Good People, Bad leadership - Architect Dattner Architects Employee Review

The environment is collaborative, and there’s a consistent effort to support staff, whether through resource improvements, transparent communication, or genuine responsiveness to feedback. The Associates Group does a great job bringing staff concerns and suggestions to leadership, and regular townhalls create space for open, two-way dialogue. Leadership doesn’t pretend everything’s perfect, but they’re clearly committed to continuous improvement, and that mindset shows up in daily practice. One thing I’ve especially appreciated is the firm’s support for outside initiatives. I’ve been involved in AIA work, and leadership has encouraged that engagement as part of my professional development. They recognize that growth happens both within and beyond project work, and they try to make space for that. A big part of what makes the culture work is the people, it’s a diverse group with a wide range of talents and experiences. People are professional, but also down-to-earth and supportive of each other, which makes day-to-day collaboration easier and more enjoyable.

Like any workplace, there are areas that can improve. One ongoing opportunity is to continue advancing design ambition and rigor across all studios, ensuring consistency in design quality and innovation firm-wide. That said, there’s a strong foundation and a willingness to evolve, which makes progress feel possible.

Conveniently located in Midtown Manhattan near many transportation options.

The principal and managing principal weaponized the levers of power against me and acted in bad faith. After 6 months of dedicated hard work, they ambushed me, ushered me into a conference room with the human resources director and fired me for no reason. I asked the principal whom I worked with directly, why I was being fired and she crossed her arms and looked straight ahead without saying a word. Then the managing principal swooped in and started lecturing me about Dattner Architects and how they have 'high standards' and some other nonsense. She also told me that there were no other open positions at the firm that I could fill. That was a bold-faced lie since there were three positions posted under the 'Career Opportunities' section of their website at the time. Then they ran out of the room leaving the poor human resources director to clean up the mess. When I got back to my desk, the principal had already sent an email to the team that I had been fired. I was greeted with a bunch of sad eyes from my now former colleagues. It was the cruelest experience I have had in a corporate architecture firm.