Ian Smith is the founding principal of IS-DG, an award winning full service design architecture firm in Philadelphia, PA. IS-DG is a member firm of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects as well as a certified DBE in Pennsylvania. Ian’s combined accomplishments from the Rhode Island School of Design and at Yale University have trained him to pursue a perspectives in design, architecture and urbanism to expand best practices. His cumulative experiences and have afforded him opportunities in the design of health care, commercial, residential and institutional buildings.

One of the core values of the Firm, Ian firmly believes that,

“Much of who we are as people comes from the stories we have been told as well as the ones that we are a part of. We work to identify the intertwined emotional narratives upon which we depend. This allows us to have a sensitivity to the many challenges that may influence the outcome of the project. Not only did we find that this came easily when pursuing memorial, dedication, and legacy projects, but also became relevant to single family homes and utility additions.”

Ian continues to serve the civic discourse through teaching occasionally at local universities in addition to his current appointments on the Philadelphia Preservation Alliance Board and PhilaNOMA.

Learn more about our core values here. >


BOOKS AND PAPERS BY IAN SMITH:

3/5’s Compromise and Black American Architectural Style

Paper by Ian Smith examines the 3/5’s compromise and why it is so foundational to the psychological condition of American Blackness and how it could be a vehicle of meaning from which a formal beauty for Black American architecture style could emerge.

The Connections of Mechanical Fasteners: A Detailed Look at the East Falls Bridge

The Connections of Mechanical Fasteners; A Detailed Look at the East Falls Bridge is a drawing exercise to invigorate the senses. The purpose of the exercise was to speak out about drawing in the age of computer 3d graphics and information systems. The bridge has always been an excellent analogy to communication as well as a cogent reminder to the effort needed to build connections. Ian Smith hopes to redirect attention, if only for a fraction of a moment, to the necessity of acute observation “en plein air.”

Wildwood Moments: New Jersey’s Beloved Boardwalk

This book captures pastimes at southern New Jersey’s historical resort town. Explore in detail the beachfront boardwalk with favorite attractions, see a spectacle of neon lights on Morey’s Pier, signage from The Wildwood Motel and other 1950s-era pull-in lodges, and classic arcade games in booths packed with prizes.