Recent News at AMDG

AMDG Invests in Technology, Team Culture and the Client Experience with Renovated Studio Spaces
AMDG Architects recently renovated their downtown Grand Rapids office space to better serve their clients and their team. By reshaping their environment, enhancing technology, and upgrading furniture, AMDG deepened their ability to be successful in their work, in both the physical and digital realms. AMDG President Peter Baldwin stated that the project came from a need to “continue to invest in our design hub and surrounding spaces to enhance our client’s experience through hospitality while also offering a variety of collaborative design spaces. We transformed our workspace to better serve our clients and to better serve our team.”
JHCA School Main Entry Rendering
Jackson Hole Classical Academy Breaks Ground on Their New Campus
Congratulations to Jackson Hole Classical Academy on the recent groundbreaking for their new permanent campus! The student-centered design will provide an environment that nurtures learning and encourages the love of the outdoors. Many thanks to Wember and GE Johnson for their efforts in this momentous project for JHCA!
AMDG chosen as one of “The Best Architectural Firms in Michigan” by General Contractors Magazine
We are honored to be chosen as one of “The Best Architectural Firms in Michigan” by General Contractors Magazine. Congratulations to the other firms who made the list as well!
AMDG Joins in Celebration of New Elementary Wing Groundbreaking at Bethany Christian Schools
We had a blast celebrating the new elementary wing groundbreaking at Bethany Christian Schools and the kickoff of their Bright Futures campaign! An exciting milestone in the project after months of designing, our team
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School Breaks Ground on Their New Early Childhood Center
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School (SPA) kicked off the construction phase of their Early Childhood Center in Grand Rapids, MI with a celebratory groundbreaking event. It has been an honor working alongside the St. Paul the Apostle team and our partners at Owen-Ames-Kimball to develop the design of the new center, which is anticipated to open in the Fall of 2023. We look forward to the many ways it will impact the SPA community!
Tom Sinke Celebrates 25 years with AMDG
We are deeply grateful to Tom Sinke for his commitment and excellent work at AMDG for the past 25 years. Not only is Tom a gifted architect, but he is also an amazing mentor. He leads with a servant’s heart and through his dedication and his work, Tom encourages our team to develop and grow their gifts and talents.
Downtown Grand Rapids Workspace Project Featured in Great Lakes By Design Magazine
The recently published Great Lakes By Design magazine article, “Sense of Place”, beautifully captures the intentionality behind the design of our Downtown Grand Rapids Workspace building - a renovation project that repositioned a formerly granite-and-concrete building into a dynamic workplace for the client and reconnecting with the downtown community.
23 Years at AMDG – Congratulations to Don Cok on His Retirement
Don Cok celebrates his retirement from AMDG Architects as of December 16, 2022. We have been blessed with having Don at AMDG for over two decades as one of our key teammates, and a significant amount of that time as a senior associate. During that time, Don has been a consistent and faithful team member and has helped AMDG develop into the firm it is today. Don’s specific contributions have been many and attempting to list them will ensure that we miss a few along the way. We do want to highlight Don’s technical expertise, his outstanding work with our specifications,
Celebrating AMDG’s Newly Licensed Architects: Nick Van Berlo and Todd Palmer
We are proud to congratulate AMDG team members Nick Van Berlo and Todd Palmer for passing their Architect Registration Examination (ARE) - earning each of them their Michigan architecture license! Todd and Nick have demonstrated a passion for using their gifts and talents to serve others both inside and outside of the firm, and their dedication to excellence is second to none.
Jessica Collette selected as member of the Leadership Grand Rapids Class of 2023
Congratulations to AMDG’s Jessica Collette for being selected as a member of the Grand Rapids Chamber’s Leadership Grand Rapids Class of 2023! The Leadership Grand Rapids program, or LGR, gathers around 40 community trustees with diverse backgrounds, specializations, and industries each year to
Driven to Improve: AMDG Team Members Attend “Listening to Learn” Workshop
Thank you to the AIA Grand Rapids and West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology for hosting the two-day "Listening to Learn," workshop. Three members of our design staff/team Michael Jen, Michael Paul and Brad Boyer represented AMDG and were among ten different West Michigan firms in attendance. The workshop focused on
Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation Launches “The 1530” Event Space
Congratulations to Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation (GRCCT) for their new event space: The 1530. A renovated 120+ year old building located at 1530 Madison Ave. in Grand Rapids, the various available spaces feature
World Renew’s new office space celebrated with a festive opening ceremony
Rwandan dancers welcomed the crowd gathered together for the opening ceremony of World Renew’s new office space. AMDG was grateful to attend the event and honored to team together with World Renew and the other design and construction partners who helped create this new space. World Renew assists people who are affected by poverty, disaster, illness, and injustice both nationally and internationally. Their need for this new space was
Honoring Peter and Brent for their 25 years at AMDG
Peter Baldwin and Brent Dykstra have been part of the AMDG team for 25 years! Browsing through the commercial and residential projects on the website, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that Peter and/or Brent did not play some role in. Their portfolios of work are significant and express the incredible gifts and talents that each of them continue to contribute to AMDG as a firm, as well as the deep relationships they’ve built both internally and externally with clients and partners along the way. We are incredibly grateful for their outstanding leadership, vision, faithfulness and dedication, and we are proud of their immeasurable contributions to AMDG!
Celebrating Women in Architecture and Gina’s Editorial in Great Lakes by Design Magazine
Congratulations to Gina Paul for being featured in Great Lakes by Design Magazine's recent issue celebrating women in architecture! The article shares experiences that led Gina to the profession, her design process, and what she hopes to see for women in the industry in years to come. Check out the full article here. We are so proud of Gina’s great work and our team is blessed by her talents, experience, and leadership.
Celebrating Hope College Athletics: the new Jim Heeringa Athletic Center
We are so grateful for the opportunity to design the new Jim Heeringa Athletic Center with Hope College. We love seeing the impact our work, and the great work of our partners Midwest Construction Group and Source One Digital, has already had on the athletics and student experience. – Go Hope!
Holland Community Aquatic Center launches Happy Families, Healthy Communities campaign
We are thrilled to take part in the Holland Community Aquatic Center Happy Families, Healthy Communities campaign! This campaign provides funding for additional community partnership, fitness, wellness and therapy components to the Holland Community Aquatic Center to better serve the growing community.
AMDG Volunteers
AMDG Gives back by supporting the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation
Undoubtedly, 2020 has been a year like none other. Through it all, we are more grateful than ever to our client, design, and construction partners for the opportunity to continue to work together in new ways. Reflecting on the upcoming holiday season, the AMDG team expressed our gratitude by investing back into the community. Blessed with a sunny fall day, we partnered with the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation (GRCCT) volunteering in various projects supporting our local neighbors.
Bengtson Center
Hospitality by Healthcare – Bengtson Center Featured in Great Lakes By Design Magazine
Featured in Great Lakes By Design Magazine’s recent “Crafted Lodging” issue, Bengtson Center for Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery combines design aspects of both residential and commercial buildings. The medical suite balances a professional environment with an at-home, relaxed feel. AMDG had the pleasure of working with partners Kathryn Chaplow LLC, First Companies, and Insignia Homes on the project. “From the beginning, the patient came first in every discussion we had as a design team. The finishes, the fabrics, and key design elements—like the color palette and fireplace—were designed to make patients feel at home. The space is meant to be calming and reassuring” – Kathryn Chaplow, interior designer and owner of Kathryn Chaplow LLC Click here to read more about the design processes of the teams involved in this wonderfully complex project.  
Trinity Christian College Nursing facility rendering
Trinity Christian College’s Newly Renovated Nursing Department Facility Opening This Fall
Congratulations to Trinity Christian College on their newly renovated nursing department facility scheduled to open this fall! It’s been a pleasure working with their team to create this state-of-the-art design. Check out this article from Trinity for more details about the newly renovated space!
Peter aldwin President at AMDG
Peter Baldwin’s creative and faith-based upbringing has greatly influenced his work as President of AMDG Architects.
Peter Baldwin’s creative and faith-based upbringing has greatly influenced his work as President of AMDG Architects. "Before we formed the company, several of us were talking about having an architectural firm that would allow us to practice our craft and also have the practice influenced by our world-and-life view, faith and values," Baldwin says. "We knew we didn't want to put our names on the company because we felt that would not as thoroughly express the purpose of the company. AMDG as an acronym is a great way to express the purpose of the firm. We also felt like it was fairly subtle and more inward speaking than outward speaking to remind us on our bad days when we were doing the opposite in our behavior, which happens." Read the full article here      
Congratulations to Hope College​ Campus Ministries House!
Congratulations to Hope College​ Campus Ministries House for being awarded LEED V4 certification earlier this spring! Our team is honored to have contributed to the efforts of Hope College students and staff, along with Lakewood Construction​ on the project. You can read Hope College's announcement article here.  
Association for a More Just Society
We have been honored to team with The Association for a More Just Society (AJS) in their continued commitment to #LoveFearlessly and seek justice in Honduras. For the past five years, AMDG has worked alongside a talented team of Honduran architects and builders as well as other US partners in the design and construction of a new office building.
Retina Specialists of Michigan Renovation
Designing with the team at Retina Specialists of Michigan benefited from a highly collaborative and interactive design process. The resulting design delivers on lean principles that improve patient satisfaction, care and improved staffing efficiencies and teaming. We are so grateful to have them as a return client for the expansion of their space and for the partnership and expertise of First Companies! Check out the case study to understand more about our design process and the results it delivered. Project: Retina Specialists of Michigan Photographer: DJZ Photography
The Value of Working Remote: When Virtual Becomes Essential
At AMDG a question we continually ask ourselves is how we can better serve our clients and care for our employees. It turns out our ongoing investment in technology allows us to do both. In this case, remotely. Over the past few years, we’ve made a concerted effort to be able to perform as well in person as from a distance. For our clients this means being able to engage in meaningful design discussions, whether across town, across the state, or in places like Illinois, Kentucky, and New Mexico.
AMDG Team Working Remote- 25 Commerce Office Closed Until Further Notice
For the health and safety of our staff, clients, partners, and community, we have suspended all nonessential activity in our office and our physical location will be closed until further notice. As of 5:00pm on Wednesday, March 18, our team is fully remote. AMDG is committed to project goals and we are well-equipped to support a fully remote staff. The technology each team member has while working remotely is the same technology they have when working in the AMDG office. We will communicate proactively should any obstacles arise with project schedules or delivery. We thank you for your continued understanding and support as we maneuver through this unprecedented situation together. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to the AMDG team if you have any questions or concerns.
Merry Christmas 2019
Celebrating the season with an AMDG tradition. From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!
The Dedication of the Church and the Mass of Thanksgiving at St. John Paul II
Thank you to the team at St. John Paull II Catholic Parish for welcoming AMDG Architects to the Dedication of the Church and the Mass of Thanksgiving. It was an uplifting service in your beautiful new space!
Announcing our newest named Associate: Christie Doty
Announcing our newest named Associate: Christie Doty For over three years, we have redefined and expanded AMDG’s services to include interior design. This expansion of client services offered is largely attributed to Christie Doty. As the first on-staff interior designer at AMDG, Christie has shown exceptional commitment to the firm and our mission to create excellent environments for our clients. She has helped grow our interiors team from one to five and has been a driving force behind current renovations to create an interiors hub and design center – an interactive workspace that will inspire and encourage client involvement in the design of their space. In appreciation of her tremendous work as well as her ongoing commitment to our mission, we would like to recognize Christie as our newest named Associate at AMDG Architects. Congratulations Christie!
Don celebrates his 20th work anniversary at AMDG Architects!
Congratulations to Don on his 20th anniversary at AMDG Architects!
South Christian High School Groundbreaking
Building SCHS 2019
We believe great design begins with a deep understanding of our clients. When AMDG was asked to master plan and design a new building for South Christian High School we focused on the entire school community. The result is an innovative space that makes its mission visible to students, parents, staff, and all who visit. And we couldn’t have done it alone! Working with a magnificent team. Dan Vos Construction CompanyAcoustics by DesignVia Design To learn more about South Christian High School and its vision is to be a spiritually vibrant educational community that reflects God’s Kingdom see this video.  
window wall classrooms at south christian high school
Business of Furniture : AMDG Architects Creates a Beautiful Mess With New School Design
Students at South Christian High School in West Michigan are enjoying a new state-of-the-art school. Funded mostly by cash gifts from the community, the $43 million facilities in Byron Center, Michigan, was designed by AMDG Architects an built by Dan Vos Construction. The new building is 175,000 square feet and sits on a 140-acre campus. A few of the features include enough accommodations for 700 students, 56 classrooms, a 1,100-seat auditorium, STEM facilities, two football fields, a baseball diamond, and two gyms.
Hope Ministry Center meeting andprayer room
Welcome Home to the Hope Ministry Center Team
Congratulations to Hope College on your new Ministry Center Building and thanks for the honor of teaming with your wonderful staff. We hope you have an amazing time living into your new space!
 
Hope Ministries center
Hope College Campus Ministries Building: Dedication Ceremony
You're invited!
Thurs. Aug. 29th at 5:00pm
Join us for a celebration, dedication ceremony, and tour of the new Hope College Campus Ministries building.

Baudville Design
An office doesn't have to be a sterile environment. Why not bring some natural elements and pops of color? This office renovation aimed at improving employee workflow and efficiency by creating a fun environment that was more representative of the work they do and office culture. By infusing plants, wood elements, and colorful finishes, the new office is now a more exciting and welcoming environment for both employees and clients. Client: Baudville Interior Design: Villa Decor Photographer: Ashley Avila Photography
Bay Pointe Woods Open House
Bay Pointe Woods Open House
Had a great time at Bay Pointe Inn’s Open House yesterday! It was such a treat to walk through the space with all the different teams that made the project a success. If you’re looking for event centers this summer or fall, make sure to check them out!! Thank you for having us!
amdg team at neocon 2019
NeoCon Shows 2019
Another great experience at NeoCon Shows! We love getting the chance to check out the industry's latest in commercial design. And to top it off, it was a beautiful day in Chicago!
start garden desk
MORE AT THE HEART OF GREAT DESIGN IS A CLIENT WHO IS UNDERSTOOD
For us, great design centers on the needs and aspirations of our clients. By coming together, and hearing what you have to say, we’re able to translate your goals and dreams into beautiful, constructible design. Client- Start Garden
sjpii church construction progress viewing
St. John Paul II Church Construction Progress Viewing
This past Sunday, we attended the mid-construction open house of St John Paul II Parish's new building with Erhardt Construction. Parish families were able to explore the space and write their prayer intentions on the exposed steel beams of the new church.
window wall classrooms at south christian high school
Why hide the learning process?
Why hide the learning process? Many of South Christian’s classrooms feature glass curtain walls to reveal the beauty of the process inherent in forming young minds. It is exciting to see these spaces in use! with - South Christian High School & Dan Vos Construction Company
AMDG desk spaces
Spring time, big changes!
Spring time, big changes! With the new season, we've been making some dynamic changes to our work spaces to help improve the way we team and ultimately better serve our clients. Check it out!
AMDG admin team 2019
Happy Administrative Professionals Day!
In the hustle and bustle of project work, it’s often easy to overlook the incredible work our admin teams do to keep our offices running smoothly. In our office, Brenda, Nancy, Sheri, Sue, and Terri are vital to our daily work – from keeping track of all the numbers and coordinating schedules to serving our clients and more, we couldn’t be more grateful for their great work and commitment to AMDG. Take a minute today to thank your admin team for all the work they do behind the scenes!
AMDG Easter 2019
Easter 2019
Easter Blessings from all of us here at AMDG! We hope you have a fantastic holiday weekend.
Bay Pointe Inn - Bay Point Woods Banquet Center
Bay Pointe Inn – Bay Pointe Woods Construction Update
Such a dreary day for an exciting project site visit at Bay Pointe Inn with GDK Construction Company and Mary Collins LLC! This new event center & stylish cottages will be opening in June of this year.
AMDG Job Shadow
AMDG Spring Job Shadow
We invited local high school students to our space to learn about different aspects of architecture, from design to leveraging virtual reality technology. It was fun to show not only what we do at our work, but why we love what we do.
Phil Lyzenga
Welcome to the team Phil!
We would like to welcome our newest team member, Phil Lyzenga! As a Project Designer, Phil, is passionate about the relationship between people and the built environment. He believes thoughtful and intentional design has a positive impact for not only the end user, but also for the surrounding community.
SCHS 2019 AMDG Architects retreat
AMDG 2019 Company Retreat
Last Friday, we held our annual company retreat at South Christian High School and it took us back to our days in school!! Aside from spending time in the new building and with students, we were thankful for the opportunity to stop, reflect, and engage in meaningful conversations.
Bay Pointe Woods Event Center
Bay Pointe Woods Project Update
Construction is coming along nicely at Bay Pointe Woods Event Center! Flip through to see what it will look like!
Bengtson center open house
Bengtson Center for Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery Open House
We had an an excellent time celebrating the completion of the Bengtson Center with the rest of the teams who contributed to the success of this project. Thank you for having us, Bengtson Center! Kathryn Chaplow Interior DesignVan Haren Electric IncDJ's Landscape ManagementFirst Companies, Inc., NAI Wisinski of West Michigan, JDH Engineering, Custer, Steelcase, Total Fire Protection & many more!      
Calvin Scholarship Recipient 2018
Congratulations, Rose! Rose was our 2018 Calvin College scholarship recipient. Tues. we had a great time getting to know her and showing her some of the work we do. Rose, we're excited for you as you continue your journey and wish you all the best!
Grand rapids winter
Veldhouse boys devote snow days to helping homeless
Conrad Veldhouse (eldest son of resident AMDG architect Kyle) stepped up to raise money for those experiencing homelessness during this past week of extreme weather. With the direction of Mel Trotter Ministries, boots, socks, mittens and hats were purchased with the money raised, the items going directly to those in need in our community. See news article linked for the full inspiring story!
South Christian High School
South Christian High School Contractor Open House
South Christian High School Contractor Open House! It has been such a joy and honor to be a part of the many teams that have made this project a success!
Association for a more just society
Association for a More Just Society (AJS), Honduras – project update
Association for a More Just Society (AJS), Honduras - Check out these in-progress photos of AJS's new headquarters in Honduras! To read more about AJS, their incredible team, and mission, follow this link- https://www.ajs-us.org/who-we-are
South Christian High School – the beginning
From a group of farmers back in 1951 to today, learn about the journey and inspiration behind South Christian's new innovative high school. read article here
South Christian High School exterior rendering
South Christian High School is open for classes
Congratulations to South Christian High School on the first week of classes in their new building. Wishing them a fantastic year to grow and learn in the new space! See the WoodTV interview with South Christian's Head of School Jim Peterson here.  
GRCHS town Hall
Prospective Learning Environments
How can technology and client-centered design better equip schools for 21st century learning? Read about it in this article by Great Lakes by Design magazine featuring AMDG's President, Peter Baldwin.
South Christian High School World View class office visit
Last week we welcomed students from the South Christian High School World View class into our office to discuss what it means to practice architecture with a Christian worldview.
Celebrating Adam
Celebrating Adams 10th AMDG Work Anniversary
Happy 10 year AMDG anniversary, Adam! Adam is a Project Manager and Associate, and can be best described as conscientious. His desk is meticulously organized, you can always count on his calendar to be updated (even months in advance), and he will never forget to return your pen!
Building Hope
The AMDG Project Benjamin's Hope was featured in the West MI design magazine Great Lakes By Design. Read this article to learn more about the story and inspiration behind Benjamin's Hope, an intentional community in which people of all abilities are able to live, work, play, and worship.
St. John Paul II Groundbreaking
On August 19th 2018 AMDG was proud to celebrate the Rite of Blessing of the Site on our project of a new church for St. John Paul II with Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak, Bishop of Grand Rapids, for presiding over the event. It was incredible to witness the parish’s excitement and joy at taking this next step in growing their community.
Illiana Christian High School Ribbon Cutting
On Monday, August 20, 2018, AMDG was proud to celebrate the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Illiana Christian High School in Dyer, Indiana. This project culminates a 5 year journey we have been on with the Illiana community. Our hope is that this project will help Illiana deliver its mission, to: “graduate academically capable people with a comprehensive Christian view of life committed to the challenge of serving God and others”
South Christian High School Building Tour
On May 15th AMDG Architects and Dan Vos Construction Company led a tour of our project at the construction site of the new South Christian High School building.
AMDG Company Retreat
On March 2nd, AMDG Architects held its annual company retreat. We kicked off the day with a round of personal sharing, with each team member being given the floor to share accomplishments from the past year and goals for 2018. Hearing reflections from each other’s professional and personal lives deepens our relationships and helps us to work together as a team and to honor each other’s lives outside of the office.
Timothy Christian Middle School Grand Opening
On September 14th, members of the AMDG team celebrated with the Timothy Christian Schools community the grand opening of their new middle school, and the completion of Project IMPACT. We would like to thank the Timothy Christian Schools community for the opportunity to be a part of the team which delivered their new building; a space that will strengthen and support their mission: Serving God and His people, Timothy Christian Schools develops academically prepared Christian disciples who embrace Christ’s call to transform the world.
Our team is happy to have delivered a building with state of the art athletics facilities and 21st century learning spaces to equip Timothy Christian to more powerfully deliver their mission.
SS Cyril
SS. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church – Completion of new Fellowship Hall
AMDG was honored to serve SS. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church Gun Lake Parish and team with GDK construction on the new fellowship hall for the parish as is celebrates it's 100 year anniversary!
Group of people with shovels
South Christian High School Groundbreaking
Yesterday we witnessed a deeply meaningful groundbreaking dedication for South Christian High School. We are grateful to God for the privilege of serving the South community in being a part of the design and construction of the new school. Our prayer is that it will change the trajectory of how South delivers on its mission to equip students to live Christ-centered lives and serve God to their greatest potential!
Group of people at conference
AMDG Architects 2017 Retreat
This past Friday AMDG Architects held our annual company retreat to reflect on our personal and professional accomplishments of 2016. Our thanks goes out to Rockford Construction for letting us use their beautiful conference space.
Group of people with shovels and hard hats
Rehoboth Christian Groundbreaking
AMDG is honored to partner with Rehoboth Christian School and LAM-Rockford in the planning and construction of a new High School! We celebrate with the Rehoboth Christian School and local community, and are excited to have participated in the groundbreaking for construction of a 21st century learning environment that will strengthen the Rehoboth Christian School’s enduring commitment to vigorously academic, beautifully diverse, and thoroughly Christian education.
Rendering of exterior of building
The offical groundbreaking of the new South Christian High School Facility
The entire team at AMDG is excited to celebrate The Official Groundbreaking of the new South Christian High School Facility with the SCHS community, Dan Vos Construction Company and all of our other committed project partners on May 18th, 2017!