Russ Combs, AIA

Russ Combs joined GLHN in 2015 as the head of the Healthcare/Wellness Studio and manager of the Phoenix office. His design philosophy is founded on the principle of healthful place-making, a collaborative approach to the planning, design, and atmosphere of environments, spaces, and buildings. Many of his designs incorporate elements of nature—sunlight, sky views, native plants and natural shapes and forms—to increase positive outcomes for patients and to provide a nurturing and healing environment for their families and professional staff. Besides creating built environments that reflect and incorporate their natural surroundings, Russ is passionate about designing for future generations by creating eco-friendly buildings that minimize harm to the environment. He also enjoys the challenge of designing for sustainability in Arizona’s extreme climate where sunlight, heat, dust storms, and flooding have to be mitigated to ensure the comfort of a building’s occupants.

A former design mentor at Arizona State University, Russ guides the design process as he used to guide his students: with intent, motivation, and understanding.

“This methodology of creating and providing environments that inspire health not only optimizes the user’s experience, but also optimizes long term satisfaction and morale and fosters a sense of pride and ownership.”