Reflections #15: Professional Work: Being an Architect

It’s not easy to summarize a career in a few short paragraphs. I often reflect on what led to my decision to become an architect. Mainly I thought it would be fun. I was pretty quiet in my younger years, and I thought I could sit on my own, not talk with other people, and do drawings of buildings all day. I watched with fascination a TV program called "Mr. Ed" about Wilbur Post, an architect, who worked in a barn with Mr. Ed, the talking horse. I loved horses! This arrangement suggested to me that being an architect could be an enjoyable and relaxing career.

People say if you’re good at art and math, you would be a good architect. That sort of makes sense, but I suggest that creative problem solving is the most important skill. Architecture does require interest and ability in art. I think the need for math skills relates more to developing logic and a sense of rigor in the design process. And, a key requirement is good communication skills – graphic, written and oral.

When I was 12, a trip to Sausalito solidified my desire to design buildings. I was awestruck by the houses cascading down the hillsides. I imagined a career designing houses and transforming historic mill buildings into multi-family housing. When I graduated from Cornell, thinking that housing would be my career focus, I decided to work for a larger firm before settling into housing. I started my professional career at SOM SF. Since then, I have worked in a number of larger offices, including WZMH (Dallas), Cannon Design (Boston), DiMella Shaffer (Boston), NBBJ (Boston), a few smaller offices, and now Jacobs (Boston) - never focusing on housing as I had planned. Rather, I have developed a career interest in architecture for higher education.

People often ask me about my “favorite” project. I don’t really have one – or, rather, each one is a favorite in a particular way. Architecture is about creating, so each project is unique, and each architectural endeavor brings its own special opportunities. Each one has its own challenges and its own team dynamic. I have enjoyed working on large, new buildings, and on small renovations. I have worked in different building types, including higher education, corporate/commercial, hotel/hospitality, and healthcare – with a primary focus on higher education. I’ve worked on high rise office towers and large lab buildings. I have worked in different campus typologies, including academic, research, student life, student residences, dining, sports, and faculty and staff workspaces. I have contributed in different roles, including programmer, planner, designer, project manager, and principal.

In the end, the thing that has provided the most fulfillment in my career has been engaging with colleagues as a mentor and student and working with clients as a trusted advisor and advocate, developing a sense of shared collaboration and investment in the successful outcome of a project. As it turns out, sitting in a corner on your own, or in a barn with a horse, are not good models for a career in architecture. You need to be an actively engaged and creative problem solver.