Who We Are
At S2/AD, we believe in creating sustainable, well-designed places, buildings and spaces that promote well-being and a sense of community. We truly strive to make a difference and make communities better through design.
We are an owner-led, design-oriented firm, based in Wilmington, NC. With over 35 years of diverse development experience, our expertise is in using the art of design to navigate the complexities of place-making from concept to completion.
Founded and directed by R. Frank Smith Jr. AIA. LEED AP, S2/AD provides traditional town planning and development services, in addition to architectural design of public and private, residential, commercial, mixed-use and hospitality projects.
Because each project is unique, we custom tailor our approach to assemble the design team best suited to each client’s goals. We believe in keeping things simple – we do what we say we’re going to do, when we said we would.
What We Do
Planning
SMITH 2 A+D has the experience you need in all the components of place-making, which informs the firm’s approach to planning dynamic communities and ensuring the market appeal of our designs. We offer a complete range of design services for walkable communities and commercial development, from planning, zoning, and entitlement, to programming, building design, interior design, and construction administration.
Architecture
Architecture is about more than form and function and materials. Architecture creates a relationship – between form space, and the people who inhabit and experience it. It is why great places are often described as having a soul, and at Smith2, this is our goal. Our intuitive sense for how to achieve that has been developed over 35 years in honing our craft. Today, Smith2 Architecture + Design is known for inspired, thoughtful, meaningful, and implementable design throughout the southeastern U.S. and internationally.
Testimonials
Lew Oliver, Land Planner, Designer and Visionary
“A balance between creative and problem solving, Frank has a great eye for proportion. Frank and his team nail development deadlines and troubleshoot any task at hand with great aptitude. Frank imaginatively tackles any challenge we throw at him. He is a pleasure to work with personally and professionally, always bringing a touch of needed humor to our communications.”
Bob Chapman, TND Partners, Owner and Principal
“Frank is incredibly talented. He and his team seamlessly integrate the practical necessities of a project to support desired design goals. He is a master of scale, proportion and including appropriate vernacular elements that make his buildings much more than a structure placed on a piece of land - they instantly become part of the community. Being practical and efficient throughout the process, Smith2 delivers a good value. And Frank is fun to work with, too!
Jennifer and Rob Wilson
“Having wanted to build a custom home for 30 years, Smith2 was able to distill decades of ideas and, more importantly, add the most distinctive feature, to bring into reality our dream home. Working with an architecture firm provides so much more than a set of floor plans! Many thanks to Frank and his team.”