My bread and butter work consist mostly of suburban commercial projects; strip malls, car dealerships, professional offices and the like but recently have gotten a niche in senior citizens recreation and nutrition centers and town level government projects.
I believe architecture should be representative of the times the project was built and convey the viewpoint, attitude and thinking of the people of that time to future generations. My current design philosophy tends to shun direct historical copies but still makes the projects fit into the neighborhood its intended for. I especially reject “colonial” cloning as I think it will say to the future that the people of our time may have been narrow minded and sheep-like and I don’t believe that is the case with most people. Besides, enough is enough. If a historic style is requested, I can sometimes steer the powers that be to something that is more of an evolution of a style more in tune with today’s world. The goal in this case is to make the people that want to see colonel see that, and those that want to see something more modern see modern, all in the same building.
I have always been “green” even when it was not popular, when “tree hugger" was a derogatory label. I don’t feel the need to jump on the green-washed wagon to prove it. Just do the right thing as best you can for the environment. That’s enough on that subject.
I am not a “yes man” and I think that has hurt my career. I always feel obligated to tell it like it is. I don’t like to tell people what they want to hear if it is not the truth just to get through the current conversation.
I am married and have two children, both Girls adopted from China. My wife was born in Ireland and is an Irish citizen. I was born in Tampa FL but lived in the Orange County NY area for most of my life from age 3 with the exception of brief stints living in Suffern NY and Brooklyn NY.