Federal Design Studio. (FDS) was established 2021 as small business, full service architectural and interior design firm in Pensacola, FL.   FDS has project experience throughout the Southeast US and beyond including a deep understanding of designing projects in coastal regions for climate appropriate and storm resilient design solutions.  FDS consistently delivers wholistic design services across a board range of project types and geographic locations. 

Christopher Kariher, Principal of Federal Design Studio has extensive experience across a large variety of design projects and construction delivery types. Christopher is intimately involved with all of Federal Design Studio’s projects and strives to understand our clients needs and business models to make our clients as successful as possible. Christopher has over 20 years experienced as a licensed architect, interior designer and project manager on multidisciplined design projects. Christopher is an American Institute of Architects member, a LEED accredited professional with the US Green Building Council in both Building Construction & Design and Interior Construction & Design, a National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) record holder, certified by National Council of Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ), holds a current certificate of Construction Quality Management for Contractors with US Army Corps of Engineers and NAVFAC, and is a proud graduate of Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelors in Architecture.

Clients First.

We prioritize our clients needs and desires above all other project goals. We strive for a deep understanding of your needs and work diligently to deliver projects that meets those needs.

Our Values

Schedules Matter.

We pride ourselves on meeting project schedules, we believe that meeting project expectations and deadlines is paramount to making projects successful.

Active Communication.

In the design and construction industries clear and articulate communication is crucial to an efficient workflow and team member relationships. We believe effective communication is a key ingredient to the realization of projects.

Technical Accuracy.

Design and construction is evolving toward more complex building systems and methods to address resiliency goals, efficiency standards and building codes. We are constantly evaluating new technologies and methodologies for appropriateness for individual projects and clients.

Meaningful Relationships.

We are committed to developing deeper more meaningful relationships across all project stakeholders. We are deliberate about being accessible through all phases of design and construction. We strive to be true project partners from project conception to close out.

Collaborative Design Process.

We foster a collaborative design process by using technology to increase the efficiency of coordination and repetitive tasks. With this increase in efficiency it affords our designers additional time for collaboration through direct client and team member interactions.