PSDW is an ambitious and aspiring design firm specializing in original and innovative design proposals in both domestic and international markets with our office located in Sarasota, FL. As Sarasota architects, we are deeply committed to crafting environments that reflect both the timeless value and the modern ethos of the places we work.
Our environment is the defining character of our self-image and singularity. A designed conceptual response, representational of our ingenuity and the discovery of an existential individuality, comes only through the intimate connections with our immediate context, both tangible and intangible. It is through a lack of relationship between our environment and our inhabited circumstances, which brings us to adapt a weak sense of identity and authenticity. Through a homogeneous approach, numerous contemporary archetypes forge a fraudulent imitation, a sterile aesthetic synonymous with the combination of superficial styles, imitated cultural fads, and popular idiosyncrasy while drawing on a diluted interpretation of foreign concepts. As a result, various constructed integrations have created a disconnected inhabitant, detached from any valuable concepts of place.
Only through the examination of historical precedence to the comprehension of regional tradition can we, as architects in Sarasota, begin to speculate on a language of design with an independent relevance and virtuous quality. In this light, authenticity is defined by not only the past but by an unrelenting willingness to embrace a constructed vocabulary of our own time and immediate status. Influenced by regional and cultural precedence, our proposals begin to speculate on a design narrative that expresses the local and environmental qualities that define their individual context. A dialogue is created, a conversation between man and the natural elements, as well as elements to each other. The intention is to unify; to create a marriage between the natural and the man-made; a true expression and celebration of place. Regional authenticity is our pursuit.
About PS Design Workshop
DEREK PIROZZI
OWNER AND PRINCIPAL
After receiving his Master's of Architecture from the University of South Florida School of Architecture and Community Design where he received top honors and nominations for his portfolio and architectural thesis addressing Florida Gulf Coast Vernacular, Derek has begun to generate an early body of work resulting in award winning proposals. In 2014 he was the recipient of both the Morpholio Award for Emerging Talent and the Well Tech Smart City International Architecture Award.
Prior to forming PS Design Workshop LLC, Derek worked for a number of award winning architecture firms including Olson Kundig Architects in Seattle WA and Oppenheim Architecture + Design in Miami FL. As a leading figure among architects Sarasota FL, Derek Pirozzi oversees the conceptual design of all PSDW projects in collaboration with innovators and craftsmen.
Omar Saleh
OWNER AND PRINCIPAL | RA, AIA, LEED GA
Omar Saleh graduated in 2012 with his Masters of Architecture from the University of South Florida’s School of Architecture and Community Design. Omar had a passion for design and construction starting in high school where he worked in various construction trades during the summers prior to enter the School of Architecture in 2008. He is a firm believer that knowledge of construction practices enhances the design where constructibility and efficiency become integrated into the design process.
Upon graduating from the University of South Florida, Omar has worked at various established Architectural firms in Tampa Bay Region. Early in his career, Mr. Saleh had the opportunity to work on the early design stages of the new St. Pete Pier in while working at the Architecture firm ASD SKY. He has had the opportunity to work on multiple building types, including commercial retail developments, hospitality developments, healthcare, educational, amenity centers, civic and corporate interiors projects. Today, he is recognized as one of the distinguished architects in Sarasota, Florida, continually contributing to the region’s architectural excellence.