Alexander Adamick

“I was very young when I started the firm, but ambitious. My goal was to become the best firm for historic preservation in the city,” says Alexander Adamick, principal architect at Adamick Architecture. He and his team have been working with residential and commercial clients since 2014. The firm was named by Forbes as a Top 200 in the nation, and it remains a resource for those in Louisiana, New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast. They might help one client shepherd a historic property into the modern world, while aiding another business owner, hoping to rehabilitate a blighted storefront into a fresh concept. From single house projects in Bayou St. John, Magazine Street and the Fair Grounds, to the carousel enclosure in Joe Brown Park, Vals Tacos on Freret and the build-out for the experiential culture museum Jamnola in the Marigny, Adamick group’s work is easily found across the city. “People live here for the food, the music and the architecture,” Adamick says. “I feel that our practice connects us to the city. We use this culture as our muse, and we respect our rich history. I also co-direct a nonprofit here where we provide pro bono work for our city.” The city provides plenty of challenges, especially where 2-century-old architecture comes into play. Adamick not only meets with clients one-on-one to initiate, refine and draft schematics, but then goes further, to help with HDLC requirements, permitting and city approvals. “I think one of our biggest challenges is stagnant wages, while food and rent and insurance increases,” he offers. “In architecture and construction, we have also seen higher interest rates which has impacted affordability. But, the real cancer here is the ever-increasing cost of insurance.  All of our designs go above and beyond what is required, so that our clients can avail themselves of certifications that ease this insurance cost.  We are lucky enough to work with some clients that create developments for high-quality housing, placed at rent rates that are affordable. They have been doing this work privately, without subsidies.” These days, one of the most exciting developments for Adamick is the team’s new office in the Irish Channel, marking a decade in business in 2024. The space suits their love of collaboration and adoration for colorful culture. “I think we take for granted what an impact our built environment actually has on us,” Adamick says. “Buildings can make us feel certain ways, and we have a collective history that should be saved. Architecture is a big part of that history.  I’m pro-development typically, but there is also a reason that places exist. And we need to maintain that cultural heritage and draw from it, not destroy it.”