What began as a one-person operation housed in the founder’s garage has grown to a full-service architectural and interior design firm credited with some of the most iconic buildings in the Central Savannah River Area. This year, Dickinson Architects celebrates 40 years of delivering better spaces, better lives by paying tribute to its humble beginning and the vision of its founder.

“We’re continuing my father’s vision,” said Dickinson Architects President and CEO Nick Dickinson. “We’re creating better spaces and better lives for our clients and the community.”

Nick Dickinson Sr. established the architectural firm in 1983 after earning his undergraduate and master’s degrees in architecture from Iowa State University. His firm quickly gained a reputation in the Augusta community for impeccable service to their clients, as well as designing buildings that were not only beautiful, but functional and efficient.

Nick Sr. passed that dedication to creating superior spaces to his son and namesake, who followed in his father’s footsteps by obtaining undergraduate and master’s degrees in architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology before returning home to Augusta to join the firm.

A few things changed over the years: the firm rebranded itself, changing from Nicholas Dickinson & Associates to Dickinson Architects; moved to its permanent home in the old Union Savings Bank building at the corner of 8th and Broad streets in the heart of downtown Augusta; and fellow Georgia Tech graduate Erin Moseley Armstrong joined the firm and rose to the position of partner.

While evolution is inevitable, what has remained constant throughout the years is Dickinson Architects’ commitment to providing unique architecture, interior design, and planning services that ensure clients’ spaces not only meet their needs, but also ignite a greater quality of life. Throughout the firm’s history, it has been responsible for some of the most recognizable buildings in the Augusta area, including the following:

Savannah Rapids Pavilion

Downtown Augusta Marriott Suites and Riverfront Conference Center

Richmond County Board of Education Central Office Building

Heritage Academy School, Early Learning Academy, and Gym

Academy of Richmond County Renovations and Addition

Downtown Augusta Hyatt House

Ronald McDonald House of Augusta

Goodwill/Helms College Career Campus

MedNow Urgent Care, Multiple Locations

5th Street Pedestrian Bridge Conversion

Summer House Realty

Premier Networx

Jordan Trotter Commercial Real Estate

These projects vary widely in size, scope, and purpose. What they all have in common, however, is the degree of skill with which each was designed. The Dickinson Architects team prides themselves not only on their technical expertise, but also on their ability to collaborate with clients with the end goal of creating spaces that serve those who occupy them. Time and time again, this process has resulted in buildings that are familiar landmarks in the area and awards for both new construction and historic preservation.

Most recently, Nick Dickinson received the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Augusta’s Entrepreneur Award, presented during their Best in Business Awards Luncheon in December. During his acceptance speech, Dickinson again credited his father and looked forward to continuing to serve the community.

“I owe a great deal of my success to what my father started,” he said. “We really look forward to the coming years and being a part of the growth of this great city.”