Michael Bridges, AIA, LEED AP
Principal

Ask Mike where he's from and he'll tell you "it's a long story." Born in Pennsylvania, he has also called Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Connecticut, and Colorado home. After graduating from the University of Tennessee Architecture program, he accepted a position at a highly esteemed residential architecture firm in Vail, Colorado. There he learned that design should be personal and that detail matters. After 4 years of designing mountain homes, high end restaurants & retail, he moved to back to Chattanooga. He opened the doors of Surface Architecture in 2013 to bring a unique design perspective to those looking for something different.

Jen Collie, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP
Interior Design

Jen began her career on the architectural side of the design profession, earning both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in architecture from Savannah College of Art and Design. Early in her career, while living in San Francisco, she had the opportunity to work on highly creative commercial interiors for tech companies throughout the Bay Area. That experience sparked a lasting passion for interior environments.

Since relocating to Chattanooga, Jen has continued to expand her expertise across both architecture and interiors, contributing to a wide range of project types—including custom residential, educational, civic, and commercial work. She brings a thoughtful, client-focused approach to every project, with a strong emphasis on functionality and a commitment to creating environments that are not only beautiful, but also built to support long-term use and adaptability.

Courtney Blake
Interior Design Staff

Courtney is originally from just outside of Nashville, Tennessee, but she’s called Chattanooga home ever since moving here to pursue her degree in Interior Architecture at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Her path to design began in an unexpected way—after a tornado destroyed her family’s home, she found herself sketching ideas for the rebuild. That experience sparked a lasting passion for creating spaces that are not just beautiful, but meaningful. Since then, she’s been building her skills with a focus on thoughtful, functional design. Courtney enjoys the challenge of bringing together all the details that make a space work and loves creating environments that truly reflect the people who use them.

Ross Young, AIA
Project Manager

Ross graduated with an architectural degree from The Ohio State University in 2013. As an avid rock climber, he decided to move to Chattanooga to make a home closer to the mountains that he had grown to love. Early in his career, Ross focused on local historic renovations, adaptive reuse projects, and downtown commercial design. He has enjoyed being a part of a growing city and playing a role in shaping the architecture of some of Chattanooga’s prominent downtown buildings. He believes that the best architectural design can be a timeless, unique, and thought-provoking piece of art, while also creating functional and fun spaces that shape a culture.

Samuel Townsend
Architectural Staff

From a young age, Samuel was surrounded by art and design—an early influence that ultimately led him to pursue a career in architecture. After graduating from the University of Tennessee’s architecture program, he returned to his hometown of Chattanooga to continue his love of rock climbing. Early in his career, Samuel discovered a strong interest in collaborating closely with clients, helping them bring their ideas to life through thoughtful, intentional design.

He believes good design can be timeless, practical, and deeply personal. For him, thoughtful design begins with intentional material choices, careful attention to detail, and a clear sense of purpose.