Personal Information:
When did you know you wanted to be an Architect?
RB: In my sophomore year in high school I was influenced by my best friend Bill Bishop to pursue architecture. Bill attended a different high school than I, and he was involved in an architectural program at his school, which was not offered at my high school. I found architecture and the whole program totally fascinating. We became roommates in college, got our architectural registration at the same time, and have remained friends to this day.
Where did you go to college and what degrees did you earn?
RB: The University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, and received a five-year Bachelor Degree in Architecture.
Experience:
What has been your most rewarding project?
RB: Following Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005, I had the opportunity to lead a justice team of architects and engineers in the recovery of Police, Corrections and Court facilities in the gulf coast. That assignment lead to FEMA requesting that I develop a Justice Facilities Master Plan for Orleans Parrish.
That planning and design effort for the Orleans Parrish Sheriff's Department is currently developing the third phase of a five phase Master Plan. Those efforts in New Orleans have been my most rewarding, and significantly lead to my election to the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows.
What has been your most formative project?
RB: I would like to answer that question from both a professional and a personal perspective. Professionally, four projects brought attention and formation to the early years of my justice practice: in courts it was the Orange Count Courthouse in Orlando, Florida; in corrections it was the Marianna FCI and in detention the Arlington County Virginia Detention Center; and, in Law Enforcement it was the Dallas Police Headquarters.
Personally, the most formative project has ironically come in my retirement. I became a volunteer at our local county jail teaching a faith-based life skills class to inmates, with a major focus on how to get a job and keep a job after incarceration. The efforts of all involved with this program has gotten the attention of the Illinois Department of Correction to develop a Life Skills Prison, focusing on a healing environment in lieu of a punitive environment. And, locally, planning the establishment of a Community Transformation Center that houses and provides job training to inmates reentering society from various forms of incarceration.
What do you consider your largest contribution to the field of justice architecture?
RB: As the Commissioner on Accreditation for ACA and as the AIA representative on the ACA Standards Committee, I am hopeful that my fight for physical design standards was seen as a contribution. And, as the chair of the AIA Committee on Justice Architecture, I am proud of bringing recognition to citation award winning projects to both the design architects and their clients, by way of an annual AIA/CAJ Banquet that celebrated these trend setting projects and their clients.
As far as contributing to the architectural and engineering professionals I worked with, I was able to participate in the winning of many great projects. These wins always became great opportunities for our design and production staff to not only grow in their architectural profession, but to significantly contribute to the advancement of justice architecture.
Why Justice?
What influenced you to begin working in the field of justice architecture?
RB: My first jail design project – the Champaign County Jail, in Urbana, Illinois. The complexities: that of the design problem, the unique demands of Sheriff, the County Board, and the users, the 24/7 life of the building, and the security and technical requirements - all fascinated me. That fascination continues today, some 40 years later.
What do you find most challenging about working in justice architecture?
RB: The challenge of making all of the above work together to the common goal of a great project, while always navigating through a politically sensitive environment.
What do you find the most rewarding about working in the justice market?
RB: Three events leading up to the most rewarding: first, the day you heard you "we're selected by the client as the architect"; second, that first day you walked through the construction site and you could see the project taking shape; and third, when you attend the project dedication and see the pride of all involved – which leads to the most rewarding part, seeing a difference made in the lives of staff and users through the complimentary efforts of operations and architecture.
The Future of Justice Market?
What influences do you believe you have on the next generation of justice architects?
RB: I hopefully have influenced others on the importance of getting involved with your peers and the professional associations of the justice system if you want to understand your clients and make a lasting difference in justice architecture. And, I believe I have influenced others with the fact that nothing great will ever happen unless you can convince the most important clients to; select you, embrace your approach, and respect your ideas to make their project successful.
Please provide a piece of advice you"d like to share with other justice architects.
RB: As architects we are three-dimensional problem solvers. We think graphically and three-dimensionally to illustrate our ideas. Clients are appreciative of our talents to take complex problems and graphically illustrate the solution – whether you utilize a computer, a flip chart, or a white board, do not underestimate the impact your abilities to communicate three-dimensionally will have on clients.
Yet, most importantly, you have to keep your health (spiritual and physical), family, and work in balance. It is too easy to stress one at the expense of the others. Balance!
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Ron Budzinski was president and National Director of Criminal Justice Architecture for PSA Dewberry Architects. He is a past chair of the AIA AAJ committee, served as a Commissioner on the American Correctional Associations Accreditation Committee, and was elected to the AIA’s College of Fellows in May of 2007. Currently Ron is a volunteer for a prison ministry program, Jobs Partnership, which focuses on teaching inmates life skills that will enable them to get a job and keep a job upon their release. Ron lives in Peoria, Illinois.
(Return to the cover of the 2016 AAJ Journal Q3 issue)