Wendell Burnette Architects

Wendell Burnette Architects is an internationally recognized architectural practice in Phoenix, Arizona, particularly noted for a sensitive attitude to the interrelation of space, light, and context. His work encompasses everything from private to public projects and underlines a deep connection to the environment and the landscapes each occupies. It is by crafting architectures responsive to site-specific conditions and client needs that the firm produces resourceful budget designs that are timeless in their engagement with people and surroundings.

The design philosophy at Wendell Burnette Architects has its basis in a process of careful listening and distillation. The firm understands that every project brings with it a certain core essence-the client's vision and program into functional poetry. The firm collaborates with the client, design teams, and contractors in order to create a project that is singularly suited to its purpose yet timeless in appeal. These are prominent projects: custom residences, public spaces such as the Palo Verde Library/Maryvale Community Center, and international resort designs like the highly acclaimed Amangiri Resort.

Wendell Burnette Architects have received numerous award recognitions in the practice of architecture. These include, but are not limited to, the National AIA Honor Award, the ""Emerging Voices"" Award from the Architectural League of New York, and the Academy Award in Architecture from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. The firm's work has been exhibited in leading institutions such as the Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, reflecting its influence in shaping contemporary architectural discourse.

Wendell Burnette, FAIA, founded the firm and is its principal. He has developed a global perspective through extensive travel and study. Educated at the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, Burnette has applied his understanding of regional and international architectural traditions to his practice. Early experience with William Bruder Architects, where he co-designed the New Phoenix Central Library, laid the foundation for his distinctive approach to design, which he has further developed since founding Wendell Burnette Architects in 1996.

Besides practice, Wendell Burnette is Professor of Practice at the Design School at Arizona State University, where he has been teaching since 2000 for over twenty years. His experience and unique design approach make him a popular lecturer and critic throughout North American universities and architectural events.