Holst Announces Brittany Shreiner as New Creative Director

We are thrilled to announce the promotion of Brittany Shreiner to Creative Director! Brittany, a Principal at Holst, has become an integral part of our growth and our office culture. Blending a unique combination of artistic ability with technical expertise and an admirable work ethic, she has played an essential role in leading some of our most challenging projects in the last 12 years. Additionally, she has been a leader within firm management helping define and exemplify our Core Values. As Creative Director, Brittany will help inspire our design culture, engaging teams to support the design process and provide design leadership for the office.

Brittany's Design Leadership

Part of her role as Creative Director will be broadly inspiring the design culture at the office—something that Brittany does naturally out of her own desire to consistently improve how we collaborate. Since 2017, each annual Holst staff retreat has included a presentation or activity that Brittany devises to connect us, inspire us, make us laugh, and help us do better work together.

Brittany will nurture Holst’s pursuit of design excellence by engaging our studio in various new ways, ensuring we promote a culture of curiosity and exploration. Principal and Owner, Dave Otte, shared that, “Brittany has been a force for good since she began working at Holst. Her unique combination of tenacity and generosity has given her the tools to become an extremely effective designer and leader in our office. In addition to leading the creation of our core values, Britt regularly guides our office retreats, our strategic initiatives, and some of our most complex projects. Brittany also has a way of inspiring others around her with her quiet confidence and deft design skills. Her optimism is only topped by her talent.”

Brittany's Meaningful Work

In her 12 years with Holst, Brittany has worked on numerous project types and scales. From East County Library, a new destination library in Gresham, Oregon, to an affordable and Permanent Supportive Housing development on 74^th & Glisan, Brittany has been essential to the creative direction of her projects.

East County Library | Gresham, OR

Brittany’s efforts as Project Designer on the East County Library will undoubtedly influence the way our community interacts with civic architecture for generations to come. Her work in shaping this modern library to be a center of connection – to the community, to knowledge, to possibility – carries great responsibility. When complete in 2026, ECL will be a place where people feel inspired, safe, and productive and where they can learn, convene, collaborate, and interact with state-of-the-art resources and facilities. Brittany’s leadership in the design process, working with Multnomah County, City of Gresham, and TriMet to make spaces that are valuable and beautiful for all community members, has been instrumental in shepherding this project forward. One of her teammates shared that “Brittany has a clear and consistent approach to design. She focuses not just on the end result but also on the learning and achievements of others around her. She always remains positive and is a kind, patient, and encouraging mentor to all, but especially less experienced staff."

Glisan Landing | Portland, OR

Brittany’s efforts as Project Designer on Glisan Landing will provide 137 units of affordable and supportive housing in Montavilla, serving families, immigrant and refugee households, and people exiting homelessness. The development is comprised of two buildings—one with 41 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), and the other providing 96 units of affordable family housing. Together, the buildings create a housing continuum wherein residents moving out of PSH units have the opportunity to remain in the immediate community. The project supports BIPOC seniors, people experiencing homelessness, immigrant and refugee households, and intergenerational families. Brittany’s design leadership enabled the team to squeeze every ounce of design opportunity out of a project typology with narrow margins. Her thoughtful design incorporates complementary forest and desert-inspired palettes for each building, paired with neutral wood tones, ample natural light, visual and physical connection to the outdoors, and clarity of circulation—all part of a holistic philosophy of trauma-informed design that will support the buildings’ future residents.

Of her work on Glisan Landing, Holst’s client Stef Kondor, Vice President of Development for Related Northwest said, “Brittany is an industry leader and visionary in design. She brings her creativity, spirit, and passion that is felt throughout the projects that she creates."