Elizabeth Alford founded Pollen Architecture in Austin, Texas in 2008 with Michael Young, and Dason Whitsett. Elizabeth’s work centers on creating engaging spaces that are carefully integrated into their surroundings, both natural settings and urban contexts. Elizabeth uses section, natural light and materiality to enrich the experience of a space. Prior to forming Pollen, Elizabeth ran her own firm, Elizabeth Alford Projects in Austin and New York, doing projects including studio renovations and farm buildings.
Michael Young was trained as an artist with the primary focus of his practice being on geometric abstraction and design. Central to his work is a dialectic relationship between natural materials and objects as relating to architecture. His interest in applying the principles of this previous work and craft to the built environment lead him to become one of the founding principals of Pollen. He conceptualizes use of materials in our projects, bringing a high level of inventiveness and craft to the process. He develops aesthetically tuned construction assemblies and details using a hands-on approach, often working with a material that he has developed specifically for a project. He brings a particular graphic sensibility to working out elevations.