TASK design was founded by Ken Fitzsimmons, AIA in 2004 and was named after our family. 

Taylor

Audrey

Shelby 

Ken

Since graduating from the University of Texas in 1993, Ken has worked on a wide range of project types and scale from small scale kitchen renovations to new multistory commercial buildings. Hands on experience with design build projects taught him how important it is to talk with and listen to the valuable skilled people that turn the design on paper into reality.

Regardless of project type or budget, we can help

We understand each project is unique and do not believe in a one size fits all level of service or fee. We can provide full architectural services, where we develop a conceptual design into permit drawings and then meet with contractors during construction, until completion, to review quality, progress and pay requests to help ensure the design is built as intended or adjust as needed in a thoughtful manner. We also understand that some people already have a developed vision for their project and may only need input on design or technical issues, or a limited set drawings and we are happy to tailor our services and fee as needed to help you accomplish your project goals.

Regardless of project size, we strive to provide designs that are timeless, durable, cost effective and energy efficient.

Efficiency and reduced impact

Unfortunately, when we build, we use natural resources and leave a mark but, the good news is, we can reduce our impact and utility bills with little to no added costs by using the following design strategies.

 -Thoughtful sizing and placement of windows and roof overhangs to block out the harsh summer sun but still lets in indirect natural day light and direct sun for warming the interior on winter days. Shading windows during the warmer months is critical: drapes/ curtains/ roller shades on the interior side do nothing to stop heat build up once its inside the glass. An old , uninsulated, single pane window that is shaded will always outperform a brand new high performance insulated window in the direct sun.

- Adding more insulation is good: even better is adding a layer of continuous insulation over exterior wall sheathing and roof decking to seal and maximize R value. In OKC, the most to least important areas to insulate are #1 roof, #2 foundation, #3 walls.

- Don’t put the ac/ heat system in an uninsulated attic! Even brand-new duct work leaks and loses a great deal of efficiency in a hot or cold attic. Locating all of the system below the insulated envelope maybe the best single thing you can do to improve performance and efficiency.

-Use light / reflective materials on the roof and exterior walls that are not shaded to reduce heat gain in summer: Think about getting into a light vs dark color car on a hot/ sunny summer afternoon.

-Optimize the floor plan to make sure it is right sized and not larger than needed. This can be achieved by minimizing unusable areas such as hallways, making spaces multi functional and avoiding duplication (very few people actually use a formal dining). It is also helpful to include your furniture in the plan to make sure the space works as needed.

-Choose pollinators and native plants that require little maintenance, water and no pesticides vs the all too common turf grass lawn with a few shrubs that is essentially a sterile, habitat destroyer that requires intensive watering, toxic fertilizer, pesticides and mowing.

-Reuse materials / save an old building: renovate vs demolish- this may be the single biggest thing you can do to reduce your impact and depletion of natural resources