Opportunity: SV Design’s 2026 Word of the Year
At SV Design, we begin each year with intention. A single word becomes a lens for how we approach our work, our relationships, and the choices we make every day. Past words have grounded us, challenged us, and pushed us to grow. For 2026, that word is Opportunity.
Opportunity, for us, is not about luck or timing alone. It is about recognizing potential and choosing to act on it.
Few stories illustrate that better than one shared by Tobin Shulman, AIA, one of SV Design’s Principals at our most recent monthly office meeting.
More than twenty-two years ago, Tobin found himself sitting in a Central Square restaurant, nervously adjusting his tie as he waited to meet founding Principal, Thad Siemasko, AIA. At the time, Tobin was living in Somerville, working in Cambridge, and commuting into Boston for classes at the Boston Architectural College. He wasn’t even entirely sure where Beverly was. What he was sure of was that he needed to make his experience sound meaningful.
His path into architecture had not been linear. He had started at his previous firm as an office manager, answering phones and responding to RFPs. When the firm landed a MassPort contract to measure windows in East Boston, Tobin raised his hand. Suddenly, his days included four window measure-ups alongside administrative work. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was hands-on, and it mattered.
Across the table that day sat Thad, already leading an established practice known for thoughtful, high-level residential design. Instead of formal resumes and polished pitches, the conversation drifted toward philosophy, New Mexico where Tobin earned his undergraduate degree, and the early scrappy days of building a practice. Thad shared stories of running a painting business as a college student and performing home inspections to keep his firm afloat in its earliest years.
When the offer came days later, Tobin took it. Looking back, he describes that moment not as certainty, but as opportunity.
“Opportunity often arrives disguised as uncertainty, hard work, or risk. There’s always a choice involved. An opportunity only becomes real when you decide to act.”
That idea sits at the core of SV Design’s culture.
Opportunity in the Work
Our clients challenge us to think deeply, respond decisively, and take ownership of outcomes. Each project presents countless opportunities to refine ideas, test assumptions, and elevate the work, whether through design clarity, technical rigor, or thoughtful collaboration. Our guiding belief, Thoughtful design transforms lives, is not just a motto. It is an opportunity we choose daily.
Opportunity in the Team
At SV Design, we choose collaboration over hesitation. We trust one another to take considered risks, learn quickly, and grow together. Opportunity thrives in an environment where people feel supported to step forward, ask questions, and contribute fully.
As we look ahead to 2026, Opportunity is both a mindset and a call to action. It reminds us that progress is rarely perfect, but it is always intentional. When we step up, even when the path is not fully clear, possibility turns into direction.
We are excited for what’s ahead!
