Why Architecture?

I’m often asked how I became interested in Architecture. I’ve given different flavors of answers over the years as the depth of my involvement in the profession has changed with my growing knowledge, but if you asked me when I first wanted to be an on the path to becoming an architect, its always been the same.

I grew up in an environment that split both hemispheres of my brain, the creative and the logical. The right brain, with love of the arts and a passion for beauty, credited to my mother for her encouragement of creative endeavors. The left brain, to my father, for his logical, scientific based thinking and calculated mathematical approaches. Thats not to say either didnt have the other hemisphere of creativity or logic but I would credit those aspects of myself to those similarly in my parents respectively.

But that doesn’t answer the question. Merely the framework where I had the capacity to appreciate the nuances of this profession. I think at a core level, my love of the arts, sciences and mathematics led me in a direction towards loving architecture. But those again, wernt the gateway. Merely skillsets that helped me along my chosen path.

In the 9th grade, I was introduced to Architecture from a visual perspective, quite literally. I was enrolled in an elective arts class in my high school. Fostered by some fantastic teachers at that time I had grown to appreciate art; still life drawing, water color painting, sketching and the like. It wasn’t until we had a lesson in perspective drawing and the techniques behind it that I found myself enjoying drawing the built world. Vanishing points and perspective lines became my playground. Drawing the world around me, and finding beauty in one-point, two-point and even the occasional mind bending three-pointed perspectives I became enthralled with unfolding built geometry and the habitable world around me. It was my art teacher at the time, Ms. Lovejoy, who recognized the passion I was developing and introduced me first to the possible career opportunity of Architecture. I always think fondly on her coming by my workspace one Friday afternoon as summer was approaching with one of my sketches and asking, “Have you considered taking any summer school courses in Architecture?” to which I had not yet. Thus a lifelong passion was sparked with my enrollment into a program for architecture for high school students that summer.

This is certainly not to say there haven’t been others as inspiration and guidance along my journey. I’ve had mentors, and people in the industry that I’ve long admired. From friends parents whom were practicing architects to working internships for teachers; to friends and family encouraging me, and sometimes hiring me for small work here and there; and ultimately to my coworkers and classmates over the years whom I have brought into my inner circles an acceptance as critics and compatriots in our chosen profession. To all those individuals, this journey is as much of your success as my own as without your encouragement and guidance none of this would have been possible.

So Why Architecture? Its because I love it. Its because of the recognition from others in pursuit of greatness. Its because of the clients, whom I get to help craft their dreams. Its because of those that work in the profession along with me, making this less of a job, and more of a lifelong passion. Its because of the push from family, and their love of how happy I am doing what I love.

Mostly. Its for me, still that boy at heart, in pursuit of understanding habitable geometry through pen and paper, and pushing our profession ever more in the avant-garde.