ALAO nurtures a humanist approach to design and aims to create spaces that allow people to feel joyful and connected to a place. A collaborative studio led by partners Aya Maceda and James Carse, it has offices in Brooklyn and Upstate New York and works globally. ALAO views architecture as infrastructure for improving lives and lifestyles, and it approaches its projects with the conviction that even private buildings can have profound effects on the public sphere. The practice dedicates time to collaborating with communities who are unable to access architects, and it believes that quality design should be available to all.