‘hidden treasures’ into the public eye. We have collaborated with owners, managers, curators, and museum staff to bring exhibit concepts to life within unique physical and financial constraints. Applying the principles of concept-driven design to exhibits work has allowed us to help these groups fulfill their missions and engage with the public on a larger scale, increasing the visibility of the collections and their managing institutions.

A small exhibit on the great American hero Willie Nelson sponsored by the Briscoe Center for American History in the Austin Bergstrom International Airport.

Willie Nelson: Texas Icon at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, The Briscoe Center for American History

As a part of The University of Texas at Austin campus, the Briscoe Center for American History is one of the leading research centers for national historical study.  Through our design of “Willie Nelson: Texas Icon,” we helped the Briscoe Center orchestrate an exhibit whose location honored the unlikely friendship between two Texas icons: Willie Nelson and Darrell K. Royal. Seeking to raise their public profile, the Briscoe Center placed this long-term exhibit celebrating the life and legacy of Willie Nelson in the North End Zone of DKR Texas Memorial Stadium, juxtaposing his classic country music with a third icon: Texas Longhorn football.

To ensure that the exhibit could hold its own within the large stadium concourse, an image of Nelson was enlarged to the scale of the space, drawing visitors in amidst the grandeur of the stadium. A bold canopy structure was also employed to ground the exhibit and carve out a small portion of space for patrons to engage with the memorabilia at an intimate scale. The canopy’s form and material – a rugged steel shell with a pecan-lined interior – epitomize the honest, unpretentious character of Willie Nelson himself. The structure is straightforward and humble, using refined details to resolve the exhibit into a distinctive space befitting the persona whose life and career it honors. The shape of the enclosure, paired with the use of motion sensors, enables visitors to hear Nelson’s world-renowned music while they are viewing the artifacts, resulting in an immersive, multi-sensory experience.

Awareness and understanding of the existing architectural context of this space allowed us to respond to it in a compatible formal language. We designed a space within a space to facilitate intimate one-on-one interactions between the patrons and the artifacts. Connecting the exhibit’s narrative with physical elements creates a ‘moment’ between viewer and object, temporarily insulating visitors from the typical commotion of DKR. Lovers of football and country music alike are united in a single space, successfully expanding the Briscoe Center’s audience while respecting the exhibit’s larger context.

 “The armature looks great, and I love the wood and steel finishes. Really a nice combination that sets off the glass case in a
spectacular way. The treatment of the Briscoe Center name is prominent, as we wanted, but done is a really classy way.“

Erin L. Purdy, Deputy Executive Director, The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX

Maniquis in western attire behind glass display cases with a black and white film being displayed on wall.

Lonesome Dove: Permanent Collection at The Wittliff Collections

The Wittliff Collections at Texas State University encompasses an extensive archive and exhibition of celebrated Southwestern artists. Their ever-expanding archives and staff eventually required the addition of new exhibition spaces. In a transformational renovation and expansion, we designed new gallery spaces and permanent exhibits to showcase the Wittliff Collection’s diverse archives and to further their mission of documenting and sharing the literary, photographic, and musical culture of Texas. Designed in tandem with the architectural renovation, the Lonesome Dove Collection brought to life by Bill Wittliff in one of the most beloved television miniseries of all time. The permanent exhibit displays the multimedia production archives of “Lonesome Dove,” featuring scripts, character sketches, maps, stage diagrams, costumes, and film stills.

To accentuate the timeless quality of “Lonesome Dove,” traditional Southwestern materials such as weathered pine and Saltillo tile are dramatically juxtaposed with modern features like sleek glass display cases and an elegant entry made of regional wood, glass, leather, and metal. Tactile elements of the Southwest are embedded in the architecture, visible overhead and underfoot as visitors make their way through the galleries. The Lonesome Dove gallery is purposefully connected to the existing reading room, the spatial adjacency recognizing the deep connection between past and present within the arts and culture of the Southwest. Media integration strategies, such as interactive touchscreen displays, allow a larger percentage of the collection to be made available to the public and present the varied multimedia contents of the Lonesome Dove Collection in a consistent, cohesive format. Combining the traditional with the contemporary results in a design that is sympathetic to the past while looking to the future, providing an ideal space for The Wittliff Collections to continue their work as a valuable archive of Southwestern cultural history.

 “The treatment that McKinney York brought really offers a significantly heightened museum experience. The gallery now feels like it’s showcasing the crown jewels of the region.”

Dr. David Coleman, Director, The Wittliff Collections, Texas State University, San Marcos TX 

Currency Collection & The Frost Loft at Frost Bank Tower

Frost Bank uses the built environment to share their story, emphasizing a 150-year commitment to local connection, customer service, and Texas pride through architectural design and subtly themed branch interiors. At the Frost Tower in San Antonio, two distinct exhibits combine branded elements with Texas historical motifs to create a unified spatial narrative that reflects Frost’s legacy and its relationship with the community.

On the ground floor, the Currency Collection is housed in a sculptural display case inspired by the shape of a dollar bill, designed with self-supporting curvature. The case is draped in graphics abstracted from a Republic of Texas ten-dollar note, playing with transparency, layers, light, and scale to pique interest from afar and complement the collection up close. The collection’s prime location in the lobby helps catch the eye of customers entering and exiting the building. What would have been a typical retail experience is thus integrated into a larger narrative of historical and cultural connection – as they explore the collection, individual patrons become aware of their place within the larger scope of Texas’ financial history.

In the mezzanine, The Frost Loft engages customers and the community to tell the story of Frost Bank. Custom-designed millwork objects are distributed across the loft in a pattern mirroring the facets and geometries of the Frost Tower, linking the small-scale exhibit to the larger building scale. The millwork provides a framework for integrating historical artifacts from the Frost archives with interactive digital experiences, infographics, and text to form a single, complex narrative. The material palette of oak and limestone draws inspiration from local materials to reinforce Frost’s connection with down-to-earth Texas culture.

We employed consistent graphic elements, signage, and materials are employed across both exhibits, visually linking them together despite the physical distance between them. Splashes of Frost’s signature blue throughout these spaces create an atmosphere that is distinct to the organization without distracting visitor focus from the collections. Exhibit cases organized in a pattern that evokes the iconic Frost Bank logo use blue accents to highlight informational text and graphics. Touches of Frost blue combined with historic Texas iconography emphasize the ties between the brand and the state – a critical component of Frost’s identity. Our work in the Frost Tower drew inspiration from the building’s unique architectural features to create two interconnected exhibit spaces that exist in dialogue with the identity of Frost Bank.

 “McKinney York helped us create an amazing experience within our lobby with a currency exhibit and Frost Loft, a unique and dynamic space that aims to tell our story. They have been wonderful partners that take tremendous pride in their work and have created engaging, inspiring and beautiful spaces for us throughout the years that are true to our brand.”

Monica Barrera, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Frost Bank San Antonio, TX

What we’ve learned

Through our exhibit design work, we have learned how to utilize architectural concepts to cultivate meaningful interactions between visitors and artifacts, shaping spatial narratives that reinforce the mission of each institution. These case study projects vary in size and subject, spanning the breadth of Texas identity in their contents. We discovered that architectural ideas can be employed at any scale – as part of a renovation, within the framework of an existing space, or in dialogue with an iconic structure. Developing a design language that reflects the spirit of a collection requires the ability to translate conceptual narratives into physical materials and spaces. Applying the principles of concept driven design to our exhibits work does just that, enabling these institutions to leave a lasting impact on the lives of their visitors.

If you or your organization would like more information on this topic, please email us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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