Guild Hardy Architects PA, founded in 1953 and Allred • McNabb PA, founded in 1963 were both well-known Mississippi Gulf Coast design firms with a lengthy track record of success on small to medium size projects. In the late nineties, as the local economy began to rapidly expand, a number of large educational and military projects arose which presented a challenge to most design firms. One such project was a series of both new and retrofit design projects for the Mississippi Gulf Coast College, Jackson Campus (MGCCC-JC). The firm of Slaughter / Allred • McNabb and Guild Hardy Architects had previously worked together on other projects for the college, and when new expansion plans were announced, the two firms decided to form a strategic alliance to pursue this and other large scale projects. As Taylor Guild notes: "the core competency of the two firms complement each other". Mitch McNabb adds: "this alliance enables us to provide the quality and care required for large scale design-build government and institutional projects." By combining the human resources of both firms, Studio South’s headcount ranges from thirty-five to forty employees. Specialties include architects, interior designers, graduate architects, construction administrators and quality control specialists.

One area of specialty -- retrofit roofing of large flat roof school buildings -- enabled Studio South to utilize the strengths of architectural metal roofing and light gauge steel framing to meet a demanding design challenge. One such project, the Science Building on the MGCCC-JC, needed a new, watertight sloped roof to match neighboring buildings. Studio South worked with Saucier Brothers Roofing and Berridge Manufacturing to design a light gauge steel framing system, clad with Berridge Double-Lock Zee-Lock Standing Seam metal roof panels. Using Berridge on-site roll forming equipment, Saucier Brothers was able to provide continuous-length standing seam roof panels to eliminate end lap panel splices.