Pros
GLS is a small, highly design focused studio working on complex public and institutional projects across the Bay Area. Because of the size, everyone has meaningful responsibility and direct access to leadership. There is no hiding behind layers of hierarchy. You are in the room with clients, consultants, and decision makers. The work is thoughtful and conceptually rigorous. The firm values strong ideas and long term impact over trends. Team members are trusted to lead portions of projects early in their careers and are given space to grow. The culture is collaborative and intellectually curious. We work hard, but there is a strong respect for design craft and professional development. If you want exposure to entitlement strategy, public process, and high level design thinking, you get it here.
Cons
Because we are a small studio, you have to be comfortable wearing multiple hats. There is not the same level of administrative infrastructure you might find at a very large firm. Expectations are high and you are expected to take ownership.