Sam Edgens, LEED AP
Sam spent his early years in Rome, Georgia. He graduated from Darlington School and went on to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he received his undergraduate degree in architecture. He received his master’s degree in architecture from the University of Texas at Austin.
Sam started Edgens Architects in Highlands, NC, in 2009 and has focused his work there ever since, with offices in Highlands and Asheville, NC. Sam likes to spend his free time exercising, fly fishing the rivers of Western North Carolina with his two sons, and catching up on the latest drama (theatrical productions and otherwise) with his daughter and her friends.
Ian Griffith RA
Ian is a North Carolina native who graduated with a B. Arch from Rice University in 2016.
After graduating, Ian worked on exhibition design in Houston, Texas before moving back to North Carolina to work on commercial office and higher-education projects.
Three years later, Ian would go on to work as a shop hand for a Raleigh-based sculptor, helping to build and install large-scale sculptures of steel and aluminum with integrated dynamic lighting components.
Ian’s experience as a shop hand has led him to pay special attention to constructability, craftsmanship, and detailing. The process of bringing designs from abstract concepts to real-world, concrete constructions that are both expressive and functional is of particular interest to Ian.
Today, Ian lives in Asheville, North Carolina with his girlfriend and two cats. Outside of architecture, Ian enjoys playing both guitar and bass, as well as weightlifting.
Kara Cannon
Kara grew up in West Virginia and obtained her undergraduate education at Fairmont State University. She then went on to receive her Master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Kentucky.
Upon graduation, Kara traveled with her husband while continuing to explore her love for design through freelance projects and design competitions.
She has since made Highlands her home and continues to build on her knowledge and love of architecture.
Mike Racioppi
Mike was born and raised in Arizona, and graduated from The University of Arizona in 2022 with a Bachelors of Architecture.
Mike moved to Asheville in mid-2022 to pursue his licensure, as well as experience a new region of the country. Within architecture, Mike enjoys spending time in diving into the details of architecture. Outside of the office, you can find Mike on his bicycle or dirtbike. After a day of riding Mike likes exploring new breweries and restaurants around Asheville.