The trajectory of a career in architecture often begins in the tactile world of childhood play. For Tommy Watkins, President of the Phil Kean Design Group, the fascination started with Legos and K’Nex. It was an early education in the physics of connection and the joy of creation. While the medium has shifted from plastic bricks to steel and stone, the fundamental drive remains the same. It is a pursuit of coherence. In an industry frequently defined by fragmentation, Watkins is championing a return to a unified methodology where the distance between the drafting table and the job site is effectively erased.
This philosophy represents a fundamental stance on how quality is preserved. The modern construction landscape is often a disjointed relay race where an architect hands a vision to a builder who may or may not share the same aesthetic or structural values. This transfer is where the fidelity of a design often degrades. Watkins argues for a model that hermetically seals the process. By housing architecture, construction, interior design, and kitchen planning under a single roof, the firm eliminates the “game of telephone” that plagues luxury residential projects.
The Site as the Primary Author
The process at Phil Kean Design Group begins long before a computer is turned on. It starts on the soil itself. Watkins emphasizes that every project is site-specific. The land dictates the architecture. During the initial kickoff meeting on the property, the team analyzes solar angles, prevailing winds, and potential view corridors. It is a practice of listening to the site to determine how the structure should sit and breathe.
In the early stages, technology is deliberately sidelined in favor of the hand sketch. The bubble diagram serves as the initial language of the project. This loose, organic method allows for a rapid exchange of ideas regarding flow and relationship between spaces. Watkins posits that the floor plan is the single most critical element of the design. A beautiful elevation can mask a poor floor plan, but a poor floor plan will forever compromise the living experience. Once the flow is established and the spatial relationships are locked in, the team moves to 3D modeling in SketchUp to visualize the massing.
This prioritization of the floor plan is driven by a desire to eliminate waste. Watkins notes that hallways are often a symptom of lazy design. They represent square footage that costs money to build and condition but offers no livable value. A rigorous design eliminates these thoroughfares, turning circulation space into shared living space. This efficiency not only lowers construction costs but enhances the experiential quality of the home.
The Strategic Contraction
In May of 2025, the firm made a significant strategic pivot that underscores their commitment to the design-build model. They announced they would no longer provide design-only services for projects within their Central Florida market. If a client wants the design, they must also use the build team.
This decision was born from a protective instinct over the brand and the work. Watkins describes instances where prospective clients would see a home designed by the firm but built by a third party. If the execution was poor or the craftsmanship lacked integrity, the reputational damage fell on the designers, regardless of who swung the hammers. By mandating that they build what they design locally, the firm ensures that the physical reality matches the architectural intent. It closes the loop on accountability. There is no finger-pointing when the architect and the builder are on the same payroll. They are a singular entity responsible for the outcome.
Turning Constraints into Creativity
While many architects clamor for the blank canvas of a large, rectangular lot, Watkins suggests that the most compelling architecture arises from difficulty. Challenging sites force creativity. A prime example is a residence in Winter Park that backed up to a busy, noise-filled street. The lot had languished on the market because traditional buyers could not envision a sanctuary in such a chaotic setting.
The solution was an introspective courtyard design. By placing utilitarian spaces like the garage and closets against the noisy rear boundary, the design created an acoustic buffer. The home then turned its back on the street and focused inward toward a central pool and lush landscaping. Every primary room—the kitchen, the great room, the primary suite—looked out onto this private oasis. The architecture manufactured its own view and its own quietude. The result was a home that broke price-per-square-foot records for non-lakefront properties in the area. It proved that thoughtful design can unlock value in land that others deem unusable.
The Integrated Workflow
The advantage of the integrated model extends to the pacing and coordination of the project. In a fragmented approach, a client is subject to the independent schedules of the architect, the interior designer, and the general contractor. If the interior designer is booked, the project stalls. Under the Watkins model, the teams operate in parallel. The construction team offers pricing feedback during the design phase, ensuring that the budget is respected before permits are even pulled.
This synchronization is vital during the inevitable surprises of construction. No set of plans is immune to the reality of the field. When a framing walkthrough reveals a better opportunity—perhaps a window needs to shift to capture a specific tree or a ceiling height needs adjustment—the decision is made instantly. There are no Requests for Information (RFIs) languishing in an inbox for weeks. The decision-makers are present, and the pivot is executed immediately.
Curating the Visual Experience
A recurring theme in Watkins’ approach is the curation of sightlines. He recounts the architectural sin of walking into a multi-million dollar renovation and being greeted immediately by a view of a toilet in a powder room. It is a jarring reminder of what happens when flow is not considered. The placement of every door and every window is calculated to frame beauty, not utility.
This is particularly true for waterfront properties. The purpose of building on the water is to see the water. Yet, many homes fail to deliver this view upon entry. Watkins insists on transparency. The view should be the first thing to greet the inhabitant. This requires expansive glazing and a structural bravado that allows the home to open up completely. It is about dissolving the barrier between the air-conditioned interior and the natural environment.
A Future of Refinement
Looking forward, Watkins sees a shift away from the stark, sterile modernism that has dominated recent years. The trend is moving toward warmth. Natural materials, earth tones, and textures are replacing cold whites and greys. The architecture remains clean, but the palette is becoming more organic.
Under his leadership, the firm is actually scaling back in volume to focus on depth. By limiting the number of projects, project managers are not over-leveraged. They can dedicate the necessary attention to the complex details that define a luxury home. It is a rejection of the volume-based business model in favor of a reputation-based one.
For Tommy Watkins, the goal is not to be the biggest firm, but to be the most cohesive. By integrating every discipline and maintaining strict control over the process, he is ensuring that the final product is not just a house, but a durable legacy of the initial spark of creativity. The boy who built with Legos is still building; he is just ensuring that the pieces fit together more perfectly than ever before.