Hewn Architectural Studio

Hewn is a design-driven studio of innovative architects who connect people to place and create meaningful spaces that shape lasting experiences. Launched in 2024, Hewn Architectural Studio is the exciting merger of the two most dynamic, highly-acclaimed architectural firms in Bloomington-Normal: Workbench and Scharnett. Founded by Kyle Glandon in 2016, Workbench quickly achieved widespread recognition for its innovative designs and conceptual renderings. Similarly, after 5 years working alongside legendary architect Russel Francois, Paul Scharnett became the firm’s owner in 2019, adding his technical skill and creative vision to a high-profile portfolio that dated back to Arthur Pillsbury. The strengths of Scharnett complemented the strengths of Workbench, and as 2023 progressed, it became clear that joining forces would create a complete firm rooted in expertise, experience, and innovative design. The decision to merge was finalized, and the team settled on its new name: Hewn Architectural Studio. Something ‘hewn’ has taken raw, natural materials and shaped them into something beautiful, lasting, and meaningful. Using innovative design to go from rough to refined is what architects do, revealing and uncovering the purpose of a place, from complexity to clarity. The name Hewn stood out as uniquely suited to highlight that holistic process of detail and craftsmanship at every stage. Today, Hewn Architectural Studio specializes in large-scale commercial, new development, historic preservation, and adaptive reuse projects from its headquarters in downtown Bloomington, IL. The larger, blended team positions Hewn to handle almost any architectural project in-house from start to finish, generating exciting new ideas through expanded collaboration. The Studio is poised for an explosive stage of growth, led by a talented team of designers committed to the vision that architecture can shape lasting experiences for the community.