Designing KC: architect makes a positive impact.

By ANN CLIFFORD

When DOMINIQUE DAVISON and her husband, Robert Riccardi, moved to Kansas City in 2004, they were seeking a place that would not only bring them closer to extended family but also serve as a springboard for their architectural practices.

“It was an exciting time. There was a lot of energy, especially circling around KC’s downtown,” she says. “It’s been amazing to see so many ideas come to fruition.”

Dominique quickly found a welcoming community and tapped into the region’s deep entrepreneurial resources, including the Kauffman Foundation’s FastTrac program and an informal support network called the Biz-EMamas, made up of women business owners.

She launched DRAW Architecture + Urban Design, a positive-design-focused practice, in 2005 and PlanIT Impact, a technology business aimed at measuring the cost-benefits of lower carbon impact design, in 2017.

Dominique’s commitment to making the community a better, more positive place extends beyond her businesses. She serves as a Commissioner for the Land Bank of Kansas City, Missouri, which helps to return vacant properties to productive use, and on the advisory board for the Urban Land Institute. Dominique is also on the advisory board for KC Global Design, an initiative focused on elevating the KC region as a global destination for design.

In her off hours, Dominique can often be found meeting friends at Messenger Coffee (a space designed by DRAW), lunching at Ricos Tacos Lupe on Southwest Boulevard, or playing a round of mini-golf with her children, Fina and Lucca, on the lawn of the NelsonAtkins Museum of Art.

“The Nelson is such an amazing institution,” she says. “Coming from the East Coast, I was floored by the collection, and we’re fans of all the fun, family-friendly events. Plus, the space itself is a fantastic example of KC’s dedication to great architecture.” n