About
Profile
Founded in 2000 by Principal James Harkrider, Studio HXD is an architecture and design firm focused on creating thoughtful and meaningful spaces for its clients. From our beginning, the firm has strived to create that architecture that provides it’s users with unique experiences and lasting impressions.
Our team is made up of people with different backgrounds and perspectives, all connected by a shared interest in creativity and problem-solving. This diversity helps us approach each project in a unique way, combining practical thinking with a strong focus on our clients’ goals.
At Studio HXD, every project is a chance to explore ideas, refine them, and deliver meaningful results. Our experience allows us to handle complex design challenges and create solutions that are clear and purposeful. Our work has been recognized nationally, appearing in publications such as Architectural Record, The New York Times, and Metropolis, and featured in lectures and exhibitions across the country.
Approach
We believe that architecture should do more than represent ideas; it should solve problems, improve performance, and enrich the lives of the people who use it.
Our practice is driven by the principle that every project begins with a careful understanding of its purpose, context, and constraints rather than a predetermined aesthetic or formal agenda. We challenge assumptions, test alternatives, and refine solutions through a rigorous design process and collaboration with our client.
We see architecture as the integration of performance, function, and form. Whether developing new typologies, rethinking established ones, or applying conventional approaches where they are most effective, our goal remains the same: to create buildings that respond precisely to their purpose while delivering enduring architectural quality. The strongest designs are those in which utility and beauty are inseparable.
Leadership
James Harkrider is the founding partner of HXD, where he has led the firm's design practice since its inception in 2000. Under his leadership, the studio has completed notable projects across multiple market sectors throughout the United States, with work featured in Architectural Record, Metropolis, and The New York Times.
Before returning to his native Texas, James served as an adjunct instructor of architecture at Parsons School of Design in New York City. He currently serves on the Design Leadership Alliance (DLA) at the Texas Tech University Huckabee College of Architecture, where he is working with the college to establish a Marfa based studio program focused on designing and building community driven projects that will benefit the residents of Far West Texas.
James H. Harkrider III Founding Partner
Michael approaches architecture with a simple philosophy: exceptional design should be accessible, authentic, and rooted in the needs of the people it serves. With more than two decades of experience, this principle continues to guide every project he leads.
As a partner at HXD, Michael has directed a diverse portfolio of projects across multiple markets ranging from gut renovations and additions to commercial and mixed-use developments. His experience across building types and project scales has given him a deep understanding of the construction process, the unique demands of each project, and the leadership required to keep projects moving seamlessly from design through construction. Michael is licensed in New York, New Jersey and Texas.
Michael A. Diani, RA Partner