National architecture and interiors firm Dyer Brown has announced that Paul Koch, an admired and accomplished retail architect with national experience, has joined the firm. This key appointment affirms the growing reach that Dyer Brown brings nationally as well as the firm’s expansion into retail flagships and store rollouts while it maintains a strong profile in the hospitality sector.

An architect and accredited LEED Green Associate, Paul Koch AIA, NCARB has built on his art school foundation and wide experience with successful retail companies to emerge as a leader in creating world-class customer experiences and memorable stores. Koch has worked in-house with such brands as Talbots, Cabela’s and J.Jill, giving him unique insights into the needs of the owners and brand managers with building locations from Philadelphia to Charleston, W.V. to Nanaimo, British Columbia.

“Our success depends on our insights into the companies and brands we serve, and Paul brings new depth and understanding in our key growth sectors, says president Brent Zeigler AIA, IIDA, in announcing the addition of Koch. “Paul will help us continue to consistently deliver results for our clients in design impact, return on investment, successful operations, as well as sustainability and wellness.”

According to Dyer Brown, Paul Koch previously held posts as studio director for design firm Nelson and corporate architect and senior manager of construction and store planning at Massachusetts-based apparel retailer J.Jill. Koch also served as corporate architect for Nebraska-based outdoors purveyor Cabela’s and as project manager for Boston design firm Bergmeyer.

“I’m excited to help lead Dyer Brown’s next phase of growth in these key markets and delighted to have such a visionary, multidisciplinary team supporting the effort,” says Koch, who has four children ages six to 16. “Culture is a real harmonious thing, and Dyer Brown brings together all the different parts and pieces to get to the best possible solution — that means giving everyone a voice, understanding what each practitioner brings to the table, and seeing their ideas inform new and radically superior solutions.”

With experience in site selection, enticing boutique storefront concepts, and even technical specialties such as incorporating massive aquariums and taxidermy displays in 300,000-square-foot Cabela’s destinations, Koch brings a broad understanding of the evolving retail scene.  “One fascinating area of technology is how retailers track our every move as customers in their stores, which brings a new dataset on traffic and display effectiveness to inform future store modifications and redesigns,” adds Koch, who studied architecture at Boston Architectural College and an immersive sustainability curriculum at Vermont’s legendary Yestermorrow Design/Build School.

Paul Koch joins Dyer Brown as the 50-plus-year-old firm notes it is majority LGBTQ-owned and counts about 80% of employees as identifying as female, further diversifying the firm’s talent pool. Adds Dyer Brown’s principal and director of operations, Rachel Woodhouse, NCIDQ, “With Paul Koch joining us in 2023, Dyer Brown keeps with our tradition of establishing a ‘pipeline of leadership’ that builds on our local visibility and also our national presence, from Seattle to Atlanta to Boston, and our continued growth into the foreseeable future.”

For more information on Paul Koch or for interviews and imagery, please contact C.C. Sullivan for Dyer Brown.

About Dyer Brown
As an LGBT-owned and -operated architecture and interior design firm known for its broad array of integrated, vertical services, Dyer Brown is recognized nationally for its award-winning portfolio of architecture and interior design projects. Known for its unwavering commitment to both design excellence and client service, Dyer Brown’s 40 professionals forge long-lasting relationships with business leaders, building owners and brokers, institutional leaders and collaborators. Dyer Brown believes that buildings and spaces — the backdrop to our daily, shared experience — should always be inspiring, useful and enjoyable. Award-winning work and a detailed overview are found at dyerbrown.com