JOHN R. CLIFFORD, founding principal

As Founding Principal of S9 Architecture, John Clifford guides a 50-person design studio driven by the belief that architecture is most powerful when it strengthens neighborhoods and elevates the public realm. John leads S9’s mission to push design quality at every scale—from urban planning and site strategy to architectural detail—so that each project not only fulfills a client’s goals but also contributes lasting value to the communities it touches.

Central to John’s leadership is S9’s commitment to modern contextualism: the idea that every project should be designed specifically for its site, shaped by its unique programmatic, environmental, economic, and cultural conditions. He works closely with S9’s design principals to ensure that each project emerges from a deep understanding of its context and ultimately makes its surrounding neighborhood better, stronger, and more connected.

John reinforces a studio culture that rejects preconceived styles in favor of thoughtful, narrative-driven design. He helps align client vision with design excellence, ensuring that S9’s work advances both pragmatic needs and broader aspirations for the urban and human experience. His leadership supports an iterative, collaborative process in which designers are empowered to ask the right questions, explore possibilities, and deliver solutions that meaningfully impact the public realm.

Under John’s guidance, S9 has developed a portfolio that spans mixed-use districts, adaptive reuse, multifamily housing across all market segments, workplace environments, civic and cultural buildings, religious and educational facilities, and large-scale master planning. Although founded in New York City, the firm’s design excellence has led to significant commissions across the United States—including Boston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Tampa, Raleigh, Cleveland, and San Francisco—as well as notable work in Canada, Europe, and South America.

Across all geographies and project types, John ensures S9 remains focused on one overarching principle: we are not simply designing buildings—we are helping build neighborhoods and enriching the lives of the people who inhabit them.

A member of the Urban Land Institute and the Urban Design Forum, John is an alumnus of the Georgia Institute of Technology.