Fathom Firm celebrates five years bringing innovative designs and durability to buildings across the Southeast

Drawing inspiration from the regional vernacular and social relationships, Fathom focuses on buildings that last and improve lives.

Fathom Firm, Greenville-based architecture firm behind notable projects including The People’s Tap, is proud to announce its fifth anniversary, ushering in a new wave of projects that create a lasting impact. Fathom’s commitment to thoughtful design and well-executed construction has earned the company local and state-wide recognition, propelling the small firm into a new growth phase.

“I’m thrilled that Fathom has crossed the five-year mark, a key milestone for any startup,” said founder Jamison Hupp. “This is just the beginning for us. We love the Upstate and the Southeast. We are committed to making it better through our design work and improving the built environment. Our curiosity leads us to think about the little moments that matter, as well as the big moments – ultimately, that’s what drives us to achieve the durability, precision, function, and environmental excellence that we seek.”

Designing and consulting on all types and scales of projects, Fathom’s primary work is in custom residential, bespoke commercial, renovations and adaptive reuse.

At the AIA South Carolina Awards Ceremony in late 2023, Fathom Firm received two prestigious awards:

• The People’s Tap, a women-owned taproom situated on the Swamp Rabbit Trail along downtown’s river walk, earned the Merit Award for Interior Architecture. Noting the design’s “economical solution that takes a refreshing deviation from the typical brewpub aesthetic,” the jurors stated “the space feels welcoming, well-lit, and open to a wide range of customers. Definitely a place we’d like to get a drink and catch up with friends.” The People’s Tap also earned AIA Greenville’s Small project award. The project team included: General Contractor: Bartron Builders; Design Team: Studio Ghielmetti; Engineers: Devita Engineers & Forma Structural Engineering.

• Above the Park, a three-bedroom luxury residential property within Falls Tower, one of Greenville’s largest urban developments, earned the Robert Mills Residential Merit Award for New Construction over $1 million. Though the property already boasted coveted exterior views, the interior work needed to achieve privacy, sound performance, and soften the transition from exterior to interior. “Through expert planning, detailing and material selection, this exquisite interior environment emits a refreshing and calming softness. The entire space feels as if it were crafted like a cabinet,” the jurors said. Above the Park also earned AIA Greenville’s Merit Award for Interior Architecture. The project team included: General Contractor: Thomas Construction with Construction Management by Ridgeline Construction Group; Interior Design: InSite Designs; Lighting: L+ARC Lighting Design; Engineers: W.G. Bartlett Engineering Services, Randall Birch, & Jaffe Holden.

Fathom Firm also won a local design and build competition in late 2023 to benefit Greenville County Animal Care. Called PAWchitecture, the competition brought together designers, builders, and others in Greenville’s creative community to fabricate doghouses and “cat condos” for public auction. Proceeds went to GCAC’s Safety Net Foster Program.

Fathom partnered with The Heirloom Companies to design and build the Jake Frame, an idea conceived from the designers’ Southeastern and Appalachian roots and the memory of their beloved dog, Jake. Eliciting imagery from a rustic porch with a tin roof, the craftsmen built an A-frame shaped doghouse with a water collection trough, a look-out hammock, and an open-end structure to maximize air flow during hot summers.

The Jake Frame sold for $1,000 and won the best in show award for its exceptional quality design and materials and its alignment with the Upstate’s culture.

“It’s important for us to contribute to the community where we can,” Hupp said. “We jumped at the opportunity to use our creative talents to execute something that is not only a thoughtful and creative structure for animals (not our usual client), but that financially benefits families in our community who are in need. This was a really fun way to give back, and we hope to find more opportunities like this to create value for others.”

About Fathom Firm

Driven by curiosity for architecture and construction at all scales, Fathom embraces a design methodology aimed at durability, precision, function, and environmental considerations, while drawing inspiration from the regional vernacular and social relationships. A sense of time, an expression of craft, livability, a healthy space, and restraint are some of many principles that contribute to a building that lasts. Fathom was founded by Jamison Hupp, AIA, a native of West Virginia. Hupp obtained his B.Arch at the University of Tennessee and practiced both construction and architecture in Knoxville, Nashville, and Greenville, SC. Over the past decade, he has held various leadership roles in both local, state and regional construction and architectural communities. Hupp currently serves President-Elect for AIA South Carolina, is a member of the AGC/AIA SC Joint Committee and is an active member of CRAN Greenville (Custom Residential Architects Network). He has served in multiple leadership roles for AIA Greenville, including President in 2020.