Made In Iowa: Designing with Courage: Building Trust—and Buildings—In Unison

Stepping out on your own takes courage—especially when your reputation, relationships, and livelihood are built on trust. In this episode of Made in Iowa, we sit down with Laura Peterson, co-founder of Unison Design Studio, to talk about the bold decision to launch a purpose-driven architecture and design firm rooted in clarity, collaboration, and care. With more than 90 years of collective experience across healthcare, education, and community spaces, Laura and her partners didn’t set out simply to start a firm—they set out to serve their clients more fully and more authentically. In Iowa, business is personal. It’s built on long-term relationships, earned trust, and doing what you say you’re going to do. Those values anchor Unison and show up in the buildings they design—spaces that reflect the people, missions, and communities they serve. Laura shares what it means to lead with intention, why bravery and trust go hand in hand, and how truly listening to clients results in buildings that are not only beautiful, but deeply representative of the organizations inside them. This conversation is a powerful reminder that when you design in unison with your clients, the results endure.