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Anthony (Tony) Purvis

Associate chair, interior design

Education

  • M.F.A., interior design,  Florida State University
  • B.M., music theatre, Florida State University

Credentials

Academic experience

  • Professor and associate chair, 2021–present, Savannah College of Art and Design, Atlanta, GA
  • Visiting assistant professor, interior design and architecture, 2013–15
    Adjunct professor, interior design, 2012–13, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Professional experience

  • Studio director/senior interior designer/project manager, 2016–21, Carson Guest, Inc., Atlanta, GA
    Responsibilities as studio director included team leading the studio to accomplish multiple projects' goals on time and in budget per firm owner expectations, with heavy emphasis on scheduling, assigning responsibilities to leverage individual designers' strengths, and exceptional quality outcomes for clients; holding weekly staff meetings to prioritize action items and studio focus; problem solving; creating and teaching Revit and AutoCAD software continuing education classes for studio designers twice weekly for professional development; asset management for firm accounting purposes; and hourly client billing review and revision as required. Responsibilities as senior interior designer included creative design in all aspects of the design process from schematic design through contract administration and post-occupancy evaluation; heavy construction document creation in Revit and AutoCAD with a particular focus on space planning, lighting, power and communication, engineered system consultant review and collaboration, structural consultant review and collaboration, and life safety plan creation; and redline review of studio designers' work for all construction documents and custom furniture fabrication drawings. Acted as senior interior designer on nine separate multi-year corporate/law firm projects and numerous residential projects. Responsibilities as project manager included representing client interests at meetings from planning through construction to project delivery; oversight of multi-million-dollar budgets during design development, construction material/FF&E procurement and installation, with heavy emphasis on problem solving; client payment applications; and post-occupancy evaluations and ongoing services post-construction.
  • Interior designer, 2015–16, VeenendaalCave/NELSON, interior designer, Atlanta, GA
    Interior design responsibilities for tenant Improvement and healthcare sectors. Intensive programming, space planning and construction document generation with quick turnaround for metro Atlanta-area commercial properties. Top clients included Cushman Wakefield and CBRE property management companies.
  • Design consultant, 2012–15, Main Street Design, Tallahassee, FL
    Interior design responsibilities for a licensed, 30+-year local firm specializing in both commercial and residential design.

Certification and licensure

  • NCIDQ Certified

Awards, recognitions, and honors

  • ASID Georgia Design Excellence Award, Alston & Bird, LLP, Dallas Office Relocation, Bronze Prize, 2020
  • ASID Georgia Design Excellence Award, Tiny Home, Bronze Prize, 2020
  • ASID Georgia Design Excellence Award, Pebble Beach Residence, Bronze Prize, 2020

Organizations

  • American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
    • ASID GA chapter: Past President, 2021–22; President, 2020–21
    • President-elect, 2019–20; Finance Director, 2018–19
    • Communications Director, 2016–18
    • Committee Member, ASID Georgia Legislative Affairs Committee, 2015
    • ASID Georgia Strategic Planning Committee, 2016, 2017, 2019
  • Georgia Alliance of Interior Design Professionals (GAIDP)
  • Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC)

Publications and presentations

  • Purvis, A. J. (2022), Case Study #4: Java Cats Café, Atlanta, Ga. in Lisa K. Waxman, Designing Coffee Shops and Cafes for Community (pp. 177-180). New York: Routledge.
  • Purvis, A., and Webber, S. (presented 2015, March), Opposites Attract – Collaboration Between Science and the Arts at the World's Premier Magnetic Research Laboratory, presentation at Interior Design Educators Council National Conference, Fort Worth, Texas.
  • Purvis, A. J., and Pable, J. (2013), Can't We All Just Get Along? Twelve Interior Environment Aspects That Influence the Outcome of Conflict Mediation, in John C. Turpin (Ed.), Interior Design Educators Council Annual Conference 2013 (pp. 387-389), Indianapolis.
  • Purvis, A. J. (2013), Eight Characteristics of Built Space Supportive to Conflict Mediation Processes, in Jeremy Wells, Ph.D., and Elefterios Pavlides, Ph.D. (Eds.), Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) 44th Annual Conference, Providence, R.I. (pp. 139-145). Providence, R.I.: The Environmental Design Research Association.
  • Purvis, A. J. (2013, May), Takeaways from the Real World: Lessons Learned from Sharing Student Work with Social Justice Professionals, ASID Access, 22-23.
  • Purvis, A. J. (2012), Conflict Resolution and the Built Environment: Preliminary Findings Exploring the Impact of Interiors on Consensus Building, in Marlo Ransdell, Ph.D. (Ed.), Art & Design for Social Justice 2012, Tallahassee, Fla.