Furman + Keil Architects is a full-service design studio located in Austin, Texas. Founded in 1995, FKA has had the privilege of serving clients on projects - large and small - that are rooted in the community we love, and made possible by the dedicated people we work with every day.
Gary is a native Texan, University of Texas graduate, and founding principal of Furman + Keil Architects. He is committed to the idea of providing spaces that enhance people’s lives and connect them to a particular place in the world.
Gary’s professional life extends into many facets of the community. His volunteer work has included the design of low-income housing with Austin’s Alley Flat Initiative, and serving on non-profit boards for Shelter with Spirit and the Norwood Park Foundation. Gary also enjoys mentoring young people in the community. In 2011, Gary was selected to the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows for his contribution to architectural design. In his free time, you might find him playing the guitar or entertaining his four grandchildren.
With degrees in both industrial engineering and architecture, Philip loves the left brain / right brain thinking inherent in architectural design: exploring the natural tensions between function and beauty, balancing pragmatic concerns like gravity and waterproofing with artful composition of materials, light, and texture.
Philip is happiest when his hands and mind are busy in a creative endeavor: sketching, cooking, gardening, or tinkering in the shop on a woodworking or metalworking project. He loves the pace and rhythm of engaging the world on foot, whether exploring the world’s great cities, stretching his eyes on an alpine hike, or meeting neighbors while walking the dog. He also has an acknowledged “volunteering problem,” serving on way too many boards and committees and giving out wristbands at ACL tapings. He’s studying French in hopes of returning to live in Paris.
An Austinite since 1995, Troy grew up outside of Dallas and ventured south to study at UT Austin. With almost 20 years of architectural experience including residential, hospitality, planning and development, historic preservation, and construction consulting work under his belt, Troy contributes his strong design sensibilities (and unfailing sarcasm) to almost every project in the office. He is particularly interested in the expression of materiality and detailing.
Outside of the office, Troy enjoys traveling with his wife and son and spending time outdoors.
Ann Marie was exposed to her father’s drafting table from an early age, learning how to draw and write in all CAPS (not such a useful skill in kindergarten). She grew up in Saint Louis and later moved to Florida, where she eventually attended SA+CD at the University of South Florida for her Masters in Architecture. She enjoys the critical thinking aspects of architecture that manifest themselves through design and problem-solving.
After graduating, Ann Marie moved to Austin to enjoy the food, architecture, parks, and sporadic happenings/weirdness the city has to offer. In her free time, she loves being with her family, camping, and indulging in the occasional - yet intense - game of spikeball.
Always interested in creativity and design, Drew made a deliberate choice to switch careers from his undergraduate focus on advertising and pursue a Masters in Architecture at UT in order to apply that interest to the built environment. He is attracted to the challenge of helping clients articulate their needs and desires, processing that information, then creating architectural solutions that are functional, exciting, and beautiful.
Active in the local AIA chapter, Drew enjoys interacting with colleagues and learning about other practices and fields adjacent to architecture. He is also the office jet-setter... when not at work, you can find him socializing with friends, planning the next vacation, or working on fitness.
A UT Architecture grad, Kayla moved back to Austin after living in the San Francisco Bay Area for six years. ATX seems to be just the right balance between her west Texas roots and craving for city adventure, despite its shortcomings in the summer weather department. For the record, breakfast tacos > breakfast burritos.
Kayla is also a culinary school graduate, and she embraces opportunities to extend her love of cooking, baking, and hospitality into her current role as office and property manager for FKA. When she’s not putting her organizational skills to the test or engrossed in a spreadsheet, you might find her around town at a concert or film festival, making food to enjoy with friends, or trying a new happy hour.
Dawson is a life-long learner and advocate for things that matter, both large and small. After completing the UT Architecture undergraduate program, Dawson taught middle school math and science in east Austin. In an effort to better understand the built environment and hone his focus on smart solutions to practical problems, he later joined a structural engineering firm.
Dawson believes design is an activity primarily rooted in communication, and he strives for clarity and elegance in both the design process and the finished product. He has lived in Austin for more than two decades and loves spending quality time with his wife and two children, particularly if it involves getting outside and eating great food.
