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George Suyama graduated with a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Washington in 1967. During his last year in college he was employed under Seattle architect Gene Zema where he developed a strong sense of traditional Japanese design. Suyama's early designs were heavily influenced by the use of wood, a characteristic of the Northwest Style. In 1979 Suyama and Zema traveled to Japan where Suyama became inspired by the aesthetic of balancing nature and architecture. His later projects incorporated elements of steel and concrete, but still kept with the aesthetic of simple order and balance between interior and landscape. Projects he worked on include Peet's Coffee and Tea shops, Nordstorm, and several residential homes.

Suyama founded his firm in 1971 and later added partners Ric Peterson in 1983, Jay Deguchi in 2003, and Chris Haddad in 2014. The firm specializes in northwest contemporary design and offers a comprehensive range of services from architecture to interiors and furniture design.