John Halford
AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C
A native of Memphis and graduate of University of Tennessee, Knoxville, John is president & lead project manager at cnct. design. John’s responsibilities include the studio’s most significant mixed-use, residential, and commercial projects. John’s ability to develop design concepts and visualizations helps many clients to expedite their decision making and their fund raising/marketing efforts. His rapt attention to project feasibility results in measurable benefits to the developer and financial partners.
John’s portfolio includes complex program types including large scale healthcare, manufacturing facilities, and performance spaces ranging from $5 million to over $100 million per project. From these diverse experiences, John exercises his passion for organizing and executing complex programs while managing large teams of consultants.
In 2015 John founded cnct. development, LLC in order to research, design, and invest in residential and mixed-use urban projects in the Memphis area. John’s project management and architectural roles have grown to include over $200 million in active mixed-use residential developments with the founding of the architectural services branch, cnct. design, PLLC in 2021. During his career, John has delivered over 1,000 multi-family units to the market, with an additional 1,200 units currently in development.
John is the lead Project Manager and Architect in large-scale urban design efforts including The Edge District, The Pinch District, and South Main Arts District. cnct. development, LLC is a general partner and maintains a majority equity position in 9 properties located in the Edge District of Downtown Memphis.
As both a developer and architect, John seeks to deliver fiscally responsible projects that are beneficial to the developer, the community, and end-user. His work is founded in the belief that there is no inherent contradiction in an economically feasible project and one that is well designed. Through creative problem-solving & rigorous attention to detail, John’s work has been honored with numerous awards including local, regional, national, and global design & construction awards.
John is responsible for project research, budget analysis, design & construction oversight, and quality control.
Education
Bachelor of Architecture, University of Tennessee
Professional Affiliations
American Institute of Architects
United States Green Building Council
Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design
South Main Association
Urban Land Institute
New Memphis Embark Graduate