Meet BRICE Young | Assoc. AIA

We had the good fortune of connecting with BRICE Young and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi BRICE, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I’ve learned that meaningful opportunity almost always lives on the other side of risk. Entrepreneurship has brought its share of stressful moments, but it has also delivered some of the most rewarding experiences of my life. If I hadn’t been willing to take those risks, I wouldn’t have become a disruptor in my community or achieved the successes that came from stepping outside the safe path.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My work is rooted in a simple truth: I love what I do. Designing spaces that help people live more comfortably, see the world differently, and feel inspired never feels like a job to me. It feels like purpose.

What sets my work apart is that it’s built on a long trail of failures, experiments, and lessons learned the hard way. I’ve never been afraid to try something unconventional, and that willingness to push boundaries has shaped my design voice. I’m most proud of the moments where a project challenges the way someone experiences their environment—when a space becomes more than walls and finishes, and instead becomes a feeling.

Getting here wasn’t easy. I didn’t take a straight path, and I certainly didn’t take the easy one. I balanced school, family, work, and ambition all at once. I failed often, but each failure sharpened my instincts and strengthened my resilience. I learned to adapt quickly, to listen deeply, and to trust my creative intuition even when the outcome wasn’t guaranteed.

The biggest lesson along the way has been this: discomfort is a sign you’re growing. Every setback pushed me toward a better version of myself and a better version of my craft.

What I want the world to know about my work and my story is that it’s built on passion, persistence, and a genuine desire to make life better for people. I design places that feel good to live in, work in, and experience—and I do it with the belief that thoughtful design can change the way we move through the world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Day 1–2: Boulder — My Hometown, My Roots
We’d start in Boulder, because that’s home. I’d take them up the Flatirons at sunrise, grab coffee on Pearl Street, and wander the neighborhoods that still feel like the Colorado I grew up in. Boulder has this mix of calm and energy that’s hard to explain until you’re standing in it.

Eat/Drink:

The Sink (classic Boulder)

Avery Brewing (for a proper Colorado beer)

Verb for caffeine

Day 3: Nederland — Get High on Altitude (Literally)
Next stop: Nederland. Not for nightlife, not for shopping—just for altitude, weirdness, and mountain soul. Ned is where you go to breathe thin air, slow down, and remember that life doesn’t have to be complicated.

Do:

Drive the Peak‑to‑Peak Highway

Walk around Barker Reservoir

Hit a local bar where everyone looks like they’ve lived 12 lives

Day 4–5: Trinidad — Real, True Colorado Beauty
Then we’d head south to Trinidad, one of the most underrated parts of the state. It’s raw, historic, artistic, and surrounded by landscapes that feel untouched. This is where you see the Colorado most tourists never experience.

Do:

Explore Trinidad Lake

Wander the historic district

Drive the Highway of Legends Scenic Byway

Day 6: RMNP — The Crown Jewel
Rocky Mountain National Park is non‑negotiable. Trail Ridge Road, alpine lakes, wildlife everywhere—it’s the kind of place that resets your entire nervous system.

Do:

Bear Lake loop

Trail Ridge Road (if open)

Moraine Park for elk at dusk

Day 7: Denver — End the Week in the City
We’d finish the trip downtown at Larimer Square. Good food, good drinks, and the perfect way to land back in civilization after a week of mountains and open sky.

Eat/Drink:

Rioja

Osteria Marco

A rooftop bar to close out the night

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My partner has graciously supported me from our college years through medical school, a coffee shop and bakery, and then through the chaos and beauty of raising five incredible kids—all while I completed a demanding six‑and‑a‑half‑year graduate program in architecture. Without her unwavering support, my thesis and the body of work I’ve built simply wouldn’t exist in the same depth, quality, or ambition.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/bdy_designs

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572310426650