CMH relies on Joe Swaika for his keen mind for details and his excellence in writing architectural specifications. “Every Architect has their particular skill, and I tend to shine on the details. Thus, I have the pleasure of tackling the minutiae: writing specs and performing code reviews.” A graduate of Auburn University’s School of Architecture, Joe has handled K-12 and higher education projects, religious structures, single-family and multifamily residential work, medical and biomedical facilities, and an array of commercial projects, from restaurants, retail shops, offices, recreational and wellness centers, and more.

Among his favorite projects is WORKPLAY, a Birmingham arts hub that combines entertainment venues, workspaces, and creative studios. “It was a proud moment for me when WORKPLAY was completed. Outside of the overall design, I worked on all aspects of the project—a bar, a music venue with a stage, a photography studio, a movie-production soundstage, recording studios, and more. It was a complicated yet terrific learning process for a multi-use space.”

When Joe is not sweating the details, he can be found working with his kids to repair their cars, hustling to meet his wife’s deadlines for their “honey-do” list, or getting lost in his favorite pastime, woodworking.