ATLANTA—Dave Brown says it's a great time to be an architect. Brown, a principal with the office studio of Atlanta-based architecture firm tvsdesign, likes the trend lines he's seeing in office space. He points to the recent groundbreaking of LPL Financial's new southeast regional headquarters near Charlotte, as an example of a key trend he's seeing play out in suburban markets.

“The Southeast office market, which hibernated through the recession, has come alive to a new set of conditions and opportunities,” Brown says. “With the distance that only a break from routine can offer, clients are questioning assumptions, designers are working with new technical possibilities, employers are trying to unlock the mysteries of multiple generations at work, and everyone is sensitive to their individual and collective carbon footprint.”

At the same time, he says, demonstrating an optimism for the improving business climate while retaining a focus on making every investment dollar count is vital. Clients want innovation to meet new challenges at last cycle's prices.