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V O L . X X V I N O. V I I I A P R I L 2 0 , 2 0 2 0 20 R E A L E S TAT E / C O N S T R U C T I O N / E N G I N E E R I N G A s an architect with a home stu- dio in her loft apartment, Carol Morrissette of RDS Architects in Portland was used to working from home long before the public health cri- sis and shutdown orders forced many to do the same. While still adjusting to not being able to meet clients or visit construc- tion sites in person, Morrissette is find- ing that she and her team of one full- time employee and two part-timers are busier, and more productive, than ever. "I love this," she says from her Chestnut Street location, which has big windows overlooking the Back Cove. "It's definitely an adjustment, but every- body is so much more focused." Morrissette started her firm as Residential Design Architects LLC in 2010 and rebranded it last October as RDS (for Resilient Design Studio) to reflect that it's also doing commercial work. Current projects include a bigger facility for Generac Holdings Inc.-owned Pika Energy Inc. in South Portland. Morrissette says that while two or three projects currently under construc- tion are ahead of schedule, another is stuck in permitting as she works with a business coach on crafting a strategy for the firm if the crisis drags on. She's not too worried, given her decision to keep the practice small, allowing her to be selective about growth that may or not be maintained P H O T O / J I M N E U G E R Design of the times F O C U S Carol Morrissette Carol Morrissette of of RDS Architects RDS Architects in in Portland says that keeping the practice Portland says that keeping the practice small has allowed her to manage growth. small has allowed her to manage growth. S O U R C E : American Institute of Architects HOW ARCHITECTURE FIRMS ARE RESPONDING TO COVID-19 Firms reporting COVID-19 related change in prospective project inquiries or negotiations for new projects Firms projecting COVID-19 related estimated loss in revenue in March and April 2020 Two thirds of firms report slowing or stoppage of projects Firms expect revenue losses to accelerate in April 33% report prospective projects are moving ahead as expected 50% report some projects have moved more slowly or stopped 17% report many prospective projects have moved more slowly or stopped 17% 33% 50% None Under 5% 10 – 24% 5 – 9% 25% or more Average estimated March decline: 10% March 2020 17% 20% 29% 21% 13% Average estimated April decline: 15% April 2020 6% 13% 24% 32% 25% How Maine architects are powering through the pandemic B y R e n e e C o r d e s

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