Bremerton, Washington-based architectural firm Rice Fergus Miller Inc. is seeing an increase in work in the Spokane area, and Gunnar Gladics, principal and partner at the firm, anticipates continued growth in both projects and personnel.

Establishing deeper roots in Eastern Washington and strengthening relationships with communities throughout the Inland Northwest is an ongoing goal for Rice Fergus Miller, says Gladics, who is based in Bremerton.

"We found and hired some great people in the Spokane area in 2021," he says. "In 2024, we opened an office space in Spokane to better serve clients in Eastern Washington, Idaho, and Montana."

The Spokane office is located downtown at 1011 W. First, Suite B.

Founded in 1987, Rice Fergus Miller has grown into a multidisciplinary design firm with 55 full-time employees companywide, including 10 at the Spokane office. The employee-owned firm specializes in healthcare, education, housing, civic facilities, fire and emergency services, and community-focused projects throughout the Pacific Northwest, Gladics says.

The company also has developed a significant portfolio of work with tribal and Indigenous communities, he adds.

The downtown Spokane office serves as a regional hub for the firm's work across Eastern Washington, North Idaho, and surrounding rural communities. The office complements the firm's Bremerton headquarters and reflects the company's long-term strategy of placing staff closer to the communities they serve, he says.

"We're looking to continue building our Spokane workload and become more ingrained in the community," says Gladics.

The company views Spokane as a natural fit because of its growing economy, strong design and construction community, and proximity to the rural and tribal communities that make up much of its client base, he says.

For Rice Fergus Miller, the Spokane office is not simply a satellite location, Gladics says, but rather a strategic investment in a region where the firm sees continued opportunities to support its clients for years to come.

Gladics is one of four partners at the firm and leads many of the company's civic and public safety projects. Before focusing full-time on design, he spent several years serving as a firefighter, experience that now informs his approach to designing public safety facilities, he explains.

That firsthand knowledge has helped Rice Fergus Miller develop a niche in fire station design throughout the region. Gladics' years spent working under former principal Dave Fergus also influence the firm's continued fire station design emphasis.

Throughout his career, Fergus built a portfolio of over 250 fire stations, training structures, vehicle maintenance and logistics facilities, and 911 call centers. He taught Gladics that a career could be built on fire station design alone.

The firm currently has a bid out on a Spokane Valley fire station remodel and has been awarded a job for a future Spokane fire station project, although that effort is currently on hold, Gladics says.

"We were awarded the project, but the department is getting a few other issues lined out before we can step in to help," he says.

The firm's public-sector expertise extends well beyond fire stations, Gladics says.

A significant portion of the firm's work focuses on helping rural communities address infrastructure and facility needs. Many of those projects involve long-term planning and community engagement efforts designed to support future growth while preserving local character, he explains.

Gladics says smaller communities often face challenges maintaining and expanding critical public infrastructure, making thoughtful planning and design especially important.

"We enjoy working in those rural communities and helping them build up their civil infrastructure," he says.

The firm's experience working with tribal nations is another important part of its practice, he says.

Rice Fergus Miller has completed projects ranging from community facilities and housing developments to hospitality and cultural projects for Native communities throughout the Pacific Northwest — including the Kalispel Tribe of Indians and Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, explains Gladics. The work often requires extensive collaboration with tribal leaders and community members to ensure projects reflect local values and priorities.

As the Spokane office approaches its second year of operation, Gladics says the firm's focus remains on building relationships throughout the Inland Northwest while continuing to recruit talent and expand its regional presence.

Gladics says he hopes Rice Fergus Miller's combination of community-focused design, technical expertise, and local engagement will help position the firm as a long-term partner in shaping the region's high-growth environment.