Houston and architectural elegance may not seem like things that go together, but that is what Steve Radom, founder and managing principal of Radom Capital seeks to change. The local developer prioritizes executing projects that are informed by the nature of place, rigor, and design excellence. The firms portfolio includes the adapted warehouse M-K-T, Montrose Collective, and 3201 Allen Parkway, a sensitive restoration of a 1930 landmark. Today, Radom shares his knowledge on the prowess and potentials of real estate development as a judge for ANs 2025 Best of Practice Awards. Best of Practice is ANs annual awards program that honors what it means to run a business in the architecture and buildings industryand who in particular is moving the needle within this. From educating and working with clients, to advocating for the right projects, and creating a work environment that encourages design excellence, there are many unique challenges to building a good business in the AEC industry. Best of Practice celebrates the efforts that go into this ever-evolving project, honoring architecture firms, landscape companies, developers, contractors, sustainability consultants, engineers, and other studio types.Before submissions close on March 28, 2025, Radom shares his advice on what hes looking for in Best of Practice applications. Read his tipsalong with advice from other jurors Jacob Reidel, Anne Marie Duvall Decker, and Antoine Bryantto get entries in before the upcoming deadline.AN: How did you come to work as a developer?Steve Radom (SR):I once read that you dont choose your passions, your passions choose you. While my educational background is in law and business, my journey into development was driven by a profound curiosity for how built environments shape human experiences. Recognizing that successful development uniquely integrates design, finance, law, and community impact, I pursued a career where I could dedicate my energy into creating spaces that enhance our neighborhoods and cities. AN: What are the rules or philosophies that undergird your own practice, both in terms of company culture and methodology?SR:At Radom Capital, our companys approach to development is guided by: contextual engagement or ensuring each project resonates with its surroundings by preserving historical elements or introducing complementary contemporary designs; community stewardship, focusing on developments that create lasting value architecturally and socially by emphasizing landscape, placemaking, and preservation in our project objectives; and collaborative innovation which means partnering with innovative architects and designers, and challenging them to achieve creative solutions.AN: Part of being a good practice is balancing the business aspect of the firm with the larger goals to champion thoughtful design and architecture. How do you personally find that balance?SR:It begins with recognizing that good design and good business are not opposing forces but interdependent ones. Design excellence should not be an extraneous expense; it is to us an accretive asset. Well-executed architecture enhances leasing velocity, creates brand equity, and ultimately generates long-term value.That said, development is, by nature, an exercise in constraintwhether financial, regulatory, or spatial. The challenge is to harness those constraints as generative forces rather than limitations. We work closely with architects to find efficiencies that do not compromise design integrity, and we maintain financial guardrails to ensure that beauty and functionality align with economic realities. I believe that the most successful projects emerge from this productive tension.AN: What are you working on currently at your firm that youre particularly excited about?SR: We are currently engaged in several exciting projects. Swift is an adaptive reuse project transforming a historic 1920s brick and concrete meatpacking facility into a creative campus in collaboration with Michael Hsu Office of Architecture. Heights Clock Tower Residences is a residential addition integrated into a historic textile factory, designed by Cobalt Office and Farouki Farouki. And we have several retail projects across Texas in partnership with Schaum/Shieh, Clayton Korte, Jess Vassallo, and Magic Architecture.We are fortunate to be busy, and working alongside a multitude of talented designers. AN: What will you be looking for in Best of Practice applications?SR: In evaluating applications, I will focus on: philosophical clarity as in a well-defined ethos that in turn permeates through the firms work; design excellence so projects that demonstrate innovation, contextual sensitivity, and craftsmanship; collaborative spirit or evidence of successful partnerships with other professionals to achieve uncommon results; and impact, a commitment to creating enduring, community-enhancing, and responsible developments.AN: What advice do you have, especially for other developers, in applying for Best of Practice?SR: Applicants should articulate their philosophy, clearly convey the guiding principles behind their work; highlight collaborative achievements by showcasing projects where partnerships led to exceptional outcomes; demonstrate resilience and innovation by illustrating how challenges were met with creative solutions; and emphasize long-term value by focusing on developments that have made lasting positive impacts on communities.Best of Practice is open for submissions until March 28, 2025 by midnight ET. Learn more about the program and register an application here.