Pros
Workshop/APD does provide exposure to high end residential work. If you’re early in your career, having the firm’s name on your resume can be helpful. While the design approach can feel repetitive, there are some projects that are portfolio worthy.
Cons
The biggest issue is the toxic studio leadership. Despite frequently promoting “people first”, the number of employees who have been let go over the years shows how disposable staff are treated. Leadership shows little hesitation in firing people abruptly, often without clear reasoning. This creates extremely high turnover and a constant sense of instability regardless of performance. Even when you are doing well, expectations continuously shift, and it never feels like your work is good enough. Micromanagement is the norm, with even small decisions needing approval from multiple levels of management. This slows everything down and puts unnecessary pressure on production staff to meet tight deadlines. The same design solutions are reused across projects, making the work feel more like an assembly line than a creative studio. Over time, the work becomes exhausting and tedious, especially for designers hoping to grow creatively. If you value your mental health and career growth, I would recommend AVOID this firm. There are far healthier and more respectful design studios that produce inspiring work without tearing their staff down in the process.