Ten years ago, H+N Architects was started with a simple goal: to design thoughtful work, listen carefully, and earn the trust of the people and communities they serve.
A decade later, Liz Hamilton and Joanna Nabholz remain guided by that same belief — that good architecture grows from relationships, responsibility, and care over time. Each project starts with a conversation about what might be possible.
“We’re most proud that our practice has been built almost entirely on relationships and referrals,” Joanna Nabholz said. “That means people enjoyed working with us enough to invite us back or recommend us to someone they care about.”
Liz Hamilton sees trust as a privilege and a responsibility.
“We want our clients and our community to succeed,” she said. “The fact that we are invited to share our skillset to help clients cast their vision is something we don’t take lightly.”
Over time, that philosophy has shaped a practice rooted less in a signature style than in responsiveness, listening, and long-term collaboration.
Turning Vision into Place
When Chris and Jessica Smith set out to create Rogue Roundabout, they were doing more than opening a restaurant. They were introducing Conway’s first microbrewery and reimagining downtown’s gathering space. The project demanded more than technical expertise. It required a partner willing to believe in the idea early and bring it to life.
They found that partner in H+N Architects and in Liz Hamilton and Joanna Nabholz.
“The H+N architect team fully believed in what we were doing,” Chris Smith said. “You could see the sparkle in their eye. You could see something ignite. What they got into architecture for was to build something from the ground up.”
From the earliest conversations, he said, the project felt personal.
“From day one, they were interested in the project, and it seemed to be close to their heart. We appreciate everything they have done for us.”
For Joanna Nabholz, projects like Rogue Roundabout begin with recognizing what already exists and imagining what it might become.
“We see renovations as potential and history, an opportunity for renewal and continuity at the same time,” she said. “Saving an existing building is a chance to continue the story of a community and guide it toward being appreciated in a new way.”
Today, Rogue Roundabout stands as both a business venture and a downtown destination, illustrating how strong design can help turn an entrepreneurial vision into lasting placemaking that strengthens the fabric of the community.
A Partnership Built to Last
Not every project begins with an entrepreneur’s vision. Some begin with an established institution preparing for its next chapter.
When Nabholz Corporation set out to establish a new corporate headquarters in Conway’s historic district, the building needed to reflect the company’s history while supporting its future and contributing meaningfully to the evolving character of downtown.
“H+N Architects is exceptionally responsive, and they listen to a client’s needs as effectively as any firm we work with, which truly sets them apart,” said CEO Jake Nabholz.
The project called for careful alignment between vision, function, and context.
“Our new building is located in the downtown historic district, which means we must follow specific standards,” he said. “H+N expertly guided us in meeting these requirements while designing a building tailored to our needs. Nabholz has been privileged to build a number of remarkable office buildings, and we had some strong opinions on what we wanted. H+N took those ideas and created a design that we hope will make all of Conway proud.”
He also points to Joanna Nabholz’s construction fluency as a differentiator.
“Joanna was raised around the construction business, often hearing stories from her dad and uncles,” he said. “Her background enables her to anticipate the needs of superintendents and construction teams, which helps us streamline the building process.”
Projects of that scale depend on coordinated expertise, something Joanna views as central to serving clients well.
“Collaborating with trusted local engineering consultants strengthens our work,” she said. “Building the right design team ultimately better supports the client and the success of the project.”
Relationships formed under those conditions often evolve beyond a single assignment.
“Early conversations are focused on scope and deliverables,” Nabholz said. “Later, they become more strategic, about growth, future planning, and long-range vision. We move from being a service provider to being a trusted advisor, and that’s when we know we’ve built something that will last.”
Spaces That Serve
Growth brings its own design questions. As First Service Bank expanded across the region, leadership sought to create spaces that would operate efficiently while reinforcing the bank’s connection to the communities it serves. The buildings needed to feel accessible without losing a sense of permanence, professional, while still welcoming.
“The audience is larger, the impact is longer, and the voices involved are more diverse,” Hamilton said. “We spend time listening to make sure the design reflects the people it serves.”
That attention stood out to Jon Patrom, vice president of marketing at First Service Bank.
“H+N and architect Liz Hamilton have been incredible partners on our new Conway North location, as well as our broader corporate expansion and locations across the state,” Patrom said. “Their attention to detail, commitment to quality, and understanding of how a space serves both people and community truly set them apart. We’re proud to work alongside teams who share our vision and invest so thoughtfully in Conway and the communities we serve.”
Designing in the same community where those spaces will be used carries real weight.
“Designing locally adds a layer of responsibility and pride,” Hamilton said. “These are the places our friends, families, and neighbors experience every day.”
That proximity sharpens the purpose behind each decision. The work is not abstract. It becomes part of the daily rhythm of the community they call home.
“That makes the work deeply personal,” she said.
Success, they believe, reveals itself over time.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to revisit a building years later,” Hamilton said. “The most meaningful moment is seeing a place being used in ways we envisioned, but also in ways we never could have fully predicted, full of life, activity, and stories.”
“The building evolves from being an idea on paper to a place used daily by our friends,” she added.
Built on Shared Values
Over time, the strongest working relationships stop feeling transactional. They become rooted in familiarity, trust, and a shared sense of purpose.
New Life Church has partnered with H+N Architects since the firm’s early years, collaborating on projects that support its mission to plant campuses across Arkansas, including renovations in Pine Bluff, Fayetteville, Russellville, Clarksville, North Little Rock, downtown Little Rock, and a new campus in West Little Rock.
“It was pretty organic,” said Seth Jeffrey, construction manager for New Life Church. “We met through a mutual friend and started talking about projects on the horizon. It’s been a really pivotal relationship for us.”
Jeffrey said the firm’s approach consistently centers on how spaces function for the people who use them.
“They really take the client and their needs to heart. It’s not just about designing something cool. It’s about how the space functions.”
Over time, familiarity with the church’s mission and operations strengthened the collaboration, allowing projects to move forward with greater clarity and shared understanding.
“The longer you work with anybody, they develop that understanding,” he said. “It speeds things up because there’s already a basis of knowledge.”
“We wanted something that was our own. Their ability to think differently about spaces is one of the things that drew us to them.”
What began as a professional collaboration has deepened through years of shared work and mutual trust.
“With Liz specifically, I would consider her a close friend at this point,” Jeffrey said. “She takes a very personal interest in the projects, and that’s not the norm.”
Across projects that range from adaptive reuse to corporate headquarters to community banking centers and faith-based campuses, a consistent pattern emerges: organizations arrive with an idea and leave with a space designed to serve people well beyond opening day.
“We humbly want to say thank you to those who have trusted us to this point,” Hamilton said, “and to welcome anyone with an idea they want to explore. That’s what we’re here for, to listen, to help shape the vision, and to figure out how to make it happen together.”