Schaefer History Excerpt: The Schaefer Door

“Schaefer History Friday” is an initiative created by Senior Vice President and partner Matt Hamm to celebrate and preserve the rich history of our firm’s founders and projects. Matt regularly delves into our archives of images and stories, passing these narratives down to newer generations at Schaefer to keep our history alive, as well as to remind us of the beautiful design work, exceptional illustrations, and timeless photography our founders created. Our new Schaefer History Excerpt Series brings these stories to our blog—sharing them with the communities we’ve impacted, and challenging us here at Schaefer to continue striving for excellence in relationships and in practice. We are excited to kick off this series with our first excerpt!

A prominent element across Schaefer Architecture’s branding is the common drafting icon symbolizing a swinging door. This element appears throughout our online presence, proposal documents, brand logo, and as a notch in our business cards. It even served as the muse for this very blog: The Doorway.

It embodies our vision for the future and our belief in the possibilities that unfold when one dares to open the door and cross its threshold.

What many do not know is that this branding element was inspired by a physical door from Schaefer’s past. Matt Hamm, Senior Vice President and Schaefer’s historian, regularly shares Schaefer History Friday stories with our team, recounting tales from Schaefer Architecture’s rich past. Through a combination of his historical digging and our firm’s recent rebranding initiative, a long-lost puzzle piece was uncovered: the Schaefer Door. 

In 1960, Schaefer Schirmer & Eflin (SS&E) Architects—then only a three-year-old firm—won a Merit Award from the Kansas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for their design of the firm’s own office at 3208 E Douglas. However, as the firm quickly outgrew the 2,000-square-foot space, they began designing a new home just next door at 3210 E Douglas. This time, both the 3210 and 3208 spaces were renovated. Shortly after SS&E’s move across the walkway, interior designer and eccentric Wichitan Richard Davenport moved into 3208. Given the long working relationship between SS&E and Davenport, occupying adjacent offices was a natural business decision. 

According to Hamm, an unearthed Wichita Beacon article revealed that Davenport—founder of R.A. Davenport Interiors—commissioned a hand-carved wooden door for his office entrance. The whimsical, pseudo-gothic door was crafted by Californians Jerome and Evelyn Ackerman. Whether out of collaboration or competition, SS&E soon followed suit, commissioning their own custom front door. According to Vern Miller, retired Schaefer Interior Design Director who worked closely with Davenport, the Schaefer Door was the brainchild of then Schaefer partner and designer Robert Eflin. Whether Eflin crafted the door himself or hired a skilled artisan is unknown. Regardless, the result was a bold, architectural wooden door, with a style leaning toward Brutalism. Hamm theorizes the doors design was influenced by mid-century artist Paul Evans and furniture lines by Lane, who collaborated with Staccato. The Schaefer Door greeted staff and clients alike for five years—until 1970, when the firm relocated to a new office on Hillside. 

For decades, the existence of the Schaefer Door was forgotten —until 2022, when Bill Gardner, whose firm Gardner Design occupies 3204 E Douglas, mentioned a custom door he believed once belonged to Schaefer’s predecessor. He guided Hamm to a door leaning against the wall of a neighboring salon. Though that door turned out to be Davenport’s pseudo-gothic piece, it sparked archival research that ultimately led to the rediscovery of the true Schaefer Door.  

In 2023, thanks to Gardner’s introduction, Hamm connected with Robin Davis, the current owner of the former Schaefer property. Thankfully, the Schaefer Door was still in place—over 60 years after its creation. Davis, in the process of renovating the space, had planned to remove the door.  She was intrigued by its history and the following year, sold the door to the firm, finally reuniting Schaefer with a piece of its past. 

 In 2025, Schaefer commissioned Ten Works to restore and preserve the door. The team enhanced the warmth of the wood and added bronze elements to symbolically highlight its purpose. After a long journey, the Schaefer Door now lives on in our current office at 257 N Broadway, visible from the public atrium adjacent to our firm’s entrance. 

The Schaefer Door is more than a relic—it’s a testament to creativity, craftsmanship, and the enduring spirit of our firm. It stands as a lasting reminder of our legacy and inspires us to remain optimistic, to experiment boldly in our design work, and to learn from those who came before us. After all, every great design begins with the courage to walk through the doorway.

We are making history every day—make it excellent!