profiles, reprinted from 'columns' magazine

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AIA Dallas’s Columns Magazine

ProfilesSince 2009

INDEX Valetta Lill

Jill Magnuson Jack and John Matthews Virginia McAlester Nancy McCoy Linda McMahon Anita Moran Linda Owen Pete Peabody Lucilo Peña Clyde Porter Jeff Potter Don Raines Sam Ringman Jason Roberts Sarah Jane Semrad Kevin Sloan Laurel Stone Mary Suhm Charissa Terranova Kirk Teske Billy Ware Bruce Weigand Frank Welch Denton Wilson Gloria Wise

29 36 85 4

21 38 56 8

24 71 32 12 14 65 78 31 19 87 42 20 35 18 44 22 57 16

Ann Abernathy Zaida Basora Craig Beneke Jan Blackmon Jennifer Workman Blevins Bill Booziotis Bob Borson David Braden Brent Brown Bob Bullis Arturo Del Castillo James Clutts Diane Collier Pete DeLisle Tom Cox David Dillon Nan Ellin Graham Greene Larry Hamilton Raymond Harris Velpeau Hawes Jr. Michael Hellinghausen Gregory Ibañez Clay Jenkins Lisa Lamkin

26 83 30 10 40 7

75 61 34 63 46 67 73 54 28 17 81 59 3

15 33 91 69 89 50

33COLUMNS | www.aiadallas.org

When it comes to downtown Dallas living, it doesn’t take long to come across Larry

Hamilton. Larry is the CEO of Hamilton Properties, the developers at the forefront

of the downtown Dallas residential and hotel scene for more than a decade. Larry’s

career has its roots in Colorado where he had a wide range of experience from de-

veloping higher education facilities to office parks. While working with the City of

Denver on their Downtown Master Plan, he was able to successfully synthesize his

interest in historic preservation and downtown urban environments.

In collaboration with Magnolia Hotels, Larry was able to get his feet wet during his

preservation efforts on the First National Bank Building in Denver. This success was re-

peated with the help of his son, Ted, with the redevelopment of the Magnolia Oil and

Gas Building in Dallas. Since then, he has spearheaded some of downtown Dallas’

most recognized rehabilitation projects including The Davis Building, Dallas Power &

Light, The Mosaic and the Aloft Hotel. Their most recent project, the Lone Star Gas

Lofts recently completed Phase 1 and they are now fully underway with Phase 2.

What aspects of design make your projects successful?

I like to call us the ‘uncorporate’ developer. If someone is in an apartment building,

they surrender a little piece of their individuality by going into a big project and being

one of the multitudes. We are constantly working to give them a piece of that back,

in any way that we can. We want to have a lot of different kind of floor plans and

styles. That is one of things we try and do in our design: Reinforce that sense of style

and individuality.

What unique aspects and challenges have you faced being involved in Dallas for

over a decade?

When we came here to look at the Davis building, the downtown was empty and

nothing was going on. We parked the rental car and our broker took us around. After

we got done, we walk out to where I thought the car was and the car wasn’t there.

I said, ‘I could swear that I parked right here.’ Well, I had been towed to the impound

lot. It was past four o’clock.

What had happened was that the city fathers made this very unfortunate decision,

back when white flight to suburbia was in full flower, to orient the streets to be one

way streets. Traffic was to charge in and out of downtown full tilt. They didn’t give

consideration to developing a sense of community down here. Basically, downtown

was to get in and get out of fast – therefore, we had to go out to reclaim our car at

the impound lot.

The 2003 Davis Building rehabilitation project has been said to launch the down-

town revitalization. Where do you see Dallas heading in the future?

Our tunnel system is dying a slow death. It’s a tragedy for downtown Dallas that the

tunnels ever happened. If you could take all the retail that occurs in the tunnels and

pull that up onto grade, think of the huge difference that would make. So what do I

see in the future? I see us making steps towards making a walkable environment. I

see us having a substantial residential population that is going to continue to grow

with people who are loyal to downtown and have a real sense of community down

here. I see us getting more connectivity.

Scott Gorenc, AIA, is an architect with Corgan Associates, Inc.

Profile | Larry Hamilton

ANDREW BROWN

PHOTO BY STEVE CLICQUE

Interview by James Adams, AIA It is early August, and I am in the sitting room of the home of Virginia McAlester, a fifth generation Dallasite and the daughter of Dorothy Savage and former Mayor Wallace Savage. Virginia has been an integral part of the Landmark Commission and both a founder of Preservation Dallas and of Friends of Fair Park. She is also the author of multi-ple books on architectural style. Upon her arrival, we take a short tour of her 1917 mission style home and beautiful garden that includes a pond that was once a swimming pool nearly half a century before. She is concerned about the pending aerial sprayings to help stop the spread of West Nile Virus. The hammering of roofers can be heard throughout Swiss Avenue as they repair neighborhood wide damage from a hail storm that occurred late in the spring. Stepping back inside her sitting room, Virginia sits down and begins to share a few hours of her busy schedule with me. I begin the interview:

Tell me about the origin of your first book, A Field Guide to American Houses. It really started from being here in this city and in this his-toric district and having the city ask us to provide surveys for Munger Place and for the Wilson Block. We couldn’t find any information. Two different architectural historians had come through and told us that the same houses were different things. I remember thinking that you should be able to have a field guide, like the Peterson’s Field Guide to the Birds, and I could-n’t find anything like that. Lee, my former husband had written geology textbooks. He said, “You should write a book about it.” He had me do some sample chapters. To-gether we planned it out and he edited everything. Originally, I sketched every illustration page and the pub-lisher, Knopf, agreed to provide the finished line art. Well, Knopf is really big into cookbooks so they hired a cook-book artist! Luckily [MESA Design Group landscape archi-tect] Robin McCaffrey’s wife, Janet McCaffrey, was going to New York and I asked her to meet with this artist. She actually went and spent the whole day orienting the cook-

Profile | Virginia McAlester, Hon. TSA, Hon. AIA Dallas

book artist. I started working on this book in 1978 and it took six years. I saw the children off to school in the morning, and would write until they came home. I wrote it for laymen who wanted to know what they were seeing and I was trying to satisfy my own curiosity too. You are working on a re-work on this book. When is that coming out? I am waiting for the publisher to tell me their exact pro-duction schedule. It could not be too soon for me. I am very excited about it. With about 80% of houses built since World War II the opportunity to treat these buildings even in a cursory matter is really important. The mid-century modern style is really important. What are the areas of Dallas that are the most threatened? Deep Ellum. The one thing that made Deep Ellum so cool was that it was intact. It felt good and it felt urban and now there are huge gap sites. Most cities around the country would do a parking district: one or two parking garages that would serve the adjacent blocks. It just kills me to drive through there and see the gaps. You have to park it, but it needs a parking district. I worry about Fair Park, our National Historic Land-mark. With two major institutions moving out, how do we keep it a really important year round destination? I participated with Hargreaves Associates in their plan to provide whatever was needed. It can be challenging to coexist with major events; but it is definitely doable. Obviously, we want to keep preserving the things we can, and it’s a major problem that there is not a lot of institutional knowledge in the [City of Dallas] Building Department now. There was a time when the person who was going to issue a building permit really knew the ordinances inside and out. That [lack of knowledge] comes with problems with the city budget and cutbacks. Also there are fewer people in Historic Preservation now even than when it first began with only the Swiss Avenue Historic District. What do you believe has caused this decrease in the allocation of city staff for preservation? I really don’t know. I suppose whomever was deciding on the positions didn’t give that as a priority. The city as a whole isn’t really thinking about the strong economic impact of a historic district, of protecting it, and of get-ting houses re-developed. What was the beginning of the effort to save

Swiss Avenue and Munger Place? It was a mess. It looks nice now, but it was really a mess. My parents ended up buying the house next door, be-cause it had been subdivided into four units. They were cool with this until one morning when a girl came over from next door and said, “Can I use your phone? Daddy broke mommy’s jaw last night and I really need to call somebody to come help her.” The house on the corner had refrigerators on the porch and cars jacked up in the lawn. This was in 1966. Weiming Lu, when he was the Director of Urban Design for the Dallas Planning Department, had written off as unsalvageable everything from Beacon Street to Down-town Dallas except for Swiss Avenue. The city had writ-ten off Munger Place. After we had established the Swiss Avenue historic district, I went to lunch with Weiming and said, “Why don’t we do Munger Place?” He told me that it met no national standard for a neighborhood that could be saved. All of it was zoned for multi-family, and you couldn’t get a loan for houses as it had been redlined by FHA and Fannie Mae. Boone Powell was on the board of Lakewood Bank, which made funds available for loans on Swiss Avenue and later on Munger Place. I ran a revolving fund for Preserva-tion Dallas and we bought 27 houses. The AIA created designs for how the houses should be restored. Another volunteer wrote façade easements because they told us it couldn’t be a historic district at that point. Lakewood Bank began a program of making six-month construction loans with a commitment letter from Fannie Mae assuring that they would buy out the loan when con-struction was finished. It was a model program that led to the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act. This home that we are currently in has been the residence of your family for nearly a century. Where else have you lived and enjoyed? My daughter had a place on Mulberry Street, just on the edge of Little Italy [in Manhattan.] She lived above a knife-grinding shop that had been across the street from John Gotti’s clubhouse. I try to repress it, but I actually think the apartment that she rented had been the FBI’s lookout. Anyway, I kept the apartment after she left and from the front door I could walk to a Fedex store, an Office De-pot, and even Bloomingdale’s. To create this amount of density takes a tremendous number of people. Another is Harvard Square. When my mother wanted me to go to Wellesley, she took me and two of my friends on a college trip to visit different campuses. We came to Wellesley, which she thought was the most beautiful cam-pus in the world and I looked at it and thought, “Walking through this in the snow? I don’t know mom.” We came

to Harvard Square and here were wonderful blocks of buildings with shops and a subway stop that goes any-where in the city! How could you possibly compare these two places: being stuck out in Wellesely versus having the whole city of Boston just a subway stop away! I love walkable areas where you can actually walk to things that you want and need. They manage it in other cities. I would love to see downtown Dallas filled in like that. How were your parents involved in your preserva-tion efforts? If it were not for my parents, this [neighborhood] would-n’t have been here for us to save in the mid-1970s. I thought that everyone’s mother went down to City Hall to a zoning hearing once a month for a case requesting an apartment house on Gaston Avenue and either came home in tears because they lost a house or they would be jubilant because they had won and that block was go-ing to survive for a while. I grew up learning that you really had to work to protect a neighborhood. I remember riding down the street and somebody was sawing down one of the evergreen trees that were the original plantings for the neighborhood. My mother screeched the car to a halt and got out saying: “Why are you doing this? The neighborhood hasn’t heard about this?” I was hiding in the backseat as my mother was interfering with what I perceived to be authority: a city truck! Your father is remembered as a very progressive mayor on some controversial issues. As a child, what was that experience like at home? My mother was very interested in politics so they talked about what was going on at the dinner table every night. I remember when my father discovered there were two ambulance systems and he was being asked to sign a 10-

year extension of the contract for the black ambulance system. He made some inquires and found that it was tak-ing about five times as long for the ambulance to come if you were African American. He refused to sign it. I be-lieve his quote at the time was, “We all bleed red blood.” What are some of the books you enjoy? The Language of Towns & Cities by Dhiru Thadani. If people don’t have it they should go out and get it. It is a new book that is visually very fun. It has all the concepts of urban design presented really nicely. I think a design pro-fessional would like it; I have enjoyed it. Also Philip Johnson: Life and Work by Franz Schulze, an au-thorized biography. It was very interesting to see him as promoter of other architects’ work and to learn the dif-ferent architecture exhibits at the Museum of Modern Art that he oversaw. Are there any films or other media that you would recommend? My daughter [Amy Talkington] shot her 2006 movie The Night of the White Pants at Double Wide [bar] and at the Adolphus Hotel. They just screened it at the Dallas Muse-um of Art in August. They have had a series of Dallas re-lated movies in conjunction with the George Grosz exhi-bition, which was really very interesting. It’s on Netflix. Finally, what is your namesake? The State of Virginia. My father, a graduate of the Univer-sity of Virginia, always said that he thought the state was beautiful. On the other hand, I also discovered that my great-Aunt Virgie was actually Aunt Virginia, but no one ever called me Virgie and it never occurred to me that it was a nickname for Aunt Virginia. There was a cousin Vir-ginia as well, so there were three reasons.

James Adams, AIA, is an architect with Corgan Associates Inc.

10 Questions For ... Bill Booziotis, FAIA

40 SUMMER/FALL 2012

What are your favorite buildings out-

side Dallas? The Kimbell Art Museum is

sheer perfection. And the Vierzehnheili-

gen by Neumann is the glorious architec-

tural primer for creating excitement,

pleasure, and sheer delight within a

traditional idiom.

What architects do you most admire?

Corbusier, Wright, Mies, and Breuer.

What historical figure do you most

admire? Thomas Jefferson.

Who is your favorite artist?

Picasso for his boundless creativity.

Always rich and surprisingly playful.

What museum outside of

Dallas/Fort Worth do you enjoy?

The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

in Denmark—wonderful setting over-

looking the sea with separated and stun-

ning environments housing marvelous

contemporary collections.

What type of music do you

listen to? Classical of all types, musical

comedy and opera. Mozart is my fa-

vorite composer.

And your favorite color? Color is too

important to have a favorite.

What have you recently read?

I read The Rise and Fall of the Third

Reich. It shows Hitler’s deceitfulness

and utter lack of humanity.

What do you consider your greatest

achievements?

Projects such as the Hoffman Gallery,

the UT School of Architecture, and

some of the institutional buildings I am

doing now. I am also very committed to

my board involvement, which is driven

by my interest in tomorrow. What can

we do now that will make the world a

better place tomorrow?

What is your most treasured

possession? Forty acres of conservation

wilderness on the Brazos River. �

Contributed by Nate Eudaly, Hon. AIA Dallas and director, Dallas ArchitectureForum.

Bill Booziotis, FAIA, is president of Booziotis& Company Architects. Bill obtained architec-ture degrees from the University of Texas andthe Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Hisfirm’s work has received Honor Awards fromAIA Dallas and the Texas Society of Architects.Bill is a civic leader, nationally and in Dallas.Current or past leadership positions include: • President of AIA Dallas• Founder, AIA Dallas Foundation• DCFA Foundation board member• Dallas Museum of Art board member• Dallas Bach Society president• MIT Alumni Association board of

directors member• Visiting committee member for the UT-Austin and UT-Arlington schools of architectureBill is also the founder and chairman of the

Directors Circle at the Center for VitalLongevity at the University of Texas-Dallas. Inaddition, he is the founder and current boardmember of the Dallas Center for ArchitectureFoundation. AIA Dallas presented Bill a Life-time Achievement Award in 2008, at whichtime he was saluted as “the ubiquitous connec-tor of interesting people, the charming guide toarchitectural magic, the scholar, and humani-tarian,” as well as called “a high-achieving,generously contributing native son of Dallas.”

CASON HALLOCK


When it opens in late October, Klyde Warren Park will fulfill the

dreams of many individuals and organizations. Those who champi-

oned it deserve credit, but none more than Linda Owen. As the pres-

ident of the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation, Linda oversaw the

fundraising, design, construction and management of the $110 mil-

lion publically- and privately-funded venture.

With a law degree from the University of Texas, Linda relocated

to Dallas as a clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Jerry Buchmeyer. A

career as an accomplished real estate attorney with the law firm of

Wald, Harkrader and Ross led to her role as president of The Real

Estate Council (TREC). Here she ushered in a period of great pros-

perity for the organization that culminated in serving as the impetus

for the Klyde Warren Park .

What made the Klyde Warren Park possible?

A public-private partnership between the City of Dallas, TxDOT, the

North Texas Council of Governments, the U.S. Department of Trans-

portation, and the private sector. Each had a seat at the table. Each took

ownership. Each brought value. TREC wanted to be a catalyst. During

the incubator stage, their technical assistance and funding were critical,

not only because the project was so speculative, but also because they

paid up front. We also have a tremendous admiration and appreciation for

our lenders at Chase Bank. We couldn’t have done it without them tak-

ing a huge leap of faith.

What has this meant for you?

I realize that I am one link in a chain of people who have constantly tried

to steward the next civic improvement. My ultimate gratification is seeing

young, creative people excited about Dallas; they see Dallas as a city with

a future. This is the new direction that Dallas is taking. American cities

are asking for this type of investment.

What’s next for Linda Owen?

I thought of the park as my “swan song” at the beginning. What better cul-

mination for a long and twisted career? But lately, I can’t wait to find the

next gig. I know it’s out there, and once I find it, I will come up with the

strategy and the team to rally around it. I want to study the mayor’s plan

for southern Dallas; maybe I will focus on affordable housing. We have a

lot of under-utilized assets in the Cedars and in North Oak Cliff.

To continue reading this interview with Linda Owen,

visit www.tiny.cc/linda_owen or scan this code.

Contributed by James Adams, AIA, an architect with Corgan Associates Inc.

Profile | Linda Owen

CASON HALLOCK

Continuation of Profile: Linda Owen What happens once Klyde Warren Park opens? "The city will let us privately manage, operate and program it. We privatized it from the inception. It’s a public park. It just happens to be privately man-aged." How do we duplicate this success in other large-scale civic pro-jects? "You have to share ownership with all of your partners and it cannot be solely volunteer-driven. It is important to have professional management that is committed to seeing it through." Does this reflect your own lifestyle? … "Yes. I live in an apartment in Uptown, in walking distance of work. And on Sunday mornings, I can walk to church, the Nasher Sculpture Center or the Farmers Market for lunch. To me, quality of life means you can live, work and play within walking distance. I like living in a high-rise at a societal level, where I shut the door at night and am free to look out over the city and dream about urban affairs, planning issues and the evolution of cities. It’s about choice. My children are young adults and I can see them positioning for different urban environments. My daughter is a city junkie. The idea of owning a car is on the bottom of her to-do list." Please share your experience with The Real Estate Council? "I had the chance to work with world-class commercial real estate individu-als who were inspirational and truly cared about giving back to the commu-nity. Successful people in real estate are visionaries and they often see things before other people see them. As Jeff Swope would say, we are the kind of people who change the landscape of cities." You have been described as an avid golfer. Where do you play? "I am not an excellent golfer, but I am an avid golfer. I am a member of Brook Hollow Golf Club. It’s a place that is really about the tradition of golf."


There is a new beacon of light coming from the Dallas Chapter of the

AIA—Jan Blackmon, FAIA, is now the executive director of AIA Dallas and

the Dallas Center for Architecture (DCFA).

A national search began early in 2011 when AIA Dallas’ Executive

Director Paula Clements, Hon. TSA, stepped from leadership of the Dallas

AIA chapter into a management role at AIA National in Washington DC.

We’re glad to report that she is flourishing in her position as managing di-

rector of component collaboration and resources. (Note that she also

“stole” our prized Columns editor, Brian McLaren, AIA, to work with her

at AIA National as director of component information and resources.)

Chapter President David Zatopek led the search for a new executive

director with several other current and past members of the chapter’s

executive committee. Participants included Joe Buskhul, FAIA, and Shade

O’Quinn, AIA, and input from numerous chapter leaders.

At the announcement to an enthusiastic chapter last September,

Zatopek said, “Jan fulfills our expectations and we believe she will help us

make the AIA Dallas chapter one of the most respected and cutting-edge

AIA chapters in the nation.” AIA Dallas is now one of only three leading

chapters that have architects serving as their executive directors.

The most notable of Blackmon’s qualifications was that she is a Fellow in

the AIA and a longtime member of the AIA Dallas chapter. According to

Zatopek, the search committee felt that Blackmon had a savvy business in-

tellect. Others cited the respect held and maintained by peers through her

years of working as a volunteer professional with the AIA Dallas chapter, the

Texas Society of Architects (TSA), and the Texas Architectural Foundation.

A review of Blackmon’s resume offers a snapshot of her successes: Uni-

versity of Oklahoma graduate, Fellow of the AIA, first female TSA presi-

dent, past AIA Dallas vice president, AIA Dallas President’s Medal recipient,

and inaugural recipient of the William W. Caudill, FAIA, Leadership Award.

In this regard, Bill Smith, FAIA, talking about his experiences with Black-

mon, says, "These are only recognitions. To know her is to know someone

who is well organized and is a good listener who focuses on the details and

brings all the pieces together."

In 1988, during Smith’s tenure as chapter president, Blackmon served as

vice president of programs. At the very first event of the year, one attended

by over 500 people, she helped acquire a sponsorship from a local publica-

tion. Two days before the event, however, the sponsor called and withdrew.

Reliving that memory, Smith described his concern. “This was our first

event of the year and we did not want it to fail. Blackmon found a solution

and secured the necessary funding in time.” The event was a huge success.

In her own words, achievement came in part from working with compa-

nies that valued giving back and encouraged employees to contribute to the

community and to the profession. This became a goal that was further in-

grained both while practicing at JPJ Architects and during her time as TSA

president. Professionally, Blackmon has spent the majority of her three-

decade career in corporate and commercial architecture, enamored with

the process of collaboration.

Profile | Jan Blackmon, FAIA

WWW.BRENDAGAILOFDALLAS.COM

http://www.aiadallas.org








Profile | Jan Blackmon, FAIA (Cont.)

Over coffee late one afternoon, she shared a little more:

How do we grow the Dallas chapter?

“Actually, I am more interested in growing the influence and role of

architects in the community and region than growing membership

numbers. If AIA Dallas can brand and position architects in the pub-

lic’s mind as leaders able to effect positive change in our city through

design, membership numbers will take care of themselves.”

How would you do that?

“By developing a strategic plan. By putting together a road map

for the future of our organization.” Blackmon praised the fact

that the chapter has not seen a significant loss of membership

in either of the past two tough years in the industry. “However,

we are at an interesting juncture in our profession as we

emerge from the economic slump and continue transitioning to

new technologies and methods of project delivery. It is impor-

tant that our profession avoids what I call a ‘Kodak moment.’

Kodak forgot to keep an eye on changing technologies and mar-

ketplace needs. As a result of continuing business-as-usual, the

company ended up virtually irrelevant to the market. We must

add value and relevancy for individual and firm members, while

increasing their exposure to clients, community leaders, gov-

ernment, and allied professionals. We must grow the architect’s

voice in matters of design and quality-of-life in our city.”

What are your greatest goals for your new position?

“I now wear two hats. As executive director of AIA Dallas, my

role is to serve the members and enhance their opportunities for

professional development, outreach, and contribution. As exec-

utive director of the Dallas Center for Architecture, my role is to

continue building the foundation and the center to provide a

public venue for advancing architecture and the important role

it serves in the legacy and quality of life in North Texas.”

A student of collective intelligence, Blackmon feels much of

her role is to “facilitate a dialogue—both internally and exter-

nally.” She understands that many citizens do not yet know what

the Center for Architecture is all about and she is enthusiastic

about opportunities for the center to become a valuable part of

the greater North Texas community.

“The wonderful development of the arts district and the re-

vitalization of downtown through housing, parks, and pedes-

trian traffic create a great springboard for the DCFA, which is

located adjacent to the new Woodall Rodgers Park. This next

year we will be building resources to increase architectural ex-

hibitions open to the public.”

How has your new appointment impacted you personally?

“I used to practice architecture during the day and do volunteer

AIA work at night. Now I work for the AIA all day and my cre-

ative outlet is in my personal time. When people ask me if I feel

removed from the profession, I say, ‘Not at all – I am right in

the epicenter of it!’”

What is your creative outlet?

“The 279 Artisans Trail from Edom to Ben Wheeler, Texas.”

Blackmon and her husband, Craig Blackmon, FAIA, create col-

laborative welded metal sculptures on weekends at their art barn

on family property in the piney woods of east Texas. “When a

local philanthropist decided to invest in revitalizing the small com-

munity of Ben Wheeler, Craig and I joined the artistic commu-

nity and assisted in the creation of the 279 Artisans Trail with a

gallery that displays our Edom Ranch Art, as well as some ex-

cellent artwork from other local area artisans.” �

James Adams, AIA, is an architect with Corgan Associates Inc. andDiane Collier, AIA, is a representative with Landscape Forms.

32 SPRING 2012

WWW.BRENDAGAILOFDALLAS.COM


What do you consider the greatest challenge facing the

architecture profession?

In America at least, a pervasive fear exhibited by our culture is the fear

of anything that attempts to accept that which cannot be easily meas-

ured. Beauty and aesthetics are among those. This perception repre-

sents a threat and an opportunity at the same time. I believe younger

members of our culture, while educated in an environment that fa-

vors standardization, are also environmentally aware and have an en-

couraging design sensibility. It’s what I call the Dwell-magazine effect.

I’ll sneak in a second concern, too. As our culture ages, so does

our profession. Combined with the challenges and diversions facing

students and emerging professionals, our profession will be a smaller

one. On the whole, this presents us with a more demure voice, which

we cannot afford. We must be engage with the next generation of

leaders to achieve sustainability in the profession.

The public, while holding architects in relatively high and some-

what mythical regard, does not understand what we do. My purpose

is to narrow the perceptive gap between those who practice design as

a verb and those who think of it as a noun.

What is your favorite building in the U.S.?

The Robie House. I was there in November 1979 and seeing the light

stream in through the stained glass was an “I get this” moment for me.

What is your favorite international architecture?

[My favorite is] Piazza San Marco in Venice as a public space.

What three words that describe AIA National?

[I would say,] egalitarian, complex, inspiring—or perhaps “Swiss army

knife.”

Jeff Potter, FAIA, is vice president of POTTER, a design firm

with offices in Dallas and Longview, TX. He earned a bach-

elor’s of environmental design degree in 1978 and a mas-

ter’s of architecture in 1979, both from Texas A&M. The

firm was established in 1983 and while its portfolio is broad,

POTTER specifically seeks to advance primary and second-

ary educational-facility design in the region. Jeff has won nu-

merous regional AIA and trade awards for his planning and

design efforts and, as a result, has juried design awards pro-

grams across the U.S. Throughout his career, Jeff has sought

to elevate peer-to-peer communications in the profession

and to demonstrate to the public that design matters. He

has had instrumental roles in shaping the content and pub-

lishing of regional and national communications of practice

and reconciling the evolution of traditional architectural

journalism and the socially driven knowledge sharing preva-

lent today. Jeff has led the profession as president of the

Texas Society of Architects and will be the 2012 president of

the American Institute of Architects.

Profile | Jeff Potter, FAIA

BENJAMIN BURNSIDE









Profile | Jeff Potter, FAIA (Cont.)

In contrast, what three words describe AIA Dallas?

AIA Dallas has always seemed to be collegial and effective.

As a third descriptor, and I can say this as fact, AIA Dallas is

respected among its peers across the broader AIA.

What advice would you give an architect who is just

starting to practice?

Master public speaking and understand the place of liberal arts

in our work.

Which architects do you admire?

I admire the work of Frank Welch, Hugh Newell Jacobsen,

Renzo Piano, Carlo Scarpa, and a host of others.

What brought you to Dallas?

The vitality of the city. I wanted to be near the many great

things that are elevating the quality of life here and the people

who are driving that experience.

What types of music/groups do you listen to?

I am a rank amateur guitarist, so obviously I listen to a lot of

guitar players. My favorites are Jeff Beck, Austin’s Eric Johnson,

and Dallas’s own Andy Timmons. If I need to calm down, Miles

Davis is the guy. As a side note, I collect Fender Stratocaster

electric guitars. The Stratocaster is, in my opinion, an iconic

piece of American industrial design.

What is your last-read book? Your favorite book?

I made a brave stab at Sylvia Lavin’s Form Follows Libido, but

I’ll need to read it once or twice more. In with the massive

amount of AIA-related reading, I’ve read The Shallows, by

Nicholas Carr—mandatory reading for all us who were taught

to think in a contemplative way. My favorite? Maybe On Beauty

and Being Just, by Elaine Scary.

What is your favorite movie?

I don’t know, [When watching a movie] I’m always immersed

in the media and visuals and miss the message; so I don’t really

hang on to movies, in the sense of critique. I guess I would say

I like anything with a conspiracy at its heart.

What do you like to do in your (limited) free time?

Free time? I wish! I’ll get a guitar out, run on the Katy Trail, or

just sit back and try to make sense of my complex lifestyle.

What guests, living or deceased, would you want to invite to

your ideal dinner party?

My wife Shelley, Walter Cronkite, H. L. Mencken, Ed Romie-

niec (a great mentor from Texas A&M), and my father.

What is your favorite meal?

Any breakfast prepared by my wife. �

Interview conducted by Nate Eudaly, Hon. AIA Dallas, executive director of the Dallas Architecture Forum.

Listen to AIA National's podcast interview "Meet the 2012 AIA President-Elect" at http://tiny.cc/jeff_potter_AIApodcast.

28 WINTER 2011

BENJAMIN BURNSIDE

http://tiny.cc/jeff_potter_AIApodcast









Profile | Don Raines

What drew you to the discipline of urban design?

I am an advocate of landscape urbanism and developing a better under-

standing of green infrastructure to improve the public realm. My interests

in planning, architecture and landscape architecture, plus my drive to

develop a sense of community converge in the discipline of urban design.

What intrigues you about Dallas and what has kept you here?

Like the prairie that surrounds us, the appreciation of details depends on

one’s perception. Dallas intrigues me because it has a core value of being

considerate and friendly. That may sound corny to some, but quality peo-

ple do matter over the course of a lifetime—even more than scenic views.

What keeps me here is the fact that our environment, especially our urban

environment, does not reflect our core values and we, the local artists,

designers, and planners, have a responsibility to retrofit the mistakes of

the 20th Century.

What inspires you to create?

I try to decipher the genus loci, the spirit of a place, and find out what the

place wants to be. I dislike the term “placemaking” because it suggests

there was no place until the designer came along. That’s somewhat

counter to the Greek notion of the genus loci.

Where is the balance between intelligent growth and organic evolution

in the life of a city?

Intelligent growth should include an organic evolution. Society is focused

on compressing time, and planning for intelligent growth is a rushed

process. The organic evolution and human scale of the Bishop Arts

District is a great example of a former pedestrian/streetcar neighborhood

that got to sleep through the late 20th Century and missed out on any

distinction as an automobile destination.

How do you see the Trinity River Project adding value to our city?

It takes an isolated, utilitarian, grey infrastructure environment (that has

stood still for 80 years) and re-purposes it into green infrastructure.

Dallas really should take ownership of the Trinity and make environmen-

tal stewardship and environmental responsibility a part of being a Dallas cit-

izen. Green infrastructure could be to Dallas, what architecture is to

Chicago or what transportation is to Portland. The Trinity River Project lit-

erally would flip this city, making the back door the front door.

What’s on your Ipod?

The Cars and the Ting Tings

The Best advice you can give?

Always know that you have original ideas and don’t let another soul tell you

otherwise. �

Interview conducted by Ishita Sharma, Assoc. AIA, an intern architect at Corgan Associates Inc.

As a landscape designer, Don Raines’ multidisciplinary explorations

include the 2,200-acre Trinity Lakes project and a variety of Dallas

Area Rapid Transit projects. He holds two degrees from Rhode

Island School of Design in landscape design and has worked with

Wallace Roberts & Todd in Dallas since 2000.

Profile | Raymond Harris

Explain your early career as an architect here

in Dallas.

After graduating from the University of Oklahoma, I was

recruited to Dallas by Larry Good of Good Fulton &

Farrell, and then hired by Jack Corgan of Corgan Asso-

ciates. Before starting my own firm, I also worked for

Howard Parker and Jim Clutts of HKCP, once one of the

city’s largest architecture firms. Both of these men were

also pupils of Harwood Smith. By the age of 27, I began

looking for clients of my own. Much of my early work

was typical of a boutique firm—personal residences, sur-

gical centers, and small one-off projects.

Discuss the transition of your work and clientele

since beginning your firm in 1983.

It’s hard to develop one-off clients and stay in business.

The secret is developing repeat clients. I realized the most

prolific repeat clients were corporations, so I changed the

practice from being a design firm to being a service-ori-

ented firm. It was ultimately a business decision.

In your free time, what do you enjoy outside of

architecture?

For many years, I served as a scoutmaster for my sons’

Boy Scout troops. I enjoy hiking and have explored all

the National Parks in the U.S. In recent years, I’ve de-

voted a significant amount of time to serving the poor

and illiterate, helping them find spiritual transformation

by knowing and loving God. This has led me to China,

Brazil, and Africa, which also afforded me the opportu-

nity to speak on business and leadership topics. This past

year, I ran 58 5K races, most of them with my dog,

Maggie, alongside.

Harris has authored The Anatomy of a Successful Firm

and published a collection of his sketches entitled Hiking

America’s National Parks & Other Places. He is currently

working on Operating a Business in God’s Economy, a

series of three books that will explore business topics

defined in the book of Proverbs, focusing on parables,

stewardship, ministries, and leadership. �

Interview conducted by Andrew P. Moon, an intern architectwith Raymond Harris & Associates Architects.

30 FALL 2011

Shown here in his West End office, Raymond Harris

sums it up by saying, “It’s all about the people.”

The 33-year resident of Lake Highlands started his

own firm 28 years ago and has grown it into a 74-

person operation. Arguably one of Dallas’s most

prolific architecture firms, Raymond Harris & As-

sociates Architects has completed more than 5,000

projects scattered across the country. In the late

1980s, Raymond completed a small stockroom ex-

pansion for a little-known Arkansas-based company

called Walmart. This project started a long working

relationship with what would become the largest

corporate client in the world. Nearly every reader

of this article has been in one of RHA’s buildings.


Profile | Gloria Wise

What factors led you to work for AIA Dallas?I grew up in a small town in Arkansas. Had I known whatarchitects do I would’ve become one. We had no suchthing in our town! All my good jobs have come throughluck. I came to Dallas to work for Neiman Marcus andthen got a call from Bill Booziotis saying the AIA directorwas leaving and that I should apply for the job. Then hekind of took over my application and you just can’t losewith Bill Booziotis on your side.As the executive director for AIA Dallas, how did youget the community involved?We held home shows and said, “Come get free advicefrom an architect.” It was a way for architects to get jobstoo. We had a job book for architects to put their resumesin that I’d refer callers to. Their work spoke for itself. Do you think the response to cutting-edge architecturein Dallas has changed over time? I think Dallas is becoming better known for its architec-ture. It used to bother me that organizations thought theyhad to go to New York or California to see great build-ings; but I don’t think it’s that way anymore. What do you love most about architecture?Architecture is so beautiful and it serves a purpose. I lovethe way architects are trained problem solvers; architectscan do anything!What advice would you give young architects?Don’t give up! I have wondered with all the CAD develop-ments, if it’s a boring job, but one architect told me you don’thave to detail twenty toilets, you only do it once. There arepros and cons. Also, look outside just being an architect.There are other jobs that you’d be good for out there. ■

Interview and photo by Ishita Sharma, Assoc. AIA, an intern ar-chitect with Corgan Associates Inc.

Gloria Wise served as the charismatic and influ-ential executive director of the Dallas AIA in the1990s. She helped grow the organization’s reachand connection with the community both insideand outside of architecture circles. We sharedsunlight and conversation on a winter afternoonat her beautiful modern home in Urban Reserve.Here are some of the insights she shared.

Profile | David Dillon

David Dillon was well known as the long-time architecture critic for the DallasMorning News. He was also one of the leading national commentators on issuesrelating to the built enviroment. His important voice was silenced too soon withhis untimely passing in June 2010.

Rarely one to mince words, David observed that many of the rapidly growingcities surrounding Dallas strove to build their own arts venues because they“scramble to find a center and a reason for being, other than cheap land and norestrictions.” Regarding American Airlines Center he wrote: “Nostalgia with-out history is set design, and there is a lot of that in the new arena.” Perhapssome of his most acerbic commentary related to the gated communities and the“McMansions” he tagged as “North Dallas Specials” with their “mishmash of ar-chitectural elements from multiple ages and styles.”

This posthumous profile, rather than expounding on his legacy as an archi-tectural critic, outlines ten things that people other than his family, friends, andclosest work colleagues, may not know about him.

David was a rabid hockey fan and also enjoyed sailing off the New England coastline. The Boston Red Sox were his beloved baseball team. He was close to “sports nirvana”

when hockey teams played outdoors at Fenway Park in January 2010.David did not have a degree in architecture, but had masters and doctoral degrees from

Harvard in literature and art history. He did gain in-depth knowledge about the built enviromentas a Loeb Fellow at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.

David came to Dallas as an assistant professor of English at Southern Methodist University.His journalistic career in Dallas began with writing about art, architecture and food for D Mag-azine before becoming, in 1981, the architecture critic for the Dallas Morning News.

One of David’s most appreciated contributions, among his Dallas Morning News colleagues,was his service as a mentor to younger journalists at the paper.

David loved to escape from his Amherst, Massachusetts home to a small, rustic cottage onMaine’s Westport Island, where local lobstermen would drop by with that day’s catch. “The wayto write intelligently about architecture is to get as far away from it as possible,” he quipped.

David enjoyed daily jogs with friends and especially with his black Labrador retriever,Chester. He ran five miles almost every day for thirty-five years. A drawing of his running shoes,laces untied had a place of honor on the program at his memorial service.

Though David was not a fan of the architectural design of the Frisco RoughRider’s stadium,he came to actually admire its functionality after attending a minor-league game there.

David was most devoted to his wife, fiber artist Sally Dillon, and his two children, Christo-pher and Catherine.

After his family, David most enjoyed spending time with good friends while partaking of finefood. Should the “gig” with architecture not have worked out, David could have been a winecritic, as he was a world-class oenophile.

So, raise a glass of the finest vintage your budget will allow to David Dillon. To paraphrasea quote by John Dayton into a toast: “To David, who was objectively critical and perceptive, andalways urged us to strive for the highest standards without yielding to compromise or accept-ing mediocrity. Cheers!” ■

Note: Special thanks to David’s former colleagues at the Dallas Morning News and to the participants at his Dallas memorial service for much of the information in this profile.

Compiled by Nate Eudaly, Hon. AIA Dallas, executive director of the Dallas Architecture Forum.

32 SUMMER 2011

Ishita Sharma, Assoc. AIA

Dallas Morning News

Educated as an engineer as well as an architect, BillyWare approaches design and sustainability with bothcreative exuberance and scientific sensibility. Ofteninvestigating technologies and materials with a prag-matism directed by his curiosity, Billy developed anexpertise in sustainability and applies it to numer-ous technical advisory committees within both theUSGBC and the AIA. His passion for our environ-ment, combined with a natural gift for teaching,makes Billy a valued resource in the Dallas designcommunity.

Profile | Billy Ware, AIA

What was your first exposure to sustainable architecture?In school, learning about climatic design was my first ex-posure, but the full aspects of sustainability didn’t hit meuntil I read a book given to me by a professor who wasa good friend—A Primer on Sustainable Building pub-lished by the Rocky Mountain Institute. What book or article has inspired you the most aboutsustainability?If I had to pick one book it would be Natural Capitalism;but really anything put out by the Environmental Build-ing News is a must-read. What is the biggest opportunity ahead for architectsto impact the environment?We impact the people who use a building whenever wedesign a building, but we also have the more importantopportunity to influence the people who make decisionsabout our built environment—the owners, the develop-ers, and the building managers. We have the opportunityto educate these people about a building’s impact on theenvironment beyond just the construction. I think this ed-ucation is really the most important thing we contribute.What contrast do you see between how the envi-ronment was thought about in your youth and how itis thought about in the world today?There are many more people today that understandhow their actions impact our environment and are will-ing to do something about it. Why are you passionate about sustainability?The simple answer is because it’s the right thing to do.We must take care of the things that have been given tous and try to make things better than they were whenthey were given to us. When we restore and rebuildwe can pass on something more valuable. What environmental and sustainability challenges willyour children face when they are grown?They will deal with more pollution issues and watershortage issues. They will also have to pay economicallyfor the mistakes that were made in the past and that westill haven’t stopped making even today. What is the last book you read?The Heavenly Man by Brother YunWhat do you do to re-charge yourself?I like woodworking, hunting, and spending. time withmy kids. ■

Interview by Brian McLaren, AIA, editor of Columns.

32 SPRING 2011



When Kevin Sloan, ASLA, first encountered Florence,Italy, he was swept away by the idea of the city. “Ex-periencing something that intricate and made by somany different hands was a revelation because itdemonstrates what can be accomplished when individ-ual buildings are designed in service to a larger idea,”he says. As a result, he began to see “landscape” as amore expansive and accurate reference to describemost American cities. In lieu of figure and ground, hesees the contemporary metropolis as a city of land. Thefollowing interview offers some additional insights intohis thought processes.

What sparks your curiosity and inspires you to create?I’m curious to see if the contemporary city can be humanized. Itis unprecedented as a system and unpredictable as a context. What do American cities have to learn? In a globally connected world, cities are competing aggressivelyto stay relevant. The successful cities have learned that charac-ter and quality are a matter of economic survival.What has your prolific career and extensive travel taught you?Travel and drawing is the best way to harvest ideas. You learn tosee yourself and your own civilization from a different vantagepoint. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, it’s taught me thatAmerica has fallen behind. Catching up would cause an era ofunprecedented invention. It’s an exciting thought.What’s in your toolbox? Drawing by hand is a critical part of how I work. How pencil andpaper can play back new possibilities is a mysterious process, butone that’s reliable and satisfying. I make use of 70-some sketch-books containing measured diagrams and analysis of worldplaces. I have 3,000 books, a catalogue of 42,000 35mm slides,and a growing library of digital photos.What do you collect? Ideas and stray cats. Leonardo da Vinci considered the cat to benature’s most beautiful creation. What one thing would you change about Dallas? Once the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is open, I wouldremove Woodall Rogers Freeway and replace it with a shadedurban mall. Such a place could rival the Capitol Mall in Washing-ton, DC and be well worth the effort, considering the quality ofthe buildings and districts that are there.What are your personal/professional non-negotiables?Sometimes I wonder if the design professions need a Hippocraticoath; our version of “Do no harm.” I try to avoid situations thatcould do destructive things. ■

Interview conducted by Ishita Sharma, Assoc. AIA, an intern architectat Corgan Associates Inc.

Profile | Kevin Sloan


Profile | Charissa Terranova

Charissa Terranova is a propeller of ideas and a scholar of con-ceptual art and media and architectural theory. She came toSouthern Methodist University from Harvard in 2004 andlater moved to the University of Texas at Dallas to launch anartist residency, Centraltrak. She is an assistant professor ofaesthetic studies at UTD, and recently left Centraltrak tocomplete her book The Automotive Prosthetic focusing on“conceptual art engaging the automobile, highways, and sub-urbia, the aesthetic experience of seeing the world in motionthrough the car window, and the political economy of the car.”

What intrigues you about Dallas?The sprawling highways and edges of the city—they are so urban; thereis an endless seemingly homogenous urbanism, which upon closerscrutiny bears a hive of difference. What do you enjoy most about your practice?I love engaging students—teaching challenging ideas and generating dis-cussion! I also love journalism. It is a form of praxis.1

What are your favorite tools? It may seem vulgar to some, but I can’t live without my iphone and myG35 Infinity coupe.When does opinion graduate to criticism?I think criticism is always subjective. Criticism is always a form of opin-ion. It is analytical, and brings together universal ideas without homog-enizing. Good criticism draws bigger connections to local things.Comment on the constructive distance that reflection necessitatesbetween the critic and a work of art or architecture.Everyone wants an Archimedean point, which is largely impossible tooccupy. But one way to approach it is by knowing what’s going onaround the world, developing a global perspective. A lot of critics writeabout what they love; even when you’re angry you act out of the loveof the discourse on art. Being objective also comes from the choice ofwords and styles of writing—specifically, the use of third or second per-son. I try to avoid first-person.What makes a wholesome critic?Someone who reads a lot and is globally aware in a cosmopolitan sense.A lot of experience, not just in the academy, but also outside of it. How do you leap into your writing?With a good night’s sleep and lots of coffee!The best advice you ever received?Live one day at a time. ■

Interview conducted by Ishita Sharma, Assoc. AIA, an intern architect at CorganAssociates Inc.

1 According to the Miriam Webster dictionary, the term praxis refers to an action, exercise or practice of an art, science, or skill.

34 WINTER 2010



Nancy is an award-winning preservation architect with a broadrange of project experience—from the adaptive use of KansasCity’s Union Station to preservation of the historic murals atFair Park in Dallas. She has designed the rehabilitation of (andadditions to) the one-million-square-foot Department of theInterior Building in Washington, D.C. and most recently de-signed an addition to the YMCA Building on the Texas A&Mcampus. In 2009, she was both elevated to the College of Fel-lows and honored as an Outstanding Alumni by the College ofArchitecture at Texas A&M. Here’s Nancy—in her own words:

Who inspired me to be an architect?My mom did and I didn’t even realize that until I was older. She was adraftswoman for an engineering firm and, as I found out later in life,she had always wanted to be an architect. She was not overt abouttelling me that. She must have planted the seed because I can remem-ber her critique of one of my house plans when I was ten; I have notdesigned a room without a window since!

Why I started a business?The catalyst was wanting to be in control of my own destiny.

My most profound decision?Consistently focusing on the work and not the politics, not the egos,not the money. It has led me to always do a good job and I feel verysatisfied by my work because of that.

What professional experience has taught me?I recognize the validity of a lot of other opinions and how importantthey are to the work process. In the end, it’s not just about preserva-tion but also the many other things that affect our environment.

What I do in my free time?I enjoy family and travel. I make an effort to draw, not photograph,while traveling. I’ve still not been to Marfa, TX and I have alwayswanted to go to Malta, an island south of Sicily.

What I’m reading?The last thing I finished was Barack Obama’s Dreams from my Father.I like reading on my Kindle. Now I’m reading The Monuments Men.

What I think Dallas has?There is a lot of great infrastructure but it [Dallas] doesn’t seem to valuewhat it already has and seems to stay on a quest for the next new, bet-ter thing. Dallas needs to really embrace what it has, and demonstratemore pride in its history. ■

Interview conducted by Andrew Moon, Assoc. AIA, an intern architect withRaymond Harris & Associates.

Profile | Nancy McCoy, FAIA

Daniel Driensky

Profile | Frank Welch, FAIA

Practicing architecture since 1959, FrankWelch has established a strong legacy inTexas Modernism, and the state aboundswith traces of his mind, left throughaward-winning, single-family dwellings, aswell as educational, recreational, and ec-clesiastical projects. But this Fellow of theAIA and Fulbright Scholar has morefeathers under his cap. His long and pro-lific career has also brought him into theroles of mentor, artist, photographer, andwriter with the same ability to transcendthe mundane and elicit what’s real withthe crafty subtlety that his architectureembodies.

Here is a brief word portrait of Frank from hisDallas office on an April afternoon.Who or what influenced you to pursue archi-tecture?The novel Fountainhead was an influential, excit-ing, idealistic story, but the big influence on me wasO’Neal Ford. He was mainly a teacher and I’m stillusing details I learned from him. Other early influ-ences were Marcel Breuer, Eero Saarinen, andoddly enough Philip Johnson, because of the GlassHouse—being both icon and iconoclastic at thesame time, it turned over everything.

What inspires you to create?It’s almost like food. It’s like [creating] to stayalive. It’s nourishment; it’s work; it’s exciting andhas some wonderful moments...like the momentthe owner occupies the house and is delighted!They love to come home—that is our reward.Those houses are like children, part of the fam-ily.

You have been an active photographer andwriter. How have these roles influenced yourarchitectural career?I don’t know about that. Writing is important tome. I know that writing is a lot like good, simplearchitecture; you’ve got to be clear and covereverything. But I don’t know if there’s a direct re-lation between expressive writing and expressivearchitecture. I’ve avoided too much expression.

40 FALL 2010



Web wise |

TED: Ideas Worth Spreadinghttp://www.ted.comTED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) began as an annualconference focusing on the world’s most fascinating thinkersand doers. This inspirational and must-visit site posts the besttalks and performances from TED for the public.

Architizerhttp://www.architizer.com/en_us/This smartly designed site is a social networking resource forarchitects world-wide. It allows users to upload firm or per-sonal profiles along with project profiles while adding a socialconnectivity needed in the profession.

Unhappy Hipstershttp://unhappyhipsters.com/Unhappy Hipsters takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to theubiquitous magazine photos of modern design by providingmelancholy and clever captions of the people and spaces. Visitthe site if you are unhappy in the modern world or if you arelooking for some amusement.

Food*Sparkshttp://www.food-sparks.com/This local resource focuses on all things food including restau-rant reviews, recipes, and trying the newest in Dallas cuisine.Sprinkled within, you can also find posts on home decoratingexcursions, travel, and gardening.

The Belly of an Architecthttp://eng-abarrigadeumarquitecto.blogspot.com/Providing content in a straightforward manner, this site postsa large variety of images, short videos, links and brief musingson architecture, landscape, and design

Chris Grossnicklaus, Assoc. AIA, is with RTKL Associates Inc.To offer your ideas for websites that others might like to visit, sendhim suggestions at [email protected].

Online spaces that intrigue,engage, and educate

By Chris Grossnicklaus, Assoc. AIA

If you could ask Frank Gehry anything, what would it be?I actually did ask him once if I could write a book about him andhe said someone else was doing it.

Do you seek different things from behind the camera vs. thedrawing board?It’s all so different. The camera is such a different thing. It’s soquick; it’s so instantaneous. It’s a click of the shutter, and there itis! The design of architecture is an evolving thing. You start withan idea and you develop it and hope that it develops properly. Idon’t think there’s a real relationship between my photographyand architecture, except, I hope my photography and architec-ture share commonalities of composition and readability.

What has your prolific career and extensive professional ex-perience taught you?That you are never finished. It’s never completely ideal; there’salways something you could have done differently. If you everget it, you might as well fold it up and quit. But we all seek...weseek some perfect formula, but there is no perfect formula. Wecarry the tradition forward. We are all subjects of memory.

What’s playing on your ipod as you stroll along the Katy Trail?Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra. A collection of stuff.

What does Dallas have?The arts district is wonderful; we have a lovely nucleus.

If you could change one thing about Dallas, what would itbe and why?We developed a pretty strong tree program. I love trees, and Iwould get a boulevard to Fair Park.

Frank Welch’s architecture and photography can be found atwww.frankwelch.com and www.frankwelchphotography.comrespectively. An image from his Paris years is also on display atthe ongoing exhibition at the DMA, Images of Land and Sea. ■

Interview conducted by Ishita Sharma, Assoc. AIA, an intern architectat Corgan Associates Inc.

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38 SUMMER 2010

Profile | Pete Peabody

We should understand preservation froma quality-of-life perspective—it’s not likefinding a cure for cancer or endinghomelessness, but it nevertheless makesa profound difference in our lives.


As the president of Preservation Dallas (www.preserva-tiondallas.org), Pete Peabody is the principalspokesperson for the organization. Pete works withthe executive director, other board members, andcommittee chairpersons to ensure the organizationstays true to its mission. That mission is: to advocate forthe preservation and revitalization of Dallas’ historicbuildings, neighborhoods, and places in order to en-hance the vitality of our city.Pete’s goal, while president, is to keep the organi-

zation on track by maintaining core programs andevents and maximizing communication and educa-tional efforts via social media and their Website. In arecent interview, Pete shared some of his insights as acommunity advocate and preservation leader.

What are some of the best examples of architects doingpreservation projects right?I would like to first make it clear that preservation includesrestoration projects as well as renovations and adaptive reuse.Not many projects fall under the restoration category, espe-cially in Dallas. However, preservation-minded projects includethe Eagle residence on Park Lane, the Larry Leibowitz andNaomi Aberly residence on Strait Lane, along with Fair Park,the Mosaic building, the DP&L building, and the Davis building.

Who and what exemplifies exceptional preservationarchitecture?Locally, Dallas has many talented Revivalist architects, qualifiedrestoration architects, and an increasing number of firms doingadaptive reuse. The historic streetscape in Downtown is a greatexample. Having projects like Old Parkland, the StoneleighHotel, and Fair Park make our city better and much more in-teresting. Nationally, I would say that the best preservation proj-ects used to be privately funded museums; but the field hasbroadened and there are now quite excellent projects for land-scape design, cultural landmarks, roadways, and mid-centurymodern resources. Also, views have expanded on what weconsider worthy of preservation. I think some people still thinkof preservation as a luxury. Preservation is not just about restor-ing houses for wealthy people. We should understand preser-vation from a quality of life perspective—it’s not like finding acure for cancer or ending homelessness, but it neverthelessmakes a profound difference in our lives.

When architects think of great American cities, New York,Chicago, and Boston may readily come to mind. How couldDallas become a similarly great city?Having just returned from Washington D.C. and having visitedthe cities you mentioned, it’s evident they have a deep respectfor the legacy of past generations, for a creative approach toadapting older buildings to new uses, and for planning a city forthe better good of those who live there. Dallas needs to workharder and smarter to preserve and reuse our built environ-ment rather than demolish it or have it lay fallow.

In terms of preservation, what does Dallas still need to learnfrom other great American cities?Dallas citizens and city leaders need to work together and findsolutions that will preserve, reuse, and adapt the historical struc-tures we have left. They are emblematic of the struggles andsuccesses of those who came before us and inspire us to haveour own vision of the future.

What sparked your interest in preservation architecture?I have always loved history, but I lived in Oak Cliff for manyyears. That community has great respect for history, the builtenvironment, and the legacy of past generations. I also directlyparticipated in the renovation of my own residence severalyears ago, a 1958 mid-century home designed by San Antonioarchitect E.I. Freeborn for Tom and Naomi Williams. Theprocess helped me gain a deep sense of appreciation for wellthought out architectural design.

Interview by Andrew Moon, Assoc. AIA, an intern architect with Ray-mond Harris & Associates Architects.

On TargetPete’s straight answer’s to pointed questions

What is the most rewarding thing about your service toPreservation Dallas?Bringing organizations and individuals together, while helpingothers discover our architectural past.What do you consider your most profound success?My family.In your free time, what do you like to do?Besides training for the next marathon? With the addition ofmy one-year-old daughter Sophia, and our newborn Joshua,there is of course a lot of focus on them. They go everywherewith us, whether jogging on the Katy Trail, or out for a won-derful meal.What has kept you in Dallas?I am very partial to Dallas, being a native with both sides ofthe family arriving here since just before WWI. There are manywonderful people in this city who care deeply for its future.How has living in the DFW metroplex influenced or shapedyour perceptions about the built environment?I am fortunate to have been the recipient of my family’s rich oralhistory of the area coupled with my own experiences and studies.

Dallas needs to work harder and smarter topreserve and reuse our built environmentrather than demolish it or have it lay fallow.

44 WINTER 2009

Profile | Ann Abernathy, AIA

From scholar to author, mother to painter, this Frank LloydWright aficionado is more than just a well-rounded architect.

Known most recently for her work on the soon-to-be-released Master Plan of Frank Lloyd Wright’s famed KalitaHumphreys Theater, Ann Abernathy, AIA, is arguably Dal-las’ foremost expert and proponent of the late architect’slife and work. Since visiting the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo as achild, just a year before it was demolished, Ann moved on

to become a well-versed follower of Wright’s own archi-tectural principles and has been intimately involved withmany of his projects. In 2005, she spearheaded the effortthat led to the theater (1959) becoming a City of Dallas his-toric landmark. She gratefully acknowledges a grant fromthe Dallas Architecture Foundation that supported her re-search. Twenty years earlier, she had been the project ar-chitect for the restoration of Wright’s Oak Park Home

(1889 to 1909). Once a teacher at heralma mater, M.I.T., Ann practices withBooziotis & Company Architects. Herpassion for not only architecture, buteverything Wright, has led her toplaces few architects dare to explore.

The locale for my casual conversa-tion was Ann’s North Dallas residence.After entering the circa 1970s home,Ann graciously gave a tour through themain living areas, showing off her per-sonally designed dining chairs andtable. On her dining room wall hangsan impressive framed piece showingthe dozens of inked drawing iterationsshe completed as a way of discoveryand exploration during the process ofdesigning her chairs. We sat down inher lofty living room and this conver-sation unfolded:

You have said you’d rather be knownas a design architect, than a preserva-tion architect. However, much of yourwork deals with existing buildings.Working on old buildings provides reallyvaluable experiences – to see how thingswere constructed and understand the sen-sibilities of previous generations is instruc-tive and illuminating. Sometimes I amstruck by how much they knew that weseem to have lost.

What influenced you to become anarchitect?I think it was building forts—out of sticks;I still like to build stick models. Growingup, I didn’t go to summer camp. I didn’t

Photo by Steve Clique, www.steveclique.com


get driven all around. My mother just said, “Go outside and play,”so I went out to explore. Man evolved over millions of years,and all that time learned to operate in the natural environment.And we still react to places with those same evolved percep-tions. But we often settle for relatively impoverished environ-ments that we don’t react to in any kind of visceral way.

It seems that Frank Lloyd Wright’s works in Dallas are fromthe period just before his death. Why did it take Wright solong to come to Dallas?Wright finished about one-third of his life’s work in the lastdecade of his life, ages 82 to 92. He developed an apprenticeprogram and it was a kind of diaspora of these apprentices goingout to all these locations. For example, Kelly Oliver, the ap-prentice that supervised the DTC [Dallas Theater Center at theKalita Humphreys] was 29 years old when he supervised theconstruction of this major reinforced-concrete building.

What was right with Wright?This is something I admire about Wright: he had molting peri-ods. He regularly stepped out of his own career, and then cameback into it like a phoenix renewed in some kind of new direc-tion. Because I have moved around a lot and done differentthings, I identify with that ability to step back and process thingsto get some perspective. Wright kept moving forward with thetimes and reinterpreting his design methodology. He was al-ways on the cutting edge of the new technology—for seventyyears. Isn’t it remarkable?

You are a painter, volunteer, teacher, architect, author... youreally do seem to be able to do anything. If you could imag-ine any other career, what would it be?I’m a mother, you forgot that one... [laughs] I can’t imagine anyother career. Architecture is, as Wright said, “The Mother art,”because architecture is the art that combines all the other arts.

When architects think of great American cities, New York,Chicago, and Boston come to mind. How does Dallasbecome a similarly great city?I think that one of the most important things Dallas can addressis the Trinity River Corridor. A river is thematic to having a greatcity. When a population doesn’t have access to nature, it suf-fers. All the other cities where I’ve lived have a water’s edge.

Best place you’ve visited?Afghanistan. We flew from India over the Hindu Kush to Kabul.I think that is the most beautiful place in the world.

What do you consider your biggest mistake?I would not have made as many moves; but, no regrets. Every-thing I have ever done I have put to use. All of that moving gave

me a perspective on the way different people live. Had I notmoved, I would not have worked on one of Wright’s first build-ings, and two of his last.

What do you consider your most profoundprofessional success?I will say the greatest contributions that I have made are thingsthat I did for free. The things I didn’t think were the thrust of mywork ended up, in many ways, being the most interesting.

In your free time, what do you like to do outsideof architecture?I kayak on the Brazos with my friends. I sing in the choir at church.

What was the last album you downloaded?Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra

What book did you last read?“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”—I read the ending first.My favorite book of all time is The Book of Tea by Kakuko Okakura.

Do you have favorite websites/blogs?You are asking the wrong generation. I go on the Internet as lit-tle as possible. Music is a very important component in my life.I exercise to hip-hop in the morning (Lil Mama) and I go to sleepto Tibetan Bells.

What movie did you last see?“Julie & Julia” I liked “Mostly Martha,” which is another cookingmovie... but “Babette’s Feast” is my favorite movie ever. Ironic,since I don’t cook.

What is one important thought you’d like other architectsto know?I believe in frontloading a project, spending a lot of time un-derstanding the people and place, and filling all the office wallswith stuff pertaining to the project. Then the later phases workthemselves out more smoothly. Architecture is synthesizing, notproblem solving.

Any last thoughts you would like to leave with us?When I think back to the Oak Park years, more than anything Irecall all the people at the Home and Studio. It was a family,really. We calculated that volunteers contributed more than200,000 work hours toward the restoration of the buildings, allcoming together for this common purpose. Ultimately, it revi-talized the community. If you are an architect, your accom-plishments are never just your own. You cannot do anythingbigger than a bread box alone. �

Interview by Andrew P. Moon, Assoc. AIA

46 WINTER 2009

Profile | Tom Cox, AIA

Not every architect has the gift of teaching. Tom Cox provesthat bringing architecture and education together can trulychange young lives.

Tom Cox took the traditional route to becoming an ar-chitect, but realized that his passion would be better servedbehind a different type of desk than a drafting table. In the1970’s, Tom went to the University of Texas at Austin, grad-uated, and moved to Dallas where he worked for a littleover a year in traditional practice. In 1979, Tom saw an ad-vertisement through AIA Dallas for a position as a teacher atSkyline, a public high school with a special curriculum thatincluded architecture instruction for underrepresentedteenagers. It was the first of its kind and it went beyondteaching basic drafting to students.

Over the years, the architectural cluster at Skyline HighSchool has turned into a program where roughly 100 stu-dents—of whom 5% are Anglo, 85% Hispanic, and 10%African-American—study architecture in addition to basichigh school courses. They are exposed to one period of ar-chitectural studies that ranges from residential design, tocommercial investigation, presentation media, and architec-tural history. This year, Tom entered his thirtieth year ofteaching at Skyline and will be teaching eleventh grade, wherethe focus is on freehand drawing, model building, and smallscale projects. In a conversation with Tom, we discussed whatteaching has meant to him and how the City of Dallas hasplayed an important role in his students’ education.

How has living in DFW shaped your perceptionsof the built environment?The city is great because it can be changed. WhenI first moved here, the fabric of the city was not asinteresting and it was less urban. Lately, there havebeen tremendous changes. It has been exciting towatch it become more dense and urbane simply bythe impact of architecture and good planning. It in-spired me to put a class together on the buildingsbeing built in the downtown arts district. Showingstudents why it happened, what was created, andwho created it and also showing them the differ-ence between the old and the new. The Dallas ArtsDistrict is such an incredible lab for these students.

How does Dallas become a great American city?I think it already is a great American city. I conducttours at the Myerson and I am pleasantly surprisedat the number of architects who come to our cityjust to see our architecture. Some other cities havea profound historic precedence that Dallas doesn’thave so we have had to set ourselves apart by cre-ating contemporary thought and design.

What do you find your students need that they don’t get?These students are accomplished and they need support. Wehave students that intern at AIA and are on scholarships pro-vided by the AIA. We need AIA members to serve on juriesand be advisors. It is great when a firm can offer financial sup-port or internships. We also need volunteers for the ACE Men-torship program where we expose the students to architecture,construction, and engineering career options. We need firmsto host these events.

What do you consider your most profound success?Having a student become successful—not just in architecture butin the professional world. Most of my students come from fam-ilies that haven’t gone to college and they don’t have professionalcareers. It is a great reward for me when students stay in touchand come back and show me what they have been doing.

What book are you reading?TheWild Marsh: Four Seasons at Home in Montana by Rick Bass.

How do you take your coffee?I don’t drink coffee; I prefer tea.

What was the last movie you rented?Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont. �

Interview by Jennifer A. Workman, AIA, an architect with Good Ful-ton & Farrell Architects.

Andrew P. Moon, Assoc. AIA

You would think that Veletta Forsythe Lill had spent her entire life inDallas, considering how passionate she is about sustaining and revi-talizing downtown and its surrounding areas. However, the Illinoisnative has always been fascinated with big cities, and Dallas was thevehicle that eventually provided her with the opportunity to allowthis fascination to take flight. Upon moving to Dallas, she becameinvolved with her neighborhood association to challenge the city onimpacts that concerned her family. From there, she moved fromneighborhood activist to sitting on boards and commissions. Then,with the encouragement from a city council member, she ultimatelybecame the council member for District 14.Recently she accepted the role of executive director of the Dallas

Arts District with DOWNTOWNDALLAS, which advocates alive/work/play lifestyle in downtown and helps create that connectiv-ity by bringing more services and therefore more people into down-town. Here are some of her more compelling insights.

What do you consider your greatest accomplishments while actingas a city council member?Saving St. Ann’s School, Dallas’ first school for Hispanic children built in1927. When I came here, I was shocked how cavalier we were with build-ings and how people would tear them down simply because it was easier.

What do you like most about downtown Dallas?I admire the continuum of design that has peppered downtown Dallaswith architectural jewels, but there is still more work to be done. Thearts district is a perfectly arranged patchwork of different institutions,churches, and schools. I just love that about it. It’s not sterile; it’s multi-faceted and it continues to evolve.

What advice would you give others who want to become involvedin creating positive changes in downtown?If you don’t like the way things are done, you go out and change them.We have these great spaces and neighborhoods that are distinct anddon’t look like other neighborhoods; but we need to ensure that theconnective tissue is there to bring all these pieces together. We need tokeep the conversation alive about the importance of the pedestrian. Weneed to smooth out the freeway edge. Through public planning, design,and events we are bringing people back downtown. �


Profile | Veletta Lill, Hon. AIA

Daniel Driensky Photography

About Veletta Forsythe LillAlma Mater: University of IllinoisFavorite Childhood Books: Anything on Abraham LincolnProud Moment: Son attends Emerson College in BostonPersonal Tidbit: When on the board for the Hollywood-SantaMonica Heights neighborhood association, she was fondlyknown as part of the East Dallas Mafia.


Profile | Craig A Beneke, AIA

If you’ve met Craig A. Beneke, AIA, before, you might know him as anarchitect, or a carpenter, or a furniture builder, or even an inventorwith a patent. Attributing much of his success to “good connectionsover the years,” he feels that the friendships he has built since movingto Texas from Long Island, NY in 1981 are what have allowed him allof his opportunities. “The AIA has been responsible for a lot of myfriendships,” he says, “mainly my involvement with Retrospect sinceI’ve been doing it for about a dozen years.” Once the owner of hisown firm, Ground Zero, Craig went on to work for other firms andthen returned to entrepreneurship by establishing af architecture &fabrication. Adding to his many endeavors, Craig enjoys taking uniqueobjects or furniture and turning them into diverse pieces. Owners ofhis work all praise his unique style, craft, and attention to detail.

What change would you like to see in the architecture profession?I wish I could see more of the young, who are wanting to do stuff, get in-volved and make the profession something other than grinding out draw-ings and models.

What do you like most about your work?It allows me to get out of the office and interact with old colleagues and dis-cuss design. I’ve been a part of things in their earliest and most secretivestages. It’s very exciting.

When you create unique objects, what drives your decisions?I try to communicate how passionate I am about my designs through myuse of materials. I’m eclectic. My career has been built flexing modern andtraditional styles.

What is the most meaningful thing you’ve created?My girls’ lungs were underdeveloped and they needed to stay in the intensivecare unit for awhile. In order to feed them, nurses would strap a syringe to thewall and drip the food down into their system. I decided to come up with abetter, more high-tech solution for them. I designed a Gavage Syringe Re-straining Device (GSRD), which I then went on to patent in 1998. �

Profile interviews conducted by Jennifer A. Workman, AIA. She is an architect forGood Fulton & Farrell, the TSA director for Dallas and the communications advi-sor to the National Young Architects Forum advisory committee.


About Craig BenekeFavorite Place to Visit: San Francisco, and then on tothe wine countryFavorite Book: Devil in the White CityMagazine Subscriptions: Dwell, Cigar Aficionado,Wine Spectator, Travel & LeisureFavorite Wine: Justin Meyer - Silver OakNickname: Yankee


Sarah Jane Semrad is the co-founder and executivedirector of La Reunion TX, an arts residency programin Dallas that hosts artists in both new and traditionalmedia. In exchange for live/work space, artists giveback to the community through programs, exhibits,performances, and installations. Tree Carving is anevolving program at their 35-acre site in Oak Cliff.

How did you arrive at art from a chemistry degree?By accident. I am severely left-brained to a fault and I amhalf of an artist. My artist friends noted that I was able tomake things happen and they wanted my advice on howto make things happen for them. They started asking mefor help and I realized that I was much better at that.

Why bring back La Reunion?The original plan was to rent a fourplex and have hous-ing for artists. La Reunion, the original colony, was fromthe 1850’s and long-since disbanded, although some ofthe descendants are still around. It said Dallas withoutusing the word Dallas. We don’t have a building here;we don’t have studios or housing. We are currently try-ing to make the site inspiring for potential donors by hav-ing the tree-carving program on location. Our site isvery overgrown. This program started by the need tocreate access to the site and to thin the dead trees. Sincewe aren’t breaking ground yet, we thought “Why notcreate access to the land now and let the trees be de-composing art?” Part of our challenge is we don’t wantto bring stuff into the site. We want it to be as natural asit is and could be. For now, we want to keep it as rawas possible. All of these artists are being encouraged touse materials found on the site.

What is next for La Reunion?We are going to raise money. We have not launchedour capital campaign yet and we are still determiningwhat that number will be. We estimate that it will bearound $5 million with endowment; of that $2.5 millionis needed to build. We have just hired our capital cam-paign consultant and we are doing all the behind-the-scenes planning and strategy. We aim to go public withthe capital campaign in September. �

Profile | Sarah Jane Semrad



Profile | Clyde Porter, FAIA

Clyde Porter, FAIA is the associate vice chancellor of facilitiesmanagement and planning/district architect for the DallasCommunity College District. His rich history, includes servingseveral tours of duty for the U.S. Army, which ultimately ledhim to become the facilities architect for the worldwide head-quarters of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service and thenthe chief architect for Dallas Area Rapid Transit.

Do you feel like your upbringing led to your desire to helpother minorities?I come from a multicultural background. My grandfather is White-Dutch and my mother’s family is French-Creole. We have a mul-tiplicity of skin colors and attitudes. I never saw color as a barrierbut as an opportunity. I try to look at people for what they are, notjudge by their faces.

What has your biggest accomplishment been?There are so many. I think my biggest one to date is the acknowl-edgement of my efforts through the Whitney Young Award. Andsecond to that was becoming a Fellow to the American Institute ofArchitects. I never dreamed that would happen to me. When youare trying to help people and you are trying to do your job well,it’s not with the expectation that you are getting a reward for it.The reward is the satisfaction that comes from doing a good joband helping other people. It’s helping realize their accomplish-ments and their dreams.

When architects think of great cities they think of New York orChicago. What do you think Dallas needs to make it a great city?Dallas has a lot of great architects. It’s just unfortunate that peoplein Dallas don’t recognize the talent that they have. Cities are drawnto wanting to have statements so they hire a signature architect.Dallas should invest more confidence in the firms that they haveright at their own back door.

Who has been your biggest influence?From the facilities standpoint, I think I am a pioneer in that it is anuntraditional role for architects. So I didn’t have a role modelthere. I think the person who has had the strongest influence onmy motivation has been my mom and my dad, and secondly theinstructors at Prairie View. I’ve always been motivated to do agood job, especially growing up in such a large family. I’ve alwaysbeen a leader, as the oldest of seven, and I think the military helpedme a whole lot as well. �

Interviews by Jennifer Workman, AIADaniel Driensky Photography


How does Dallas become a great city?Great cities aren’t born overnight and ina relative sense, Dallas is a new city. Andwhen you look at what makes greatcities, it’s a lot of different things. Some-times it’s a river or an ocean or themountains. But we don’t have that. Sowhat has made Dallas good really hasbeen its people; it’s been its spirit. Dal-las has more major cultural and art facil-ities than any other city in the nation thathave been predominantly donated byprivate individuals.

What has been your most profoundprofessional success?Physically it has to be the Nasher. But asI look back, it’s the relationships that onebuilds. I just don’t think I could have hadanywhere near the success if it wasn’t forthe relationships with good people, con-tractors, architects, and consultants.Everyday I call on somebody for help oradvice or a job.

What has AIA done for you?I feel fortunate by this profession. I havenever been able to give back more thanit has given me. If you give, it will giveback. It does as much as you do for it. Itisn’t going to wait around for you. I vol-unteered locally all the way up throughpresident of the Dallas chapter. �

Profile Interviews by Jennifer Workman, AIAwith Good Fulton & Farrell

Profile | Velpeau E. Hawes, Jr., FAIA

Winner of the Llewellyn PittsLifetime Achievement Award


Profile | Brent Brown, AIA

Winner of the 2008 AIA Dallas BuiltProject and Urban Edge Excellence inSustainable Design Award and Com-munity Award

From where is your designinspiration derived?Five years ago, I started doing residentialbut I was really interested in affordablehousing. My first employee did researchfor me around the community designmovement of the last four years and af-fordable trends nationally. And that wasthe birthplace of the non-profit “buildingcommunity workshop” which did theHolding House on Congo Street.

What was your most profoundaccomplishment?The Holding House helps people to seeCongo in a different way. A house likethis, winning two design awards, changesperspective. Affordable, less expensivework can be equally as valued as high-end work. The real true success wouldbe the empowerment of these single-family residences. The people who liveon this street went through critiques. Werecognized that there were individualswho owned their own homes, and mostplans were to tear everything down.They can’t afford a mortgage, and theirutility bills are high. So developmentcomes along and says, “We’ll buy yourhouse for $15,000.” If somebody buystheir house, where can they afford togo? There was one empty lot on thisstreet where we built the HoldingHouse and said, “You move in the Hold-ing House, while we work on yourhouse.” We don’t have the funding forthe next house in place yet but we’ll fig-ure it out. There is some blind determi-nation here. �

The founding chair of the

U.S. Green Building Council’s

North Texas chapter, Kirk

Teske, propelled green issues

into the forefront of local ar-

chitectural dialogue. As the

Chief Sustainability Officer at

HKS Architects, Kirk leads the

DesignGreen studio, delivering

energy-efficient design to an

expansive list of clients and

promoting internal sustainabil-

ity education efforts. In his

new role as president of the

Dallas chapter of the AIA, Kirk

brings knowledge, leadership,

and a passion for sustainability.

What is your role as presi-dent of the AIA?I am working with the AIA Dal-

las staff to implement the

chapter’s new strategic plan.

That is my primary goal. En-

suring that members get value

out of their membership is a

strong focus for me. We want

to help improve their rele-

vancy to the profession and

make them better, more pro-

ductive architects.

The strategic plan is a signifi-cant undertaking. Besidesthis effort, is there one issueyou’d like to address duringyour term? If not for the strategic plan,

then I would focus on estab-

lishing an eco-district in Dallas

and still might if there’s a big

enough volunteer base. It’s re-

ally important for the city and a

valuable contribution to the

city from the AIA.

What does an eco-districtentail?We would identify a district in

the city and focus on trying

various strategies (like bike

lane systems) in that district to

test it and see if it would work

for larger districts. It might

mean getting all the building

owners to track their energy

and water consumption and

monitor their progress.

You obviously have a strongcommitment to sustainability.Where did this passion origi-nate? I worked for an architect when

I was in the 10th grade. This

was in 1977 and the architect

was Mickey Eager in Longview,

TX. He was doing green de-

sign before green was cool.

Passive design was popular in

the late 1970s, of course.

That’s when Ed Mazria’s ThePassive Solar Energy Bookcame out. That book and the

work I did with Eager really

got me interested.

Is there anything else peopleshould know about you?I will tell you that unlike some

of my colleagues, I have a pas-

sion for sustainability, but I

don’t necessarily have ex-

tremely liberal political view-

points. I get aggravated that

the topics of sustainability and

environmentalism get polar-

ized politically. I think we

should all be working together

to promote cleaner air and less

dependency on foreign fuels.

Whether you believe in cli-

mate change or not, you have

to know that our oil depend-

ency is causing political unrest

around the world. �

Interview by Jenny Thomasonwith Corgan Associates Inc. andAudrey Maxwell, Assoc. AIA, ofMichael Malone Architects.

Profile | Kirk Teske, AIA

LEARN MORE!

What did kirk do last year toprepare for his AIA Dallas presidency?

What fuels his passion for sustainability?

What will the strategic planbring to AIA Dallas members?

Read the full interview in an onlineexclusive available atwww.tiny.cc/teske-profile or byscanning the QR code here.

36 SPRING 2013

SELSO GARCIA, ASSOC. AIA

34 SPRING 2013

Profile | Jill Magnuson

NAShER SCULPTURE CENTER


The director of external af-

fairs for the Nasher Sculpture

Center, Jill Magnuson, has

spent her career elevating the

Dallas arts district’s reputation

on an international level.

Throughout the process of

planning the AT&T Performing

Arts Center, she gained an ap-

preciation for design that melds

art and architecture. She is also

past board president of the

Dallas Center for Architecture

(DCFA). She has a strong de-

votion to both of these disci-

plines and has found her niche

by communicating that passion

to the general public.

What one accomplishmentare you most proud?The opening of the AT&T Per-

forming Arts Center. I really

don’t think of it as an accom-

plishment, but more of an

honor to have served. That’s a

legacy project for Dallas that

has changed the face of this

community and I think also

changed the cultural reputation

of Dallas around the world.

With a background in com-munications, what was yourrole at the DCFA? Officially, I was the first lay per-

son that served as board presi-

dent for the Dallas Center for

Architecture. One of our key

goals or missions is to convey

the message of why architec-

ture is important to everyone

and to reach a wider audience.

What do you see as thebiggest hurdle in gettingDCFA to make that next leapand really have a greaterpresence in Dallas?Super simple. It’s money. Es-

sentially, without increased fi-

nancial support, the

organization can’t meet its

goals. I think the organization

has the capacity for a great

amount of support because it is

not bound by a membership.

There is no reason why every-

body in the community can’t

support the concept of a cen-

ter for architecture. In essence

it has no limits, which is the

great news, but the challenge is

the time that it takes to de-

velop supporters, grow a

board, and grow the knowl-

edge that it’s a charity needing

support. The purpose of the

Dallas Center for Architecture

is inspiring conversation about

why architecture is important

and that’s something that

should excite a lot of people.

It seems that’s a conversa-tion architects have withclients all the time.Well, I sit in this room [at the

Nasher] and I look at the door

and how the door is designed

and all of this makes a differ-

ence in our workplace. It

makes a difference in our ease

of living and our environments.

It can make us safe and keep

us healthy. When people walk

into a space, they may not

know why it makes them feel

the way it makes them feel,

but ideally over time maybe

they can have a better appre-

ciation for that. At the Nasher,

we constantly have people

saying “I just love the Nasher,”

and we ask why and they say,

“I don’t know. It just makes me

feel good.” Well, I can proba-

bly tell you that part of it is be-

cause of the design of this

building. That’s okay if you

don’t know how to articulate

it. Appreciating it is a different

thing and that’s what we want.

We want people to appreciate

good architecture and design.

Hopefully, we’ll also help them

develop that vocabulary and

understanding so they can de-

scribe it.

has there been a lot of studyinto other cities’ centers forarchitecture?Absolutely. In fact, the Associa-

tion of Architecture Organiza-

tions (AAO) conference was

held here in Dallas in 2012. In-

terestingly enough, we have a

lot of models to follow, not

just Chicago’s and New York’s.

Also, even though our center

is quite new, we are already

doing some innovative things

that make other organizations

look to us as a model.

Whereas I think we have a lot to

do as we grow, we’ve already

been perceived as a successful

center and that’s why the AAO

came from all over the world to

Dallas in November.

For those who may not be fa-miliar with the Dallas Centerfor Architecture, what aresome of the organization’sgoals and why was it founded?It is essentially a “new” organi-

zation with legacy roots. AIA

Dallas knew it in the beginning

as the foundation that pro-

vided grants and scholarships

to future generations in the

field of architecture. That is still

a very important part of its

mission and DCFA still spends

a great amount of our time

nurturing that part of its legacy.

The “new” part happened

when the founding partners

gave money to build a physical

space, the Dallas Center for

Architecture, and opened the

opportunity for the organiza-

tion to be the public face for

architecture and design in the

City of Dallas. That is now the

place for conversation and dia-

log about what architecture

and design is and how it affects

our lives on a daily basis.

The Dallas Center for Ar-

chitecture is very multifaceted,

despite its modest staff size

and budget. It presents signifi-

cant exhibitions, including the

recent one on Lost Dallas, for

example, which was also fea-

tured on the front page of TheDallas Morning News and dis-

cussed on the radio and in the

national press. DCFA is hitting

the core of the things people

want to talk about in Dallas. It

has everything from exhibi-

tions to the real grassroots ef-

forts like the walking tours

both of the arts district and

Main Street. … We’re influ-

encing the general public. The

panels and conversations at

the center are typically about

topics related to the exhibi-

tions, but then on top of that

DCFA is layering opportunities

for families and future genera-

tions such as its summer camp,

Destination Architecture, in

col laboration with the Nasher.

One of the new exciting pro-

grams that the organization has

recently launched is a program

in collaboration with the Klyde

Warren Park called Skyline 360

Tours, or “standing tours,” of

the great architecture that you

can see from the park. �

Interview by Jenny Thomasonwith Corgan Associates Inc. andAudrey Maxwell, Assoc. AIA, ofMichael Malone Architects.

LEARN MORE!

What is the biggest issue influencing contemporary architecture?

What does Jill do with her freetime?

Which architect would Jill really like to meet?

Visit www.tiny.cc/magnuson-profileor scan this QR code.

26 SSUMMER 2013

After nearly 30 yearsin banking which cul-minated in her role asthe Southwest regionaldirector of communitydevelopment for J.P.Morgan Chase, LindaMcMahon retired …but it didn’t last long.She now serves as thepresident and CEO ofThe Real Estate Coun-cil (TREC), a volun-teer organizationcommitted to improv-ing the North Texascommunity. Themove was an interest-ing development inher career since shehad volunteered withthe organizationthrough many suc-cessful endeavors.On a busy Friday, wesat down over lunchto find out whatLinda and The RealEstate Council aredoing.

Linda McMahon

Profile

Describe an average day for you as president of The Real Es-

tate Council?

An average day: There is no such thing! My role is making sure

everything we do stays focused on our members, and that our entire

team is thinking about what makes the organization relevant to our

membership. That is where my mind is focused every single day.

We have a lot of different pieces to the organization, including a

very active political action committee, and the Foundation. The

Foundation is the heart and soul of the organization. Robin Minick, a

former commercial real estate attorney, is the full-time Foundation

director, but I still get very involved because of my background in

community development. It’s part of my passion. We have a great

team who is equally focused on our members. I am fortunate to

have found the next “perfect opportunity” for my second chapter.

What brought you back to TREC professionally after having

served so long on the volunteer side?

I had the greatest job on the planet working with J.P. Morgan as a

banker. Over the last 15 years I focused on building communities

and working side-by-side with non-profit community builders

who were simply trying to make their world a better place.

Then, I literally woke up in the midst of 2009 and said, “I

want to do something other than banking.” I had done it for 30

years and I made the decision to retire. It shocked everyone, but

you come to a point where you have done something for so long

and you just need to see if there is something else out there that

would spark your interest. Thankfully, my husband, Pat, supported

me fully. I felt that I could do more outside of the bank than in-

side. I left and started a little consulting business. I worked on a

couple of projects as a developer. One project was not successful

and one that is nearing completion. My role is as a non-operating

partner, which is a great way to learn more about the business.

After a year of working on a few projects, a friend of mine who

was on the board of TREC said, “The president is leaving. Are you

interested?” I was on the board and was chair of the Foundation

previously, so I thought, “This was exactly what I wanted to do

next.” I hadn’t interviewed for a job in a very long time, so being

interviewed for the position was intimidating.

What does Dallas mean to you? What do we need to continue

to do?

I went to the University of Texas, then ended up in Dallas, and I

have been here ever since. I love this city. I have seen it grow up

since the first time I lived here in 1974. It’s been rewarding and I

wouldn’t want to be any other place right now. I feel this is where

things are happening and it is very exciting.

For downtown Dallas to continue in the way it needs to grow,

we need to create a sense of neighborhood and community. It has

to do with making it a place for families. We have to improve our

schools. Every parent should be able to have a good quality school

in which to send her or his child. We have got to get education

right. To me, the most important thing that we focus on in down-

town Dallas is improving the schools because the development, the

retail, and other services will come if we can figure out how to build

the needed housing and schools.

Where did your passion for housing projects begin?

It’s not as much about housing as it is about improving people’s

lives. I think arts and culture and music change people’s lives in a

positive way; and I love music and art as much as I have a pas-

sion for community-building. Quality housing is one tangible way

to improve someone’s life. Who doesn’t want to have a home,

and what parents don’t want to provide that for their children? It

is criminal to me that a city like Dallas has over 5,000 homeless

children. That should outrage anyone.

You are a self-described technology geek. How do you use it

in your work and how does it impact us in the city sense?

I am an information junkie. Twitter and Facebook are a daily habit—

and now Instagram. It’s a way to share and to find information. If I

want to know what is happening in the world, I find it on Twitter. I

find it essential to my daily happiness.

My connection to social media started with my family. All

three of my daughters went away to college and then started

their careers in other places. One of the ways I kept up with

their lives was to follow them on Facebook.

Social media is also critical for our role at The Real Estate

Council. If we don’t know what the conversation is outside of Dal-

las and Texas, then we can’t set the bar for what relevant informa-

tion we are going to provide for our members.

What is next for Linda McMahon?

My husband and I like to play golf together, but he is much better

than me. Being outside is something that we both enjoy. We are

members of The Sports Club in Las Colinas. It was the only place

that we felt we could live that was near a golf course and, at the

time, close to the airport. For my retirement, my husband bought

me a neighborhood electric vehicle (also known as a golf cart). I al-

ways wanted to have one!

I’m also actively engaged on the board of Family Gateway. It’s

a phenomenal organization. It is celebrating its 25th year as the

oldest organization serving homeless families with children and

we have an audacious goal of ending childhood homelessness in

Dallas. I’m really excited about what we are working on now. It is

a state-of-the-art housing

community that will provide

supportive services and long-

term housing to help children

realize that there is hope for

their future. We need to

break the cycle of family

homelessness. I continue to

lend my expertise where I

can for that organization.

For me, I have friends who

are retiring now and I cannot

even imagine that. I tried it and

it didn’t work well for me.

There is too much to do. �

Interviewed by James Adams,AIA, RIBA, with Corgan Associates Inc.


LEARN MORE!

What’s the next great initia-

tive for TREC after Klyde

Warren Park?

What are Linda’s thoughts on

the role of architects in the

real estate community?

How did growing up in dif-

ferent places as a "military

brat" shape her career?

Scan this QR code or visitwww.tiny.cc/mcmahon-profile.

Columns.Summer.2013_Layout 1 3/18/13 11:34 PM Page 27

Architect JenniferWorkman Blevins,AIA, is a project leaderat Good Fulton & Far-rell Architects, as wellas the past nationalchair of the Young Ar-chitects Forum (YAF)Advisory Committee.The 2013 recipient ofthe National YoungArchitect Award, sheshared her insightswith me on a verybusy day inside hermost recent collabora-tion: The Perot Mu-seum of Nature andScience.

28 SUMMER 2013

NICK MCwhIRTER, AIA

Jennifer WorkmanBlevins, AIA

Profile

what was your role in the design and construction of the

Perot Nature & Science Museum?

As the consulting architect for the museum, Good Fulton & Far-

rell ended up having around 15 different architects touch the

project at one time or another. Duncan Fulton, FAIA, and I were

on the project the longest, but in very different capacities. The

design was created by Thom Mayne, FAIA, of Morphosis.

My role was to work with Morphosis, the lead architecture

firm. I was involved for four years, from March of 2008 until April

2012, when our contract ended. I worked with the project archi-

tect, Arne Emerson, in detailing their intent. Most of what I did

was help create the drawings from that experience. I worked in

their Los Angeles office for about a year and a half on the design,

and then I worked onsite for another year and a half during con-

struction. I was there to implement the design intent with an

architect from Morphosis.

what was the most complex part of the process?

The detailing was the most difficult part. You are looking at a sim-

ple design, but there are a lot of nuances that go into the detail-

ing. We had a very short time to work on it so a lot of designing

happened on the fly. The escalator was probably the most challeng-

ing piece of it. The general contractor, Balfour Beatty Construction,

did most of the clash detection. Still, there were a lot of things to

work through that came up on site.

My favorite part was just being present for construction and

seeing practices that had not been implemented before in Dallas.

The best part was the osmosis of working with the Morphosis

team. I tried to absorb as much as I could from them. It is really

cool to know that I learned something different than what you

might learn on a typical project.

what was it like returning to work at gFF?

It was very different returning. There was an adjustment period,

but I have always loved working at GFF. They have always sup-

ported the things that I have done. They have given me opportu-

nities, like working on this museum.

Right now I am working on Alexan on the Hill for Trammell

Crow Residential. We are designing two residential high rise

towers near the Coors Light waterfall billboard [off Stemmons

Freeway and Harry Hines Boulevard], and I am managing that

process. This museum was such a large project with so many

facets. It has helped shape how I run my projects now. �

James Adams, AIA, RIBA, is an architect with Corgan Associates Inc.


CRAIg BLACKMON, FAIA

LEARN MORE!

what else did Jennifer learnfrom working on the Perotmuseum?

what was her role as theNational yAF Chair?

what did Jennifer learn fromyoung architects across thenation?

how has working at goodFulton & Farrell impactedher volunteerism?

which architect inspires her?

what does she do in her freetime?

Read the full interview in an on-line exclusive available atwww.tiny.cc/blevins or by scan-ning the QR code here.

34 FALL 2013

Mary Suhm led theCity of Dallas in herrole as city managerfor nearly eightyears. On July 1, shestepped down fromthe position and willretire at the end of2013. She served insignificant roleswithin the Dallas citygovernment fornearly 30 years. Ascity manager, shewas responsible forthe daily operationsof this great munici-pal organization,managing a staff of13,000 employeesand a budget of al-most $3 billion. Dur-ing the years sheserved in the citymanager’s office,Mary saw manygreat visions for Dal-las come to realiza-tion, including theSantiago Calatrava-designed MargaretHunt Hill Bridge,pivotal growthwithin the down-town district, expan-sion of the artsdistrict, and greatadvances on theTrinity River corri-dor project.

Mary Suhm

Profile

ALLISON SMITh

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Out of all of these changes to the City of Dallas that you careabout so much, do you have one that you want to be known for?No. I really like what’s going on in Dallas right now, the energy

that it creates and how everybody feeds off that energy. One thing

we are doing right now that I’m really excited about the potential

for is the CityDesign Studio that Deedie and Rusty Rose funded.

The studio is focused on good urban design, not just good build-

ings. We have a lot of good buildings, but we haven’t been very

thoughtful. You know we’re Texans, and so we say, “This is my

property and I can do what I want with it.” We haven’t been very

good about thinking about it in context and in the community.

People have been really receptive to this CityDesign Studio and

we had Larry Beasley working with us who did work in Vancouver.

He is amazing and has a worldwide reputation. I think this particu-

lar project has the potential for pulling a lot of things together and

making the city more livable and more sustainable.

what can the city do to link up the arts district with othercultural resources in the commercial business district?

We are in the process of updating the Downtown Parks Mas-

ter Plan. I think that offers an opportunity to make linkages. If you

look back over the last 10 years, what we have done with green

space and parks downtown is really pretty amazing. We’ve taken

advantage of an opportunity that might not have been possible if

the economy had been better. Looking at Main Street Garden

and some of the things that are about to go on in the Farmers

Market, I think there is a huge potential to make those connec-

tions using parks as linkages. We’ve done half of what we need to

do downtown in the way of parks.

I think we also need to pay attention to the linkages between

our immediately surrounding neighborhoods outside the loop and

not miss opportunities. Both parts of the community, the down-

town core and the immediately adjacent development, are less if

you don’t think seriously and thoughtfully about that connection.

As downtown becomes more dense and more residentialuses are woven among the commercial uses, do you thinkmore regulation will be necessary to control how develop-ment happens?We are going to have to address parking and we need to do it

holistically. There is the controversy about the Nasher and the

Museum Tower: I have worked in government a long time and

everybody talks about less government; but when something

goes wrong, they say, “Why don’t you have a rule?” That is one

area that the CityDesign Studio could study. When you are talk-

ing about good urban design, you are talking about how you re-

late to the space and to your neighbors.

what message would you send to Dallas-area architects? Late in my life I discovered that I would have liked to have been an

architect or a planner. When I started in this business, I wasn’t par-

ticularly interested and now I realize I was on the wrong path. I’m

envious of the fact that you are able to see your work for decades.

If it is done well, it can impact everything about a community. It’s

pretty empowering to think about. My work is like mowing the

lawn: Once you’ve done it, three days later you’ve got to do it

again because the grass grows back. If I don’t look around right

quick to see what I mowed, I forget what I accomplished. �

Interviewed by Alan Richards, AIA, an associate at Corgan Associates Inc.


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Steve

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32

In a state that can achieveorci ac turpis euismodconsectetuer.

WINTER 2013

bryce weigand, faia, was raised a farm boy in North-west Oklahoma. He obtained his architecture degree from Okla-homa State University and then moved to Atlanta for five yearsto work for Thompson, Ventulett & Stainback. He was recruitedto Dallas by Jack Corgan in 1976 and stayed at Corgan for 17years. After that, he joined Good Fulton & Farrell for 19 moreyears before he retired. After retiring from GFF, Bryce decided toopen his own firm in 2013, Weigand Art & Architecture. NamedYoung Architect of the Year in Dallas in 1980, he has a long list ofleadership positions, including AIA Dallas chapter president,Texas Society of Architects president, and Texas regional directoron the AIA national Board of Directors. Bryce is an active mem-ber of the community and has a strong focus on his family.

What do you do now that you are “retired”?Paint, enjoy time with grandkids, travel, golf, volunteer, read,freelance projects, and help friends. The challenge is making sureyou have a schedule, and making sure you have something

meaningful to do that day, and then get on with it. What community activities do you participate in?I’m president of the Dallas Center for Architecture Foundation, avolunteer at First Presbyterian Church, vice president of theTexas Architectural Foundation, and am following up with the508 Park project at GFF. I’ve also gotten back into the South-western Watercolor Society and I’m trying to get my feet backon the ground in regard to painting.Where do you find inspiration?The unbounded charm of nature, the never-ending cycles of na-ture, the never-failing re-generation of nature, cycles of renewingnature, the creativity of children, and through music and books.Do you prefer pen or pencil?Pen for sketchbooks and pencil for sketching before painting.What is your favorite city to visit?The next one.What is your favorite food and why?My wife's pecan pie.

Profile | Bryce Weigand

NIChOLAS MCWhIRTER, AIA

Which architects do you admire most?Renzo Piano for the rigor that he puts into a project. Louis Kahnbecause his works are hugely inspirational. Edward LarrabeeBarnes for his constraint and sensibility. H.H. Richardson for ahistorical perspective.Professionally, if you could do something over again, whatwould it be?I would get engaged in a particular building type sooner than Idid. In my case, I’d focus on university and college architectureand put serious vigor into that.What is your most treasured possession?My sketchbooks. They are a good log of my travels near and far;and [there’s the] the sentimental aspect of my boys drawing inthem. Now my grandson is drawing in them.What books are you currently reading?Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough; Dubliners by JamesJoyce; 1812: The War That Forged a Nation by Walter Borneman.

What type of music do you listen to?I listen to classical music while I paint. It is highly inspirational, butall music is good.What challenges do you face on a day-to-day basis now?Which interest to pursue each day and to schedule my time tomake it meaningful. If you were not an architect, what other profession wouldyou have pursued?Archeologist, geologist, or a forester.What advice do you have for young architects just starting inthe profession?No matter the task, do it with all vigor. Research, read, and un-derstand. �

Interviewed by Laura Eder, AIA, an architect with Good Fulton & Farrell.


36 SPRING 2014

in 2009, the Citydesign studio was created with a primaryfocus on neighborhoods and development along the Trinity River.Housed within Dallas City Hall, the team leverages social,economic, and environmental design strategies that impact thesurrounding communities and culture of Dallas. They envisionthe city’s potential to become a more connected, vibrant, andlivable city. Arturo Del Castillo, AIA, is the lead urban designer

for CityDesign Studio. An architect as well, Del Castillounderstands the importance of what good and sensible designcan bring to a community and its future development.

what are the main focuses of the CityDesign Studio?Our work varies greatly in terms of scope and approach. A lot ofwhat we do deals with advancing and providing input on policy

Profile | Arturo Del Castillo, AIA

NIChOLAS MCwhIRTER, AIA

initiatives. We also provide urban design and concept design

strategies for future projects as an in-house design consultancy

for the City of Dallas. The largest part of what we do is called the

Urban Design Program that caters to work involving urban

design for large areas of town and addressing key development

issues facing the city to help shape its form.

what are some projects you consider a huge success for theCityDesign Studio since it began in 2009?We were successful in getting the West Dallas urban structure and

guidelines approved as policy in March 2011. It has become a

model project, and signifies the way we want to work in the city

with both community and stakeholders going forward. Currently,

we continue to work on implementation strategies for development

that maintains the integrity of the vision for West Dallas.

what are some of the key components of these cities thatDallas currently lacks?Citites that are not loved, that are badly designed, are generally

this way because they are not designed at all. Cities that allow

growth to occur unchecked and driven by the market alone

generally result in concentrated areas of proverty, congestion,

lack of open space, and a compromise of their natural features to

the deficit of the public. Economic growth and a rising standard

of living, greater social justice, cultural and economic vitality, and

good, thoughtful design are the essential ingredients and among

the critical aspects we can take from model cities to forge our

own unique and vibrant city.

what are your favorite place(s) to hang out in Dallas? ...Favorite neighborhood or district in the city that you consider a“model” neighborhood for these aspects we have beendiscussing?I enjoy spending my free time in the denser, livelier parts of our

city that offer diverse experiences day and night and where street

patterens and design of space are best understood at the

pedestrian scale. I also have a great love for our open spaces and

enjoy using the growing network of trails that take me to and

around White Rock Lake, to the Trinity River, and down the edge

of uptown, for example.

you are also a licensed architect. how does that influence thedecisions you make as an urban designer for Dallas?My experience—working on many types and scales of projects

for various public and private clients—affords me the ability to

better understand challenges in solving unique and demanding

development issues from the perspective of a developer and end

user. On the other hand, it’s important to also think about how

good architecture can contribute to the “public face” of our city

by the way buildings are sited and how the lower floors address

and influence the public realm.

you have detailed and yet captivating hand-drawn urbandesign and architectural drawings. Can you talk a bit aboutthe process and ideas behind the drawings?We have a mantra in the studio: “Listen, draw, repeat.” When

working with the community, we often deal with our drawings in

layers. Many of these sketches are basically the initial diagram for

37COlumNS | www.aiadallas.org

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Continued on page 47

Steve

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47COlumNS | www.aiadallas.org

the site that evolves out of us asking

questions like “What if…?” “What

would I worry about?” and “What

needs to happen?” The La Bajada

neighborhood, west of the

Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge for

example, allowed us to listen to the community and hear the

residents’ concerns and dreams for their neighborhood. We then

put these ideas and visions on paper and revised them

incremental ly as the project developed. �

Interviewed by Ezra Loh, Assoc. AIA, with Michael Malone Architects Inc.

Do you want to learn more about Arturo and CityDesign Studio?Read the expanded interview as a web exclusive on AIA Dallas’website at www.aiadallas.org. Here are some things you’ll find inthat full interview:• Information on Dallas’ Connected CityDesign challenge• Key components of other cities that Dallas lacks• Urban challenges in transforming Dallas into a more connected

environment• Arturo’s favorite Dallas neighborhoods• Examples of model cities from an urbanist’s point of view• Arturo’s interests outside of work

Profile | Arturo Del Castillo, AIAContinued from page 37

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Synthesis plan for WestDallas, combining the mainthemes and concepts of eachof the concept plans drawnduring an early communityand stakeholder charrette.

Steve

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CONTINUED

Can you talk a bit about the Connected CityDesign Challenge you have been involved in? As part of a larger area project, we recently hosted a series of public lectures associated with the Connected CityDesign Challenge. This was an open call for bold urban design strategies that seek to build awareness of urban design solutions capable of connecting our downtown and river. What is your role as lead urban designer for CityDesign Studio? We are a small shop, with four full-time employees, so we all wear many hats. Brent Brown, our studio director is a part-time contractor with the city. David Whitley is our assistant director, Evan Sheets our urban planner and Chalonda Jackson our community engagement coordinator. Our role, simply put, is to elevate the design con-sciousness and culture of Dallas and we do this in many ways. I tend to focus most on drawing and writing that supports, translates, and guides the city, community, and stakeholders’ vision for a particular area. From an urbanist’s point of view, what are some current model cities that Dallas has the potential to be-come more like? We all have our views on what makes up a model city. We think of cities with loads of history, streetcar cities with charm and texture, cities uniquely identifiable by their natural features. We think of Barcelona, Lisbon, San Francisco, or Paris—prosperous cities with history and culture, blessed with physical features, offering mobility, access, and the capacity to enjoy a vital urban life. Dallas can develop and become uniquely Dallas while deal-ing with today’s challenge of mega-scale and its dehumanizing effects, and offering choices for mobility, hous-ing, livability, and participation in public life with the qualities we seek in smaller vibrant cities of the past. What are some of the most distinct urban challenges we face in transforming Dallas into a more con-nected and urban environment? We are a city primarily built for the automobile and we know it will always be a part of our DNA. However, it doesn’t mean that our city building design decisions should be dominated by it. Our streets will continue to serve the automobile, but they should also give equal priority to the pedestrian, the bicyclist, and public transporta-tion—a sentiment that has recently manifested itself into the city’s Complete Streets Design Manual. We must understand that as goes our streets and public spaces, so goes our city. What hobbies or other interests do you have? I enjoy traveling with my family when we have a chance. As you might guess, cities that offer unique urban expe-riences and can be easily accessed are at the top of our list. I also enjoy endurance sports. The planning, dedi-cation, determination, and attention to detail required to achieve a rewarding long run or ride are necessary in-gredients in realizing good city-building.

38 SPRING 2014

a self-described techie, Lisa Lamkin, principal at BrownReynolds Watford Architects, continues to push the envelopewithin the AIA Dallas Chapter. This time around it is in thecapacity of president for 2014. Before a reception at the DallasCenter for Architecture, we sat down in Lisa’s office to discusswhat got her into this profession and the passion that continuesto drive her success.

As the president of AIA Dallas, you have been preparing foryour role for some time. what are your primary goals for2014 for the chapter?Outgoing Chapter President Kirk Teske kicked off last year with anew strategic plan focusing on key areas of communication,education, advocacy, and networks. This motivated us to work onhow we serve our members, specifically through communication. I

Profile | Lisa Lamkin, AIA


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am really passionate for the new opportunity with our website as aspringboard to engagement. The thinking that went into our newwebsite and the process that we are asking the committees toengage with it will allow for a better network of communication.

It’s important to leverage the physical location of the DallasCenter for Architecture with a complementary digital DCFAspace. I’m also really excited about working with all of thecommittees to focus on how they can serve the members andhow the members can engage with their interests.

what are the biggest challenges you have seen for thearchitectural community in recent history?That is a really simple question for a really complex set of issues.I think our challenge is not forgetting that, at its core, what makesgreat architecture is that people want to experience it.

All of our architectural exploration and all of the spaces thatwe care so much about are changing because of the accelerationof technology. Technology is a real opportunity. Information is nolonger scarce. The library is being transformed from a physicalcontainer for a scarce resource to a nexus for potentialconnections. Schools are changing, the workplace is changing,and the cubicle farms are going away. The first 25 years of mywork experience didn’t change nearly as much as the last five. It’san exponential curve.

Sustainability is notably important to you. what do you see inthe future for LEED?LEED is a great tool: a means to an end and not the end itself.Architects have a unique talent for leading the collaboration inthe execution of a building. I think the expertise and vision thatarchitects bring to sustainability is really important. At somepoint, the designation of architecture itself will begin to embracethose skills, just like we need to know about structures and manyother things. But as a bridge to that, I think that LEED AP wasnecessary. I certainly went out and got it. It’s the benchmark thatI have this additional knowledge set. What is good about theU.S. Green Building Council is that it brings other industriestogether in collaboration.

woodrow wilson high School—a Dallas & Texas historicCommission Landmark—recently underwent a $14 millionaddition and renovation, the largest addition to the school inits 85-year history. what was your experience in the processof creating that design?

We designed it in 2010—right when the school had learned thatit was accepted into the international baccalaureate program.This experience pretty much happens to every architect: Theprogram is figured out and then something changes.

We met with the school and determined a need for theatrearts and science. They were the two spaces least able to adaptto the existing available space within the building. Personally, Ilove the combination of those two being in the addition together.

I really enjoyed working with Mark Doty and the City of Dallas.He appreciated and supported our approach to complement andrespect the existing architecture without copying it. Our projectdesigner, Chris Sano, AIA, was a gem. He spent a lot of timecarefully studying the geometry of the elevation and how that wasthen manifested in the new elevation that we developed. It’s thosesubtle things that at first glance you don’t see, but you feel.

what do you do like to do in your free time?My husband [Robert Lamkin, AIA] and I met in 1977 when we werefreshmen in architecture school together, so our shared professionalso stands in for a hobby. All of our vacations are typically aboutgoing somewhere to see the architecture. It has driven Elyssa, ouradult daughter, crazy. In one of her journals, I think in Rome, Elyssawrote “There are too many churches in this town!” Of course, wehad just been to perhaps 10 of the most magnificent churches in theworld in one day. Now, after insisting that she had absolutely nointerest in design, she is ironically thinking about going back to earn amasters degree in interior design.

Hobbies have changed over the years for me. In my 40s, Iwas especially into running. I did a lot of half marathons. Health issuch an important thing. We as architects often don’t payattention to that portion of our lives. I don’t want to be 80 andhave to use a wheelchair solely because I didn’t take care ofmyself. At BRW, we have a Monday lunchtime yoga class with aninstructor who comes to the office. When you feel better, it’smuch more likely that you will be creative. �

Interviewed by James Adams, AIA, RIBA, an architect with CorganAssociates Inc.

��


In the print version, you read a quick profile of Lisa. Now read therest of the story in the much deeper online article atwww.aiadallas.org. There you’ll learn:• What she thinks is the future for Columns magazine• How she sees educational facilities dramatically changing• Why she became an architect• How she defines success

Thanks

2013 Sponsors:

Steve

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Steve

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CONTINUED

What do you see in the future for Columns and how it fits in as a publication? It would be radical for an architect to say that printed books and magazines are ever going away. So much of the communication that we engage with is like a string that floats by us. Digital communication is not pinned down. You generally never go back and look at your Facebook archives, even from a month ago. It is just a flow of in-formation. There is always going to be a demand for a record of a place and time. Columns is a perfect example of a quali-ty way of accomplishing that. Now it talks about broader themes in a quarterly way that you want to keep for re-view. It is an archive of our profession. Whether or not it becomes digital, I think it will always be a volume of cu-rated information that is packaged beautifully. Personally, I have recently done something radical. For 25 years I have saved all my received publications. Re-cently, I have recycled it and kept only about the most recent five years’ worth, because frankly there is this thing called the Internet; and I still buy books. They are volumes of beauty; well-crafted art objects to cherish. What do you think we as a profession are doing best to handle these challenges for the greater good of our society? The mainstreaming of sustainability is something that we have done really well. At some level all good architects are sustainability experts. If you are a good architect, you know about the important and necessary components of good buildings including aesthetics, daylighting, comfort, acoustics, and technology. As a past president of the Council of Educational Facility Planners International, North Texas Chapter, what role do architects play in achieving the organization’s goal of “...improving the places where chil-dren learn”? What is great about the organization is that it complements and does not compete with the AIA. It brings all of the people who make great schools together in one place: the client, the architects, the contractors, the vendors, the facilities team, and the community at large. It brings them into the conversation about what makes great schools in a way that an organization serving the single profession and its broader focus cannot accomplish. Classrooms can’t be locked into the “sage on the stage” method of teaching with a desk upfront with no way to easily move it around. In that scenario, there is only one place to be and the lighting and the audio-visual do not work optimally unless the students are sitting in rows. Technology serves us; we do not serve technology. It is a tool for assisting innovation, learning, and collabora-tion. We really have to look at designing spaces for the curriculum that hasn’t been developed yet and also really look at how the content is delivered. Adapting to what we learn is what architects really do. You’re noted as a leader of technology and technical documentation within your firm. What drives your passion for this area of expertise? At the University of Michigan, students were required to take a programming class in architecture school be-cause they knew that computers were going to be important in the future of the profession. There was no per-sonal computer when I started in architecture school. I graduated at a time when one drew with a pencil. The real craft of drawing was something that I spent enough years doing that I really appreciated it. Then the com-puter evolved fairly quickly after that, from a toy to a tool, and that was the thing you were going to learn if you were to get ahead. I ended up learning more than anyone else. I was the CAD person. I was always frustrated with how bad the software was, so I was always writing little automated shortcuts to make it better. I’m proud to say our BIM direc-tor today is 14 years younger than I am. She started her career using CAD. That’s an interesting generational change. I have an appreciation for how to maintain the craft of documenting the project and still do it with com-puters. There was a time when you either drew it on the computer and it looked terrible or you drew it by hand

CONTINUED

and it looked pretty. I am a champion for the visual quality of our communication. However when I am talking with people, I will roll out the sketch paper because it is still so much easier to look at the layers and choices together in this format! What influenced you to get into the profession of architecture? So many great architects have the opportunity of being introduced to the profession because their parents were architects or they knew one personally. My dad was a social worker and my mom was an elementary school teacher and we didn’t know any architects, but I was definitely going on to college. In exploring what to study in college, I did not have any particular direction. However, in high school I was a vio-linist. I traveled to Europe a couple of times with a summer youth orchestra. We went to Norway, Sweden, and Denmark one year, and Switzerland and Germany a second year. This allowed me to see a lot of way cooler architecture than you get to see in Farmington Hills, MI. I saw things such as Neuschwanstein Castle and had the opportunity to play a concert in the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the “Gedächtniskirche,” which is a modern church next to a bombed-out church in Berlin. It particularly struck me how much the general public had an appreciation and understanding for the quality of the environment. People really appeared to respect it. My guidance counselor then suggested architecture and I agreed. I was good at math but not that good, and I didn’t want to practice playing the violin for six hours a day for the rest of my life. I liked art but was not good enough to sell paintings for a living. Architecture was the per-fect outlet to do all of those things together.

32 SUMMER 2014

There is a good chance that you have not heard about Dr.

Peter DeLisle. You may not have heard that he is a professor and

Leslie B. Crane Chair of Leadership Studies at Austin College—or

that he is director of The Posey Leadership Institute at the college.

You may not have heard that he has taught at the University of

Illinois in Urbana and at the University of Notre Dame, or that he

has professional experience as an executive at Hewlett-Packard

Company and Convex Computer. You probably don’t even know

that he served as an officer in the United States Army.

Certainly, you have not heard that he founded three

successful companies and acted as an advisor, consultant, and

teacher of leaders in more than 200 companies and communities

over the last 30 years. However, there is a very good chance that

you have crossed paths with one of the 120-plus pupils of the AIA

Dallas Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) and Executive Leadership

Program (ELEAD) who have gained from his knowledge. Pete’s

engagement in AIA Dallas began in 2008 with AIA Dallas’

development of the Emerging Leaders Program, designed to

provide guidance to younger professionals on the topic of

leadership in the firm, in the profession, and in the community.

Come learn more about him through the questions he answers

below:

you have spent the last six years working with architects,developing leadership programs, and learning the profession.how has that time impacted your views on leadership (if atall), and what aspect of architectural practice do you find themost interesting and/or most surprising?Actually, it confirmed my hunches that thoughtful, reflective people

can and should lead. I’m continually excited by the capabilities and

facility with which architects apply theory to their practice.

Profile | Pete DeLisle, Hon. AIA Dallas


However, I was surprised to learn how rigorous the academic and

professional licensure process is. I don’t recall having worked with

another profession with a similarly rigorous process.

having worked with AIA Dallas to establish the Emerging LeadersProgram, what are the biggest challenges you see for the youngleaders and/or the current firm leaders in the profession?I think the biggest challenge for Emerging Leaders is finding the

time to live a balanced life. With work, family, and professional

contributions (community, association, etc.), the time and energy

commitments can be very large and it can be difficult to find that

balance. Often, when people are successful in an organization,

they are continually asked to add more to their loads and that

usually comes at a cost to some other aspect of their lives.

The challenge for current leaders is understanding the tempo

of change and embracing the need to understand the dynamics

of the future. Architecture has a long history, back to the

pyramids, and as it moves forward, the current leaders need to

be able to make good decisions to keep their offices and staff

fresh and productive.

what change(s) would you encourage the leadership programparticipants to make in order to have the most significantimpact on the profession?To echo Walt Humann, architects see the whole problem (the

gestalt). I would advocate that architects take their place as

leaders of the community as well as the guardians of the built

environment. We should learn to build and sustain cooperative

environments for the best possible outcomes for all.

you were recently inducted as an honorary member of AIADallas, which speaks volumes to a person’s character andimpact and is one of the highest honors that the AIA canbestow upon a person outside of our profession. what legacydo you hope to leave within the architectural community?To be worthy of the trust that this award bestows on me. To

honor, elevate, and promote the profession of architecture

which I have been privileged to see through the eyes of the next

generation. When I listened and did things well, more formal

recognition came, even when I did not seek it. I was truthfully

blown away by the Honorary AIA award. It has been my honor

and privilege to work with AIA Dallas and our colleagues—a

peak experience for me.

Any thoughts or discussion on something we didn’t cover?I hope that the efforts we have made set the stage for architects

to be the vanguard: to lead communities and society and to

achieve a reflective, hospitable and thoughtful world with a sense

of place and purpose. �

Interview by Charles Brant, AIA, an architect with Perkins+Will.

Do you want to learn more? Read the full interview online atwww.aiadallas.org/columns/delisle and see what else Pete has to say.Here are some of the things you’ll learn:• What can be done about the absence of leadership education forarchitects in the university setting.• Pete’s thought on corporate leadership• A view of AIA Dallas’ leadership programs• Pete’s look at the future


Steve

Text Box

“When you ask most people about their college experience,

they rarely remember specific professors or classes—rather their

strongest memories of a university community are of events

outside of the classroom. These ‘in between’ experiences and

the memories that they create are what binds someone to a

university community and compels their growth academically

and personally.”

Those resonating words are from Anita Moran, FAIA,

principal and director of collegiate recreation architecture at

Dewberry. With over 30 years’ experience in the Dallas area,

Anita has amassed a very particular skill set in the field of

recreational architecture. Two of her more notable projects are

the Gibbs Wellness and Recreation Center at Rice University in

Houston and The Women’s Museum: An Institute for the Future,

formerly in Fair Park.

Recently, we sat down over breakfast before a busy day to

discuss mentorship, wellness, and the impact of recreational

facilities in our communities.

Where did you get your start towards this profession?I come from an Italian-American family from upstate New York.

My parents’ passion for education led to my lifelong involvement

in higher education. Attending Cornell University, I received my

bachelor of science in environmental analysis. My father believed

that architecture was a man’s profession but was willing to

compromise with interior design, and this degree was

comparable to that at the time.

After attending the University of Virginia (UVA) for my master

of architecture degree, I worked in Washington, DC, for John

Carl Warnecke. The firm was very politically connected to the

Kennedys. After coming to Texas, I worked for Fisher and

Spillman (which then became F&S Partners, now SmithGroup.)

How exactly did you end up in Texas?My husband had finished up his master’s degree at UVA in 1980.

He is a mechanical engineer who designs heavy equipment for

oil and gas drilling. At the time there were few manufacturing

jobs in Washington, DC, and the economy was poor. There

were a tremendous number of people who had moved to Texas

in the early 1980s. We were going to live in Texas for five years,

and we have been here for 34. It has been a great place to live.

How do you find ways to mentor young women in theprofession or women who are interested in going into design?It’s not about mentoring young women. It’s about mentoring

young architects in general. Pat Spillman, FAIA was an amazing

mentor and he led by example. Through working for Pat, I

learned to become a good architect. Architecture is a wonderful

career and one that, as practitioners, we should value.

I think some of my design interests rubbed off on our

daughter. She just moved to Portland, OR, where she works for

NIKE as a skateboard shoe designer. Design does matter: I have

found throughout my entire career that people value good

design. Now that belief has been handed down to our daughter.

You are also on the University of North Texas College ofvisual Arts & Design (CvAD) Advisory Board. What is thatexperience like for you?My involvement on the advisory board is a blessing. I have the

opportunity to support one of the few design programs in the

metroplex. We meet every quarter to discuss what is going on in

the college. We are ambassadors for great design and a great

college. Personally, I can get behind promoting our growing

design community, one that is not only in Denton but also

spreads across the entire Dallas area. The dean of the college,

Robert Milnes, is just remarkable. He retires in September and

he will be missed. He is a great personal friend and a

tremendous leader. That said, CVAD and UNT are dynamic

inst itutions and will find a new vibrant leader. �

Interview by James Adams, AIA, RIBA, a senior associate with Corgan.

34 FALL 2014

Profile | Anita Moran, FAIA

For the complete interview with Anita Moran,visit Columns online at www.tiny.cc/moran-profile. Find out the balance required for gooddesign and programming on a college campus,how she became involved with The Women’sMuseum, and what she does in her free time.

NICHOLAS MCWHIRTER, AIA


As assistant vice president of design and construction for

Methodist Health System (MHS), Denton Wilson is currently

overseeing three consecutive healthcare projects here in the

DFW area with a combined budget exceeding $360 million. A

firm proponent of open communication, his collaboration-based

approach gathers all individuals early in the project: architects,

engineers, contractors, and owners. By carefully assembling

these mega-teams, Denton’s strategy embraces a philosophy

based on the open-source sharing of knowledge and expertise,

and on camaraderie and trust built among teams and trades.

Recently nominated for the 2014 Changemaker of the Year

award, bestowed by the Center for Health Design, Denton sat

down with us to grab a coffee at Oddfellows in Bishop Arts District

to discuss his passion for building collaborative teams and projects.

Many people in the industry use the term “collaboration” and“team.” How would you define these terms in your projects?

In today’s market, the definition of team has been elevated

to a level of understanding focused on common ground. We see

this common ground centered on a group of people committed

to one another, to the project team, and to the project’s goals.

But what truly unifies the team is a common vision. A team that

is synchronized on this notion possesses a very strong level of

accountability and understands that success is determined by the

whole process and not just individual achievement. If you truly

desire the best outcomes, then you need to establish a common

vision within the team. True collaboration aligns multidisciplinary

knowledge with the great technologies at hand.

What are the benefits of a collaborative approach versus themore traditional project delivery methods?The collaborative process gives the designers more time,

options, and flexibility, and a greater understanding of what bestvalue means to a project. Traditionally, the reduction of design

potential is encountered much further into the project timeline

when decisions are made to value-engineer or redesign. By

realigning the knowledge of architects, engineers, and other

project individuals upfront, we encounter fewer schedule

impacts, better constructability, and much more efficient models.

What are some challenges you face in transitioning individualsto these collaborative team models?

Part of the challenge is the amount of time spent upfront—the

front-loading of knowledge can be intimidating to many owners.

However, the proper aligning of knowledge-based teams is crucial in

the beginning. Great design does not just happen. It has to evolve

Profile | Denton Wilson


800-326-1821www.holcim.us

A proud neighbor of the Texas Community

36 FALL 2014

Read an extended interview with Denton andfind out what a VP of design and constructiondoes, how he motivates his mega-teams, andwhat a typical day is like for him.www.tiny.cc/wilson-profile.

Denton is also a prolific and talentedphotographer. See his art at www.tiny.cc/wilson-photos.

and grow as a collaborative process. The ability to implement BIM

technologies, combined with efficient team-building strategies,

speeds up the delivery process. Even on the most well-managed

projects the misalignment of processes and information will cost

time, money, and measurable value. Therefore, we implement a

strategy called “slowing down, to speed up.” Everyone still has his or

her individual responsibilities and tasks, but we take the time to

establish and define our milestone targets during our pull-planning

sessions. This allows us to define the roadblocks ahead and move

forward accordingly.

How would you summarize the power of team collaborationand the benefits to the individuals involved in your projects?I have been blessed to work with some very talented individuals

who are proud of what they do. We work in environments built

on-site to allow collaboration by working alongside one another.

This exposes all disciplines to one another and gives everybody

access to communal information. By working in this manner, we

are able to re-align knowledge and information quicker and more

efficiently by making it accessible to the entire project team.

You are a firm believer in a proper work/life balance. Whatdoes the term “quality of life” mean to you?For me, it is the ability to turn your mind off. It can be difficult to

disconnect yourself from the distractions of the workplace at the

end of the day. I want to find that balance and betterment for my

family and myself. I will tell you very proudly that the strength and

support of my bride and best friend for 28 years has been the

behind-the-scenes foundation of my workplace successes. For me,

it is about finding ways to spend time with my family and really

connect with them. I have made it my priority since my son was

six years old to write him notes: thoughts I wanted to tell him or

share with him. That helped me slow down and find that balance

of family. He will tell you today that he still has all those notes.

What do you want people to know about your how you workand operate with your teams?Personally, my motivations for the MHS projects I oversee are

not necessarily rooted in winning design awards or recognition. I

want to take all these projects combined and make the industry

better. The healthcare industry is getting stronger and smarter

because of these collaborative measures. People across all

segments and disciplines are getting tremendous betterment for

themselves individually as they come off these projects knowing

more about the whole process. My teams know that I strive to

create opportunities that can help make their subsequent

projects better. If you create these opportunities and experiences

now, then the process will have sustained its purpose for future

projects and endeavors. �

Inteview by Ezra Loh, Assoc. AIA, a designer with Corgan.

Steve

Rectangle

Graham Greene, AIA, is one of four

partners at Oglesby Greene Architects, an

award-winning boutique design firm with

offices located on the edge of the Dallas

arts district. Greene began his

architectural career in Chicago with

Lohan Associates, formerly The Office of

Mies van der Rohe. In 1989, he opened

his own practice in Dallas, with an eye

toward urban vitalization and

sustainability. Six years later, his firm

merged with The Oglesby Group,

forming Oglesby Greene. The firm’s

portfolio spans many project types,

including civic buildings, urban live-work

and mixed-use redevelopments,

affordable housing, and luxury residences.

At times, Greene works as both

architect and client in the development

process. He seeks out investment

opportunities in underserved populations

and situations, striving to find viable and

sustainable solutions. His latest venture—

Flora Lofts— aims to make it affordable

for artists to live and work in the Dallas

arts district. The site, which Greene

purchased 17 years ago, is adjacent to the

Nasher Sculpture Center, Museum

Tower, and the Meyerson Symphony

Center. The Lofts are targeted for

completion in December 2015.

how did the 1995 merger of your officewith the oglesby group come about?Coming out of one of the last economic

recessions, I was looking for talented

people to join our growing practice. I

made a list of the best architectural firms

in the city, thinking that’s where talent

was to be found. The Oglesby Group

was at the very top of the list. When I

contacted them, we immediately saw a

strong alignment of architectural principles

and values, and then decided to merge

the studios.

is there a driving philosophy behind thetype of projects you choose to pursue? We are patient modernists and like to do

any type of project that is complex,

significant, and meaningful to both our

clients and us. So what we’ve been doing

exceedingly well is combining views toward

the future with of-our-time thinking to

achieve timeless results. This challenge of

putting it all together while achieving

architectural excellence is the thing that

makes us most excited about our work.

28 WiNTeR 2014

Profile | Graham Greene, AIA

iaN coLe

Columns.Winter.14.new.size_Layout 1 9/26/14 10:18 AM Page 28

29coLUmNs | www.aiadallas.org

Tell me about the idea behind FloraLofts. Why did you take up the causefor artist housing? It’s a simple idea: having artists actually

live in the Dallas arts district. Then the

complexity begins in aligning multitudes of

divergent values, social and cultural

values, economic values, property values

… it’s a very complicated endeavor

which needs to happen to fulfill one of

the prime intentions in the original vision

for the district. Over the last 25 years,

I’ve invested my time and money in the

production of over 300 units of

affordable, supportive housing because

there are very real unfulfilled needs. A

need for affordable artist housing is just

like the need for creating housing for the

homeless, for students, seniors, the

disabled, and workers who can’t make a

living wage. Being architects, we have

the skills to dramatically improve this

situation, and I see it as my unique way of

contributing to the betterment of our

urban culture.

What attracted you to the developmentside of architecture? The attraction has come more from a

social investment mentality. I see

opportunities that get overlooked by local

developers, many of whom are potential

clients, and see situations where there

isn’t much interest, but there is a real

need. I’ve placed some money at risk—

where both my mouth and heart are

when seeing these possibilities. It was

started with a small investment and it has

been parlayed into larger ones from the

successes of the previous endeavors.

What advice would you give to anotherarchitect who wanted to be his or herown client?First thing, as client and architect, invest

your time or money only in what you

believe in 100%, no matter how

difficult. Second, don’t let yourself get

into situations where you must move

forward or you will sacrifice your vision.

And last, don’t squander your time or

money on frivolous indulgences and vain

pursuits. Do things that fill a real need and

provide both you and society with a

return on your investment.

how do you see the Dallas arts districtevolving in the next five years? The Dallas citizenry have so far achieved

a vital cultural foundation for the greater

vision of the founding stakeholders.

Coming soon is a critical mix of other

uses, one that includes more residents,

retailers, gardens, street life,

transportation choices, and connections

to adjacent neighborhoods and

downtown. The sense is that we have

used up most of the available

development sites, but I see expanding

the development potential of city-owned

properties—such as the symphony and

Dallas Museum of Art—in ways that

public-private partnerships are able to

further develop a mix of uses, creating a

vital urban neighborhood and funding the

arts programming at the same time. In

Dallas arts district v. 2—a new development

guideline that will supersede the Sasaki

Plan—issues of inclusivity need to be

addressed before it evolves any further

into becoming an exclusive elitist enclave.

if you could change one thing aboutDallas, what would it be?I’d somehow diminish the pervasive

infatuation in the idea that everything BIG

is inherently better, as in “too big to fail,”

and reverse the undercurrent that it

instills that smaller enterprises are

somehow less worthy.

What do you like to do when you’renot working in the studio?I absolutely love to go sailing. It is the

most incredible feeling being propelled

along by an invisible force, the wind,

knowing that with the right knowledge

and actions you can get to the destination

you desire. It’s an incredible amount of

work, too, but the sensations give you

immediate gratification and keep your

focus completely in the moment. �

Interviewed by Cynthia Smith, Assoc. AIA,DSGN Associates in Dallas.

iaN coLe


23coLUmNs | www.aiadallas.org

Profile | David Braden, FAIA

With typical modesty, David Braden

sums up his achievements with the quip “I

was just born lucky.” A former president

of AIA Dallas and the Texas Society of

Architects, Braden first joined the chapter

as an associate member in 1950 after a

decorated career as a pilot in the Pacific

theater in World War II. After working for

Dallas legends George Dahl and Howard

Meyer, he started his own Oak Cliff-

based firm, Braden and Jones, with

Harold Jones in 1953. Twenty years later,

they took over George Dahl’s firm in

1973, renaming it Dahl, Braden,

Chapman & Jones.

Braden retired from architecture in

1991 and became chairman of the board

of the Dallas/Fort Worth International

Airport. He retired again and became a

professional arbitrator. Through all of

these careers, he was also a successful

public speaker, a humorist who

entertained presidents, bankers, and

architects across the country. Now truly

retired as of 2013, Braden offered the

following thoughts for young architects

creating their own paths today. These

remarks were adapted from an interview

now on file in the Oral History of Texas

Architecture Project at the David Dillon

Center for Texas Architecture, University

of Texas at Arlington.

is there a design that helped get yourcareer going?I designed a house for my family in 1951

on Cedar Hill Avenue in Oak Cliff. [It

was] a very small house—1,000 square

feet on two levels. It was dug into the hill


24 WiNTeR 2014

on the top level and the roof deck

dropped down to the living room and put

a glass front on it and it looked out onto

the deck. I had been thinking about

building a wall there and filling it in and

when the house got underway, I said, “I

can’t do that. That is going to kill those

trees.” So it was what I think was the first

flying deck that appeared on a house in

Dallas, TX.

I entered the house in AIA’s annual

competition and it won first place. I was still

working as a draftsman for George Dahl at

that time. Everybody said, “Who is this guy

that beat all of us professional architects

out?” I began to meet the architects!

You are always very involved in politics,from oak cliff community issues to themajor goals for Dallas project initiatedby mayor erik Jonsson in 1964. how didthat affect your career as an architect?Having a public and political life was what

gave me a practice really. That’s all I can say

about it. I went from a guy who worked on

a drawing board to being a “rain-maker”

and I was a good firm manager.

Thanks to the Goals for Dallas program,

Dallas got its pride back after the Kennedy

assassination and found ways to explore

some avenues of how to solve problems,

but we also got to meet each other. I mean,

if you look at the goals for different

categories [government, education, city

design, and many others], we got to meet

each other: different people in different

categories that had expertise.

My goals for Goals for Dallas were in

planning and I participated with Pat

Spillman and James Pratt and some of the

other architects. We didn’t have a very

good planning program at all in Dallas.

Dallas didn’t even really know what it was.

We had a city planner, but he had limited

capabilities, so that is what we focused on.

You were very involved in aia Dallasand Tsa. What was the importance ofthose organizations for you?

Everything. I am luckier than most people,

and people know me, so I have many

friends. There was a time when I felt like I

knew every architect in the state of Texas

because I was president of TSA and one

of the things that the president does is visit

every chapter. You know I would always do

some version of what I would call “my

thing” with them, and I had many friends. �

Interviewed by Kate Holliday, director of theDavid Dillon Center for Texas Architecture inthe School of Architecture at the University ofTexas Arlington.

More photos of the colorful David Bradenat www.aiadallas.org/columns/braden

ABOVE: Braden designed a residence that wonan aia Dallas Design award and is also publishedin the aia guide to Dallas architecture.


22 SPRING 2015

Profile | Bob Bullis, AIA

First as president-elect in 2014 and

now AIA Dallas president for 2015, Bob

continues to focus his efforts on the

influence the chapter and its members

have on the local community, while

understanding the constraints and

challenges our city currently faces. Also an

advocate for the younger generation of

architects and designers, Bob is a firm

believer in creating opportunities for

success among those eager to learn and

stay connected in the profession. He sees

diversity, change, and forward-thinking

strategies as a win for AIA: The

combination of different viewpoints,

cultures, interests, and activities are the

unique elements that create connectivity

within the city.

We met up with Bob for lunch on the

heels of the mobility summit to talk about

issues impacting both Dallas and the region.

you’ve served on the board of directorsfor aIa dallas for some time. What areyour immediate goals as president ofaIa dallas?AIA Dallas must be seen as relevant

organization and we must claim our seat

at the table, providing context to the

conversation and planning/design

expertise to our political leaders and the

greater community. This was the mission

of the recent mobility summit. There are

ongoing conversations in the news (such

as the ongoing highway debates), the

economic divide between North Dallas

and the southern sector, and the impact

our schools have on growth and

economic opportunity for our residents.

Organizationally, we need to keep an

open mind and, regardless of how we

feel as individuals, we must try to

understand the opposing argument and

practice empathy in our listening, our

response, and our actions. As architects

we are trained to be big picture thinkers

and strategic planners. We have the ability

to define clarity of vision and to effectively

communicate this vision to the public. I

am certain our members and our chapter

leadership will rise to the occasion.

how can aIa dallas continue to expandits presence in the community and stayrelevant on current issues like mobility,transportation, and publicinfrastructure in North texas?

aaRON OPSaL

BELOW: the aIa dallas 2015President, bob bullis

He’s been described as an “Architect’s Architect” with architectural experience in design, projectmanagement, consultation, academia, and most recently as the director of client relations with Rogers-O’Brien Construction. Bob has been active in organizing events such as the AIA Dallas and Greater DallasPlanning Council’s Choices for a 21st Century Dallas: Connecting People and Opportunities. This mobilitysummit, held last fall, spotlighted urban issues of connectivity, transportation, mobility, and the far-reachingimpacts these issues currently have on Dallas and North Texas.

Columns.2015.spring_Layout 1 12/12/14 11:14 AM Page 22

Several years ago, AIA Dallas leadership

took an introspective look at our chapter,

soliciting feedback from membership on

the effectiveness of the organization. The

outcome of this strategic planning exercise

is the implementation of programs that

focus on key areas of communication,

education, advocacy, and networks. The

AIA Dallas Springboard website was

launched January 2014 under the

leadership of 2014 President Lisa Lamkin,

AIA and past President Kirk Teske, AIA.

Through the website, we provide our

members with a voice and a platform to

engage the community, both AIA Dallas

and the larger community. In 2014 we re-

engaged our public policy committee and

took our seat at the table, becoming

advocates and champions for building a

better Dallas. It is my belief that our public

policy efforts should continue to be a

consistent and positive voice on

communitywide issues. From our home at

Dallas Center for Architecture (DCFA),

located in the heart of the Dallas central

business district, we are well positioned to

be a resource to politicians, community

builders, benefactors, and clients alike.

Speaking of current events, aIa dallasrecently hosted a mobility summit here indallas. you are a big proponent of themobility issues and increasing the urbanfabric and walkability and connectivity ofour neighborhoods. What are some ofthe topics covered and how do we stayrelevant in the discussion and discourse? It has been said that the next four years

will change the face of Dallas as we know

it. Dallas and Texas are leading the nation

in job and population growth and the

investments in our communities are

unparalleled. The highways and

development projects we build over the

next four years will be the communities of

our children’s children. The stakes are

high and we must lead the discussions and

ensure the development is responsible,

sustainable, and equitable.

Understandably, this good economy has

created a series of complex issues that we

must respond to, including the impacts of

transportation, education, economics, and

overall well-being of our communities. As

one of our keynote speakers from the

mobility summit, Jeff Tumlin, pointed out,

we are on the “cusp” of becoming a true

U.S. destination city in terms of our

amenities, attractions, and public

infrastructure. We need to be very clear

about what our visions and goals for

Dallas entail and need to have significant

metrics and quantitative data to support

these decisions. Big picture: If we can

continue the civility of our discussions and

are steadfast in focusing the conversation

on mobility and public infrastructure, we

will hopefully get the details correct. �

Interview by Ezra Loh, Assoc. AIA, internwith Corgan.


Web Exclusive: Find out about thepersonal side of Bob—his hobbies andpastimes—as well as his love ofarchitectural delineation atwww.aiadallas.org/columns/Bullis.

BELOW AND RIGHT: Inspired to create art sincecollege, bob bullis specializes in watercolors andarchitectural renderings. More of his work canbe viewed at www.aiadallas.org/columns/bullis.


38 SPrInG 2015

there is a feeling that comes to mind

when arriving Sam Ringman’s office, a

one-room corner office on the fourth

floor in a building in the West End historic

district. The award-winning architectural

illustrator quietly sits at his drafting table

working on his latest rendering. The

sound of the radio fills the space lined

with countless books and framed pieces

of art and drawings. It’s a calm respite

that allows Sam to focus and carefully

craft moving pieces of building imagery.

One wonders whether this process

used to be a bit simpler, slower, maybe a

bit more human, more collaborative, a

face-to-face experience between

professionals.

Sam differentiates himself from other

illustrators accordingly: “I am a

professional architect. I am not a

draftsman, I am a collaborator who will

Profile | Sam Ringman

nIcHolaS mcWHIrter, aIa


meet with a client in person, not try to

generate an image via electronic

instructions from a distant time zone.”

The rendered architectural

perspective provides an important vision

of the project that developers, banks, and

the public can identify with. Yet, the

process of creating architectural drawings

can be quite tense. Often the renderer is

situated in a different city or even across

the globe and email is the main means of

communication. The limited interaction

forces the architect to red-line progress

views for round after round with the

renderer trying to decipher the aesthetic

intent of the final image. The timeline

always runs too short, the requested

deliverables are too numerous, and the

repetitive cycle makes it feel machine-like.

Sam cultivated a passion for drawing

architectural perspectives as a student at

Texas A&M University. After graduating

with a master’s in architecture in 1983, he

worked for three years at HOK Dallas. He

didn’t return to his interest in illustration

then, but the desire to grow in the art of

representing buildings remained. After

getting licensed, he started his own practice

as an architectural illustrator. For the next

decade, his work at Ringman Design +

Illustration would produce commercial

perspectives for the Dallas area’s largest

firms, including WDG, Gensler, RTKL, and

HKS, as well as major home builders such

as Centex.

Sam’s portfolio of work grew to

include retail, office interiors, and

residential work. One of his most

enduring clients was Elby Martin, a Dallas-

based architect of custom homes who

seemed to appreciate Sam’s trademark ink

drawings, as well as his efforts at adapting

a style reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s

perspective drawings featured in his

famous Wasmuth Portfolio.

Before he can draw a single line, Sam

wants the client to clearly define the final

drawing’s intentions: “I always try to ask at

the beginning who we are trying to reach,

what rational and emotional responses we

are after, and what story we are trying to

tell.” The information provided by the client

can range from a verbal description to a

complete computer-generated wireframe.

He works in a variety of media and

techniques (pencil, ink, marker, and

watercolor) and the scope of work can

range from napkin sketches to large,

highly-detailed watercolors. �

Julien Meyrat, AIA is a senior designer atGensler.

39colUmnS | www.aiadallas.org

Find out more about Sam’s methods, hiscommitment to “personal andemotional” drawings over digitalrenderings, and his distinguishedreputation as a frequent winner of theKen Roberts Memorial DelineationCompetition. www.aiadallas.org/columns/ringman

Also check out more samples of hisdrawings at www.aiadallas.org/columns/samplesbysam


28 SUMMER 2015

hOW DID yOu geT yOur STArT here

In DAllAS?

I started with a firm called Smith and Mills.

Smith Mills eventually broke up, and

Smith asked me to go with him. So I did

and he started his own company:

Howard K. Smith [present-day HKS]. I

worked for him for several years. We did

quite a few buildings together,

including Saint Michael and All Angels

Episcopal Church and a good number of

other churches before I resigned to go

into business for myself as Clutts and

Parker. And I continued to build churches

and some schools. We eventually became

HKCP, Harvey Kemp Clutts Parker, and

did many civic, cultural, and educational

buildings here in Dallas.

At the turn of the century, I sold my

firm to the two leading architects working

for me at the time. They still own it to

this day and have changed it to Jennings

and Hackler: Grady Jennings and Bob

Hackler—both really good architects.

yOu hAve A very InvOlveD hISTOry

WIThIn TSA AnD AIA DAllAS. WhAT

Were SOMe hIghlIghTS?

Yeah, I pretty much held every position

you could hold, I guess. I was the

president of the Dallas chapter of AIA and

president of Texas Society of Architects. I

also served on the AIA Board of Directors

where I served a three-year term

representing Texas at the national AIA

level. I always enjoyed the relationships I

had with other architects by virtue of

Profile | James Clutts, FAIA


The recipient of the AIA Dallas 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award, James Clutts, FAIA, is an architect witha vast and impressive career. Jim’s contributions to the built environment include a notable range of civic,educational, and cultural projects both in Dallas and across Texas. He is also a former president for both theTexas Society of Architects and AIA Dallas; his leadership in the profession has left a significant mark. Prior tocelebrating his 90th birthday this year, Jim discussed with Columns some highlights of his distinguished careeron a visit to one of his favorite projects, Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, Dallas.

Steve

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being part of the AIA. There was always

the great company of being with other

great architects. A few of my close

friends—Dave Braden, FAIA and Pat

Spillman, FAIA—were also a part of AIA

back then. It was an enjoyable time.

yOu MenTIOneD ThIS ChurCh

[SAInT MIChAel AnD All AngelS] AS

An IMPOrTAnT One In yOur CAreer.

WhAT ASPeCTS OF The ChurCh Are

yOu MOST FOnD OF?

Well, it was during my time with Howard

K. Smith as principal designer. We were

selected as the Architect of Record and

had a large role to play in the design of

the church. The bas relief reredos

sculpture was commissioned to my friend

Charles Umlaf, whom I met while

teaching at the University of Texas-Austin.

He personally selected the marble that

was shipped from Carrara, Italy. The

stained glass used in the windows and the

large Creation Window was

commissioned from a small company in

San Antonio. I have always really liked the

way it looks here in the main sanctuary.

There Are MAny CIvIC,

eDuCATIOnAl, CulTurAl, AnD

relIgIOuS BuIlDIngS ThAT yOu

DeSIgneD. SeverAl Are On COllege

CAMPuSeS ACrOSS TexAS. COrreCT?

Yeah, as far as educational buildings, I did

several buildings on the campus of the

University of North Texas like the music

building’s Recital Hall and the UNT

Coliseum. They have a very strong School

of Music there at UNT. They were good

buildings. Also here in Dallas, The

Hockaday School and School for the

Talented and Gifted at Townview Center,

which I really admire. It is a very large

school with multiple levels. But there is

good natural light throughout the campus:

a good distribution of sunlight even in the

lowest levels of the school. I also had

great relationships with the University of

Texas system and Texas A&M and built

several other buildings across multiple

campuses. They were big and very

expensive buildings.

yOur POrTFOlIO InCluDeS An

exTenSIve AMOunT OF ChurCh

DeSIgn. IS There SOMeThIng ABOuT

ThIS PArTICulAr BuIlDIng TyPe yOu

enjOyeD exPlOrIng?

Yeah, there are many things I enjoyed

about designing churches. I really enjoyed

working with the committees for these

church projects. One church in particular

in Bonham, TX, was a good example. In

the beginning, I met with members of the

church [Trinity Episcopal Church] and said

I would like to meet with your worship

committee to determine certain aspects of

the project. So we set a date for the

meeting and when I showed up, the same

people from the first meeting showed up

again! Turns out there was only about 10

to 12 families in the whole church and

they showed up to every meeting! … All

of them! I always thought that was pretty

neat. It was that kind of “one-on-one”

personal relationship I enjoyed with these

types of clients.

WhAT DID yOu leArn FrOM TheSe

relATIOnShIPS?

These relationships often led to great

projects like the Trinity Episcopal. I wanted

to have an altar that was special. So I

called down to Austin from Bonham and

talked to some people I knew down there

who ran a quarry and did stonework, and

told them I would like to have one cut of

stone 8 feet long and 36 inches deep and

wide that was smooth on top and smooth

on bottom, and then rough around the

edges like it had just come out of the

quarry. It ended up being Austin

limestone and we had it shipped to

Bonham and set down on two piers that

were set in place in the ground. They built

the small church around that altar and I

thought it turned out very successful. It’s

still there to this day. �

Interviewed by Ezra Loh, Assoc. AIA, internwith Corgan.


Take a tour of some more of the civic,cultural, religious, and educationalbuildings built in North Texas over thespan of the career of Jim Clutts, FAIA,recipient of the 2014 LifetimeAchievement Award from AIA Dallas.www.aiadallas.org/columns/clutts


BelOW: Clutts as a young man (Left), and SaintMichael and All Angels Episcopal Church, Dallas,(Right) one of his favorite projects.

JAMES CLUTTS, FAIA

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Profile | Gregory Ibañez, FAIA

hOW DID yOu DeCIDe TO BeCOMe An

ArChITeCT AnD Where DID yOu

STuDy?

My uncles were architects in Guadalajara,Mexico. As a child, I remember visitingtheir office and being enthralled by theatmosphere. I attended the University ofCincinnati for two years in a pre-architecture program and completed mystudies at IIT in Chicago.

Tell uS ABOuT SOMe OF yOur PAST

PrOjeCTS ThAT yOu FOunD MOST

InTereSTIng Or reWArDIng.

The lake house that I designed for a

friend’s family was meaningful both in an

architectural sense and also personally.

Two commercial projects that stand out

are the Valeo facility at Alliance Airport

and AUI Contractors office building [both

in Fort Worth]. Valeo’s views on

workplace design are progressive and in

marked contrast to the typical developer

approach. AUI wanted a building that

demonstrated craftsmanship. The cast-in-

place concrete walls were created using

an innovative concrete technology and

they are simply magnificent.

Tell uS ABOuT yOur CurrenT

FIrM, FOCuS, AnD PrOjeCTS.

My firm—Ibañez Architecture—is a small

design studio. On residential and less

complex projects we do everything,

which is very important to me. I enjoy

construction drawings and especially

going on site. On larger or more complex

projects we associate with larger firms,

with them as architect of record. I have

always been a generalist and our

workload reflects that approach. About

half of our projects are residential; the

rest is a mix of commercial and hospitality.

gregory Ibañez, FAIA is the 2015 President of AIA Fort Worth (AIAFW). After practicing in Dallas fornearly two decades, he opened his current Fort Worth firm, Ibañez Architecture, in 1997. Greg has beenactively engaged in civic affairs through service on the Fort Worth Historic and Cultural LandmarksCommission and the Fort Worth Public Art Commission, and as a board member of The Modern ArtMuseum of Fort Worth. The recipient of 22 design awards, Greg was elevated to the AIA College ofFellows in 2012.


12801 NORTH CENTRAL EXPY, SUITE 1710, DALLAS, TEXAS 75243 PH 214-503-1212 FAX 214-503-8899

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22 SUMMER 2015

WhAT SPArkS yOur CreATIvITy?

Reading, film, theatre, museums, but

especially travel. Travel forces me to look

deeply at different urban environments or

landscapes, and upon my return I always

feel as though I see home in a new way.

hOW DO The ArChITeCTurAl

COMMunITIeS In FOrT WOrTh AnD

DAllAS COllABOrATe? hOW COulD

ThAT COllABOrATIOn Be IMPrOveD?

Having one foot in each—I’ve spent 17

years in each city—I don’t feel the rivalry

that may have previously existed. And

through Texas Society of Architects, all of

the architects in the state work together,

our chapters included. The Dallas

Architecture Forum provides sustenance

for us all, although frequent travel to Dallas

to attend can be challenging. I believe Don

Gatzke FAIA, former dean of the UT-

Arlington School of Architecture, made

great strides in making the school the

common forum for North Texas

architectural and planning discussions. The

composition and size of our chapters are

very different. Dallas has many large

national or international firms, while Fort

Worth’s largest firms are at best mid-sized.

We are predominately small practices, so

we are doing our best to align AIAFW with

our architectural community.

WhAT Are SOMe OF The key

ChAllengeS FACIng FOrT WOrTh In

The FuTure? WhAT Are key

ChAllengeS FOr The DAllAS/FOrT

WOrTh MeTrOPOlITAn AreA?

Fort Worth has many of the same

challenges that Dallas and every city in the

area has grappled with for decades:

mobility, a lack of regional planning, and

managing explosive growth. I am often

surprised at the lack of knowledge that

some of our city’s leaders have for the

planning lessons learned, good and bad,

from Dallas. Fort Worth has a great many

virtues, including a compact urban core,

vibrant in-town neighborhoods, and some

wonderful historic buildings. Leveraging

the inherent authenticity (i.e. Cowtown)

while creating a more diverse city is the

challenging task.

yOu reCenTly ChAIreD The FOrT

WOrTh PuBlIC ArT COMMISSIOn.

WhAT rOle ShOulD PuBlIC ArT PlAy

In urBAn lIFe AnD hOW CAn nOrTh

TexAS CITIeS IMPrOve In ThIS

reSPeCT?

I think public art should be a part of every

government building project. The General

Services Administration’s Excellence in

Architecture program has produced some

incredible public art along with the

outstanding architecture.

yOu Are very InvOlveD WITh

DOCOMOMO nOrTh TexAS. PleASe

OvervIeW ITS MISSIOn. WhAT Are

SOMe OF ITS gOAlS?

DoCoMoMo stands for the

documentation and conservation of the

Modern Movement, which is the mission.

Bob Meckfessel, FAIA spearheaded the

formation of our chapter and since then

most Texas cities have founded chapters as

well. Locally, we’re focused on awareness

of our significant Modern heritage and we

provide advocacy for its value.

WhAT Are yOur TASTeS In MuSIC

AnD MOvIeS?

I have very eclectic musical tastes, but if I

had to pick, I would list jazz as my

favorite. As for film, I’ll watch anything by

Stanley Kubrick, Hitchcock, Woody Allen,

or Terrence Malick.

WhAT ADvICe WOulD yOu gIve A

yOung PerSOn COnSIDerIng A

CAreer In ArChITeCTure?

I believe that it can be an incredibly

rewarding profession, but ultimately you

have to have the passion for it—or for

anything you do for that matter). One must

be an optimist … and having a tremendous

capacity for patience really helps. In even

my most difficult moments, I’ve never

dreaded walking into the office. �

Interviewed by Nate Eudaly, Hon. AIADallas, executive director of the DallasArchitecture Forum.

leFT: Craftsmanship defines the AUIContractors office, Fort Worth.

rIghT AnD BOTTOM: The architect's sketchof a possible design for a Nashville, TN,restaurant, and artwork created in the artsytown of Marfa, TX.

PAUL HESTER

gREgORY IBANEz, FAIA

gREgORY IBANEz, FAIA

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24 FALL 2015

Profile | Lucilo Peña

Lucilo Peña is one of those individuals whose body of work as an architect and developer easily fits into thecategory of “Dallas and Beyond.” While at Billingsley Company today, his early career included working as a projectdesigner at WZMH Inc. and landing roles of increasing responsibility at Trammell Crow Design and Constructionand the Dallas Market Center Company. From 1989 to 1996, he worked with the Travelstead Group in Spain,assuming its presidency in 1993. The keynote project for him during that time was the Parc de Mar Project (HotelArts) in the Olympic Village in Barcelona.

That project consisted of designing, building, and leasing a mixed-use complex of approximately 1,180,000square feet, which included a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 30 luxury duplex apartments, an office building, and a retailcenter. The project is considered a cornerstone among the Olympic projects in Barcelona and is the result of acollaborative effort between Bruce Graham (SOM Chicago), Frank Gehry, and GCA.

Lucilo is the president of development at Billingsley, a role he has had since 1996. Educated as an architect witha bachelor of design degree from the University of Florida, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees inarchitecture from Cornell University, with additional studies at Harvard, l’Université Paris-Sorbonne, and Berlin’sKünstlerhaus Bethanien.

NIChOLAS MCwhIrTEr, AIA

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hOW (AnD When) DID YOU DeCIDe

TO BeCOMe An ArChITeCT? WhAT

CAUSeD YOU TO BeCOMe InVOLVeD

In DeVeLOPMenT?

I grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, andattended the American School. I was goodat both math and art, and in high school myteacher encouraged me to attend asummer program in architecture at Cornell.That solidified my interest in architecture.

I originally moved to Dallas to workfor an architecture firm. During aneconomic downturn, I learned about aposition with Trammell Crow and havefocused on development as a way tosupport outstanding architecture anddesign since then.

hOW DID YOUr YeArS LIVInG

OVerSeAS AnD YOUr

InTernATIOnAL TrAVeLS ShAPe

YOUr DeSIGn AeSTheTIC?

The influence of International Stylearchitecture can be seen in all of themajor countries which I have visited.Quality modern design is appreciatedaround the world. One major differencebetween the United States and Europe isthe understanding of the political power ofarchitecture in European countries. InSpain, socialist governments awardarchitecture commissions to architectswhose work is seen as socialist, whileconservative ruling bodies give work toarchitects who follow their politicalviewpoints. This produces projects thatare differentiated in their design, withthose designed by socialists tending to bemore experimental and socially conscious,while those commissioned byconservatives tending to be moretraditional or neo-classical. For example,

the airport in Barcelona wascommissioned by the center right stategovernment and awarded to RicardoBofill; it’s truly post-modern. In Barcelonathe socialist municipal governmentcommissioned the firm of Martorell,Bohigas, MacKay to do the master plan forthe Olympic Village resulting in a verycontextual mixed-use solution tocontemporary living. Barcelona has aform-based code design with criteriamandated by the city specifying suchdetails as the percentage of glass on astreet elevation, paving patterns andmaterials in the right-of-way, etc. Thatgovernmental control over the designprocess would be unimaginable in theU.S.A., but creates the coherent publicrealm for which Barcelona is known andadmired worldwide.

WhAT Are SOMe OF The MAJOr

PrOJeCTS BILLInGSLeY IS CUrrenTLY

DeVeLOPInG, AnD WhAT IS YOUr

rOLe In ThOSe PrOJeCTS AS

PreSIDenT OF DeVeLOPMenT?

As president of development forBillingsley, I oversee the design anddevelopment of the master plans for ourcommunities. I work with the respectivecities to secure needed zoning, interviewand hire the design team, and then hireand oversee the contractors who buildthe projects.

Cypress Waters is a 1,000-acremaster planned community surroundingNorth Lake at Beltline Road and LBJFreeway in Dallas. It will have 10,000residential units and over four millionsquare feet of commercial space. The2,000-acre master plan for Austin

Ranch—located where The Colony,Carrollton, Plano, and Lewisville cometogether—was developed by PeterCalthorpe. It is currently in its eighthphase of residential/mixed-usedevelopments with over 3,800 completedresidential units, as well as multipleindustrial and office projects.

Billingsley is a major long-term holderof our projects. Most of our projects arepart of comprehensive master plans,which means that what we currently buildwill have tremendous impact on futureprojects. As one of the few majordevelopers in this category, we are able topositively impact adjacent development,increase the potential value of the area,and leverage development for the benefitof the community.

We are very pleased that ourdevelopments have won numerous designawards, and each of our multi-family projectshas received national design awards,including recognition from the Multifamily“Pillars of the Industry” Awards by theNational Association of Home Builders. AnAIA design jury commented that some of oursuburban office projects designed by LionelMorrison were “too good for the budgetsthey had.” I think my background inarchitecture fortunately pushes the designteam to produce better results. �

Interview by Nate Eudaly, Hon. AIA Dallas,executive director of the Dallas ArchitectureForum.


LeFT: One Arts Plaza, a Billingsley project in theDallas arts district, features a grand lightedfountain at the entrance.

rIGhT Cypress waters, a master plannedcommunity on North Lake, is a Billingsleydevelopment shown in this graphical illustration.

ChArLES SMITh, AIA

The interview with Lucilo continues onlineto explore: • What local projects bring him pride • How to become a liveable urban city • What role art and culture playwww.aiadallas.org/columns/lucilo

GOOD FULTON & FArrELL ArChITECTS ANDBILLINGSLEy CO.

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28 FALL 2015

WhY DID YOU BeCOMe An

ArChITeCT?

My father was a carpenter, a builder ofthings. His grandfather and his brothersand ancestors were carpenters inCzechoslovakia and immigrated in the firstpart of the last century to Omaha, NE. Myfather carried on the family tradition and Iremember visits to job sites early on, aswell as stories of which buildings in townmy family helped to build. When I wasgrowing up, I loved to hang out with myfather in his shop, exploring all the toolsyou could imagine. To this day, one of myfavorite fragrances is sawdust.

In high school, I met a college student

studying architecture and that started thelife-long passion for architecture, history,etc. As a sophomore, I started takingmechanical drawing classes and, in mysenior year, my high school offered anarchitecture class. After that there was nolooking back.

Being a woman in architecture in the‘70s was interesting. I was the onlywoman in drafting classes for all threeyears in high school. There were only acouple of females in the architectureprogram at the University of Nebraska.That being said, I really didn’t feel thatunusual on a day-to-day basis, but myplace as a woman became clear when I

interviewed in 1974 to become asummer intern for a large architecturefirm. After the interview the principalwalked me out of the offices, put his armaround my shoulder, and told me that thiswas one of the most interestinginterviews he’d ever had. He said, “I’dhire you, but I have no idea what wewould do with a woman.” Truly, I wasstunned yet determined, and soon founda job with a smaller company that offeredme a terrific summer of learning. Thatwas the beginning of my understandingthat women had to work differently to getahead in architecture.

Profile | Diane Collier, AIA


Diane Collier is a principal with Collier Galvin Associates, a Dallas-based firm representing manufacturers of siteamenities and materials for cities, universities, corporations, and retail environments. An active and enthusiasticmember of AIA for decades, she received her master of architecture degree from the University of Texas at Arlingtonand her bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Nebraska. An affiliate member of the AmericanSociety of Landscape Architects, her passion lies in the intelligent design of urban spaces and enhancement of thosespaces using signature materials and furnishings to develop unique, safe, and inviting outdoor environments.

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hOW DID YOU ADAPT TO enTerInG A

MALe-CenTrIC PrOFeSSIOn?

I moved to Dallas in the late ‘70s where Imet a few women architects, all of whomhad similar “gender lonely” experiences inschool. It was an exciting time to be inDallas with buildings being planned andbuilt, and urban plans like the Dallas Planbeing promoted. We were excited to meeteach other and became fast personal andprofessional friends. In 1979, we formedWomen in Architecture, an independentgroup that continues today as a committeewithin AIA Dallas that enables women inthe industry to connect, engage, andsupport each other. Some of these womenare still my closest and dearest friends.

hOW DID YOUr CAreer eVOLVe?

After graduate school at UTA, I worked fora firm called Beran & Shelmire. Where Ilive today in downtown Dallas, I look upfrom my living room window to thewindow where I sat in my first office,working on projects like the Adolphushotel, the Anatole hotel, the World TradeCenter, and St. Mark’s School. Othermemories surround my current home in adowntown high-rise. The Statler Hilton,another view from my current downtownresidence, is where I met my future in-laws. While working for a developer in the1980s, I helped build three buildings inadjacent blocks, bought nylons at Dillard’s,and learned just about everything I knowabout fashion at Neiman Marcus.

By the late 1990s, when my childrenwere small, I was burning the candle atboth ends, working in thedevelopment/construction managementsector and involved in my children’sactivities. My commercial interior designerhusband had started a companyrepresenting commercial furniture lines. Itseemed logical to join him and support hisefforts in a more family-centered effort.Within the first year it became clear that Ihad a penchant for sales. When we werehired by a company that manufactured sitefurnishings, I began to work withlandscape architects and outdoor builtenvironments. This made me very happyand fulfilled my dreams of making animpact on the American city.

TeLL US ABOUT YOUr exPerIenCe

When PhILIP JOhnSOn CAMe TO TOWn.

That is one of my favorite career stories. It

happened in the mid ‘80s when I wasworking for a large developer, helpingwith a variety of large buildings indowntown Dallas. We were all excited onthe day that Philip Johnson was coming totown to present his concept for a newbank building in downtown Dallas. I waschosen to help set up his presentation.

He walked in the door with this verylarge wooden box housing his impeccablebuilding model. As he flipped open the locksand pulled up the model, I gasped. “Oh, mygosh, Bertram Goodhue!” I exclaimed. Helaughed and quickly shot back, “Miss HistoryBuff … Who else does it remind you ofbefore that?” I answered: “Eliel Saarinen andthe Helsinki railroad station of 1909!” I hadguessed his inspiration for the tower and feltlike I was on top of the world! Wecontinued to laugh and joke as he watchedme install the model of his proposedbuilding into our larger city model preparedfor the presentation.

All students of architecture willunderstand what happened next. Whenyou’re nervous and you’re down the lineand you’ve got a sharp knife in your hand,stuff happens. I sliced my thumb to thebone with my X-ACTO® knife and theblood was flowing fast. He shooed meaway from the model, wrapped mythumb in a paper towel, and held my armup in the air. Then he told me to stay and

talk to him while he finished preparing forhis presentation. The meeting didn’t gowell. He left disappointed and sent acompletely revised MBank Tower design.He returned only when the building—now Comerica Bank Tower—opened.

WhAT KeePS YOU PASSIOnATe ABOUT

The InDUSTrY TODAY?

There is so much excitement todaysurrounding our built environments. Rightnow our cities are changing, more peopleare moving into urban circles, and theplanning and architecture communities areresponding in-kind by creating better placesand spaces. My original dream to enhancethe creative building process for urban landsand landscapes is now possible by workingwith architects and landscape architects toprovide many types of site amenities forparks, campuses, streets, and rooftops. Iwant to see the outdoors in North Texascome alive with functional beauty andvisionary leadership for public spaces. �

Interview by Linda Mastaglio, managingeditor of Columns magazine.


In a web exclusive, view Diane’s picks for10 of the most innovative landscapingproducts on the market today.www.aiadallas.org/columns/collier

BeLOW: Diane Collier's life may best beillustrated by some of her personal effects.


Steve

Rectangle

54 wiNteR 2015

profile | Bob Borson, AIA

If you are familiar with the architectural blog “Life of an Architect,” then you probably know its author andcreator Bob Borson, AIA. The blog’s reputation as a source for information on what it means to be an architect isnarrated by Bob and characterizes his daily experiences doing what he describes as “the best job in the world.” InAugust, Bob won the Texas Society of Architect's 2015 Award for Excellence in the Promotion of Architecturethrough the Media in honor of John G. Flowers, Hon. AIA. A principal at Malone Maxwell Borson Architects, Bob’swide array of project experience encompasses large-scale commercial work, prototype retail design, historicpreservation, and client-based single family residential. Bob uses his blog to communicate the ins and outs of theprofession using his signature mix of humor, wit, and knowledgeable insight into life as an architect. Perhaps it is thisenthusiasm and transparency of the profession that has attracted over five million readers—architects, architectureenthusiasts, and those curious or considering a career in architecture—from 237 countries and territories. We satdown with Bob to discuss his reasons for creating the blog, how architects can leverage social media, and ways inwhich he uses his blog to help support local organizations in the community.

bOb bORSON, aia

you ARe the AuthoR AnD CReAtoR

oF “LIFe oF An ARChIteCt.” why wAs

the BLoG CReAteD?

I started writing “Life of an Architect” in

January 2010 as the result of a

conversation I had with a friend of mine

who specializes in the use of technology

for lawyers. While having a conversation,

he made a comment … in a very cavalier

way that I took to mean “Come on, Bob!

Everybody knows this!” However, his

comment made absolutely no sense to

me at the time. I started thinking about

how set in my ways I had become and

started worrying that I was becoming

technologically irrelevant. Everything

around me was changing, but it didn’t

really impact the way I went about my

business. I decided then that I was going

to make some changes, and creating “Life

of an Architect” was the first step.

whAt sets youR BLoG APARt FRoM

otheR ARChIteCtuRe BLoGs? ARe

theRe Any GuIDInG PRInCIPLes?

The thing that makes my blog unique

among architectural blogs is that I write in

the first person and tell stories as part of

the learning process. I try to make the

articles show my personality. I like to think

that I am an amusing person and like to

help people out if I can offer value. The

combination of those two attributes has

made my site approachable to people with

all sorts of different levels of architectural

knowledge. I don’t talk down to the people

who are reading my articles and I try to

avoid industry jargon as much as possible.

As a result, there are people from all ages

and demographics who frequent my blog

regularly and that is something I find pretty

amazing and humbling.

As An ARChIteCt, Do you FInD thAt

you hAve oBLIGAtIons to the CIty,

CoMMunIty, AnD GeneRAL

PoPuLAtIon? how Do you DeFIne

thIs on “LIFe oF An ARChIteCt”?

I generally stay neutral on this topic

because the answer is subjective,

depending on who is asking or answering

the question. I think my role—and the

role that my site plays in a larger sense—is

not unique to me being an architect. My

task as a human is to make things better; I

just happen to do it through architecture.


phOtOS by bOb bORSON, aia

BeLow: photos from bob borson's blog illustratethe variety of topics covered in his writing.

you hAve useD the PoPuLARIty oF

youR BLoG FoR ChARItABLe

oRGAnIzAtIons heRe In DALLAs.

how hAs soCIAL MeDIA ALLoweD

you to heLP CAsA (CouRt

APPoInteD sPeCIAL ADvoCAtes) AnD

BRInG AttentIon to theIR CAuse?

This year, Dallas CASA will be celebrating

the 20th year of their Parade of

Playhouses event. I have designed

playhouses for them in the past and

always find it completely rewarding. Using

“Life of an Architect” as a digital platform

to garner attention, I decided to start a

playhouse design competition on my site.

I have readers from every single inhabited

place on the planet and, with a simple

request, I was able to get amazing

projects designed and submitted from all

over the world. Over the past four years,

I have received over 1,300 entries from

59 different countries.

ARe theRe otheR tyPes oF BLoGs

you wouLD Be InteResteD In

PuRsuInG BesIDes “LIFe oF An

ARChIteCt”?

No. Writing a blog—at least how I write

it—takes up an amazing amount of my

time. There are very few things that I feel

passionately enough about to put in the

same amount of work it takes to blog. In

addition to writing the articles, I use only my

own photographs and prepare all my own

graphics, and this level of creative work eats

up most of the free time I am willing to give.

The other consideration that I was not

prepared for was what happens when you

actually achieve some level of success when

writing a blog. I spend far more time

responding to comments and emails than I

do preparing content for the site.

you hAve InvesteD MuCh tIMe AnD

LABoR Into “LIFe oF An ARChIteCt.”

whAt hAve Been the Most

RewARDInG AsPeCts oF thIs?

While it has surprisingly turned out to

benefit me professionally, the best is when

you receive an email from someone who

expresses gratitude for the site and shares

how his or her life has been improved as

a result. I initially started “Life of an

Architect” simply as an exercise to learn

something new and it has turned into a

resource for people all over the world.

I’ve had strangers recognize me and ask to

have their pictures taken with me—

something that I find completely shocking.

People have introduced themselves and

broken down into tears as they start

talking about my site and the role it has

played in some aspect of their lives. Their

gratitude has affected me in a profound

manner and has impacted my life in a way

that would have been impossible to

imagine five years ago. �

Interview by Ezra Loh, Assoc. AIA, with Corgan.

56 wiNteR 2015

Bob’s interview continues online toexplore how his blog readers helpdetermine his chosen topics, why he aimsfor non-architect readers, and what hedoes in his spare time.www.aiadallas.org/columns/borson

sPARe tIMe?

… Turning on the TV and lying on the

couch…

ReADInG?

…Books that involve dragons [for his

daughter] … I tend to prefer

autobiographies…

FAvoRIte vACAtIon sPot?

… I am currently writing a blog on the

topic…

phOtOS by bOb bORSON, aia

BeLow: borson's "personal" professional life ison display through photos used in his "Life of anarchitect" blog.

26 wiNteR 2015

profile | Jason Roberts

Jason Roberts is the founder of the Oak Cliff Transit Authority, an originator of the Better Block Project, and co-founder of the Art Conspiracy and Bike Friendly Oak Cliff. His focus on revitalizing inner-city neighborhoods was recognized with a Champions of Change award from the White House in 2012. Jason’s consulting firm, Team BetterBlock, has been widely recognized, including being showcased at the United States Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.

NiChOLaS MCwhiRteR, aia

teLL us ABout youR BACkGRounD.

I grew up in Garland and other towns

around Dallas. From an early age I spent

much of my free time outside, playing in

creeks and exploring nature. I developed

an appreciation for living in harmony with

nature that serves today as a framework

for my wanting to see our cities be livable

with public spaces for everyone to enjoy.

how DID you BeCoMe InteResteD

In uRBAn RevItALIzAtIon?

Some of my early jobs were in the tech

field during the dot-com boom. I

developed websites and I had time in the

evenings to read and study. I began to

read books by Jane Jacobs and blogs on

urbanism, and I became interested in

neighborhood revitalization.

whAt BRouGht you to oAk CLIFF?

After leaving Denton, following time at the

University of North Texas, I wanted to

move to Dallas. East Dallas around White

Rock Lake was too expensive for my

budget, but I found affordable housing in

Oak Cliff. I found some pockets of

burgeoning front-porch communities in

Oak Cliff similar to what Jane Jacobs

described in her books.

how DID you Get InvoLveD As

FounDeR oF the oAk CLIFF tRAnsIt

AuthoRIty?

Using my background in web

development, I built a website for a

concept called Oak Cliff Transit Authority

in 2006. Having the site online for people

to view almost created an illusion that

what was still basically just a concept was

actually a viable organization. We saw that

there was interest in bringing this to

reality, so we incorporated as a non-profit

in 2007. We also began to hold lots of

meetings to get community involvement

about what the Transit Authority could

and should be. The vision became to

revive the Dallas streetcar system, and

our group later spearheaded the city’s

efforts to obtain a $23 million TIGER

stimulus grant from the Federal Transit

Authority to help reintroduce a modern

streetcar system to Dallas. We are very

pleased that the initial 1.6-mile track from

near Union Station to the intersection of

Colorado and Beckley opened this past

spring, and there are plans underway now

to expand the line to Bishop Arts.

how DID the BetteR BLoCk PRoJeCt

DeveLoP FRoM A ConCePt Into

ReALIty?

In 2010, a group of friends created an art

project called Better Block in which we

decided to create our dream

neighborhood block in about a day using

very little money. We never envisioned

the project becoming a national

movement and being part of a larger

trend of citizen-led efforts to rapidly

transform blighted communities around

the world.

On a European vacation I had fallen in

love with city blocks filled with old and

young people, street music, flower shops,

cafés, old buildings, and small

marketplaces. When I returned to Dallas, I

drove around Oak Cliff and saw boarded-

up and vacant buildings, wide streets,

small sidewalks, and little street life. I

commented to a friend, “Why can’t we

have blocks that look like the ones

throughout Europe?” He scoffed, “Let’s be

honest: Dallas will never be Paris.” That

night, I began looking into what was

holding my neighborhood back. I found a

series of ordinances that prohibited or

heavily taxed things that foster amazing

urban blocks. From restrictive zoning


BeLow toP: a building slated for demolition isconverted into a bike shop in akron, Oh.

BeLow: an akron turn lane is converted into aplaza, complete with al fresco seating andlandscaping.

phOtOS by JaSON RObeRtS

rules, parking minimums, exorbitant fees

on café seating, landscaping, and more, I

learned that the ability to have a great

block like those I had seen abroad was

largely forbidden.

We developed a plan that was the

opposite of those found in traditional

planning: Work cheaply and quickly, use

temporary products, break rules, and

focus on action over dialogue. The goal

was simple: Build our dream block in 24

hours using anything at our disposal.

Artists were key, borrowing was

imperative, and the potential of going to

jail was likely. A group of friends and I met

at night in a theater prop warehouse and

began laying out a vision for the block. …

Paint and clean buildings; create bike

lanes; set up outdoor cafés and fruit

stands; string lights across the street;

convert vacant buildings to art galleries,

flower shops, kids’ art studios, and coffee

houses. Lastly, we printed out the

ordinances we were going to break and

hung them in every window. On a Friday

night in April 2010, we began

transforming the block, and by Saturday

morning the street was unveiled.

What we saw that day challenged

everything we’d been told. People walked

to the street, sat outside, drank coffee,

and read newspapers. Flowers hung from

window sills, old men played chess,

children made art in former auto shops,

teens pedaled in freshly painted bike

lanes, residents began volunteering in our

pop-up shops, and musicians appeared

unexpectedly with open guitar cases and

performed on street corners. The street

came roaring back to life. In 24 hours and

with less than $1,000, we built our

dream block and disproved the skeptics.

Most notably, we learned that a vision is

fruitless without action.

whAt hAs hAPPeneD sInCe then

wIth BetteR BLoCk?

The initiative has spread more than we

ever imagined. The project has now

become an international movement,

occurring everywhere from Melbourne,

Australia, to Tehran, Iran, and has been

featured in The New york Times, inDwell magazine, in TED Talks, and on

National Public Radio. Team Better Block

was even showcased in the United States

Pavilion at the Venice Biennale as a part of

its Spontaneous Interventions theme. The

American Society of Landscape Architects

has also given a National Honor Award to

Team Better Block. �

Interview by Nate Eudaly, executive directorof the Dallas Architecture Forum.

28 wiNteR 2015

break rules and focus onaction. a vision is fruitlesswithout action.

The interview with Jason continues online.Find out his leadership in Oak CliffTransit Authority, Bike Friendly Oak Cliffand more.www.aiadallas.org/columns/roberts

LeFt: developed in tandem with the italiancommunity of akron, a pop-up bocce court isinstalled in a temporary plaza.

BeLow: a vacant lot becomes a plaza garden,thanks to keep akron beautiful volunteers.

phOtOS by JaSON RObeRtS

LIstenInG to?

Modern garage rock, ‘60s soul, ‘40s blues.

LIke to wAtCh?

French foreign films. A favorite is Amelie.

stILL on youR BuCket LIst?

See a university open a campus in Oak Cliff.

43colUMns | www.aiadallas.org

Profile | Nan Ellin, Ph.D.

tell us What BRought you to ut

aRlIngton.

I had visited UTA previously and was

super impressed with the faculty, students,

and quality of work. Also the opportunity

to participate in creating a new college

that would partner with one of the most

dynamic urban regions of the world was

one I could not pass up.

sInce youR move fRom utah, hoW

has lIvIng In the dfW metRoplex

Influenced oR shaped youR

peRceptIons aBout the BuIlt

envIRonment?

In Utah, the land is curvy and the streets

are straight, while in DFW the land is

straight and the streets curvy. After living

in valleys for 17 years (Phoenix and Salt

Lake City), the expansive horizon in DFW

is emblematic for me of the BIG thinking

and generosity of spirit here. No longer hemmed in by mountains, I love being

able to stretch my eyes as well as my

understanding about the best way to grow as cities, communities, and individuals. What I’m discovering in DFW is a unique blend of humility, pride, and goodwill as manifest in large gestures, solid teamwork and team spirit, healthy competition, and a shared enthusiasm for achieving goals.

summaRIze the BReadth of youR academIc and pRofessIonal

expeRIence. hoW do these make

you unIquely qualIfIed to lead

the IntegRatIon of the school of aRchItectuRe and the school of uRBan and puBlIc affaIRs?

Odd but true, I’ve held leadership

positions in a school of architecture,

schools of urban planning, and a school of

public affairs. At Arizona State University, I

had the good fortune to work with

President Michael Crow on creating a

brand-new downtown Phoenix campus

for 10,000 students. In the process, I was

asked to move from directing the Ph.D.

program in the College of Design to

founding a new Urban and Metropolitan

Studies Program (in the School of Public

Affairs) on the downtown Phoenix

campus, and then directing the Urban

Planning Program before moving to the

University of Utah to chair its Planning

Department and start a new Urban

Design Program. In addition, my own

work in placemaking, community-building,

and university-community partnerships

has been helpful in co-creating the new

college at UTA.

a distinguished scholar and urban designer, Nan Ellin has much planned during her tenure as dean at theUniversity of Texas at Arlington. Prior to the much-anticipated launch of the new integrated College of Architecture,Planning, and Public Affairs (CAPPA), Columns contributing writer Andrew Moon, AIA sat down with the woman atthe helm to find out more.

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44 WinteR 2016

When most aRchItects oR uRBan

planneRs thInk of gReat

ameRIcan cItIes, neW yoRk,

chIcago, and Boston may ReadIly

come to mInd. hoW does dallas-

foRt WoRth Become a sImIlaRly

gReat cIty?

When I told people I was moving here,

most said, “But there’s no nature there!”

So, I googled Dallas nature, Dallas trails,

Dallas parks, Dallas forests and streams,

etc. And sadly, I found that their

preconceptions seemed justified. Once I

arrived, however, I discovered the Great

Trinity Forest, the Trinity River, River

Legacy Park, tons of trails, lakes, streams,

and much more.

DFW is full of both wild and tamed

nature, but urban growth and

development have not typically

integrates existing proposals. By painting

this big picture for the region—even

naming it—we can work together to

realize it. �

Interview by Andrew Moon, AIA withRaymond Harris & Associates Architects

A review of her new book is also available onthe Critique page.

UniVeRsity oF teXas at aRlington

This interview with Nan Ellin continuesonline to reveal her goals as dean, herdefinition of “Good Urbanism,” and herunique perspective in writing five books.www.aiadallas.org/columns/nan-ellinA review of her book, Good Urbanism, ison the next page.

aBove: the audience listens to Dr. ellin at thecelebratory launch of caPPa at Uta in october.

showcased it, much less allowed nature to inform them. At the recent Urban Summit [sponsored by AIA Dallas, DCFA, the Greater Dallas Planning Council, The Real Estate Council, ULI North Texas, and UTA’s College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs (CAPPA)], I invited Kevin Sloan and Jessie Zarazaga to share their inspired visions for building in harmony with nature [see Columns’ landscape issue, Fall 2015]. In addition, the region could benefit from coordinating the profusion of good ideas. There is tremendous talent and energy here, but sometimes initiatives seem to work at cross purposes and cancel one another out. I’ve been suggesting we “zoom out to zoom in” and craft a synthetic vision for the region that

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20 WinteR 2016

Profile | Zaida Basora, FAIA


When dId you RealIze that you

Wanted to Be an aRchItect?

My parents say I wanted to be an architect

since I was four. I was always attracted to

art and architecture. So, when I graduated

from high school, I went straight to the

School of Architecture at the University of

Puerto Rico. I liked the colorful, historic,

local architecture in Puerto Rico, but I also

appreciated the art and architecture when

I traveled. It has been the right decision.

What motIvated you to move to

texas?

I came to Texas right after I graduated

with my bachelor’s degree because it was

a place of opportunity. At that time, Dallas

was really booming and there was a lot of

development going on in the city. Over

15 high-rise buildings were being built in

downtown in the 1980s! I went to the

University of Texas at Arlington to pursue

my master’s degree and started working

in downtown Dallas in February 1983 at

Dahl, Braden, Chapman Architects.

What InspIRes you as an

aRchItect?

People and nature. I think that it’s all about

the people: how to house people, make

them feel comfortable, and provide

spaces for people to gather. That’s what

architecture is about. I always try to think

about how I would feel when I walk into a

space, including the connection to nature

because it is an important part of our well-

being and how we appreciate space.

hoW and When dId you decIde

you Wanted to WoRk foR the cIty

of dallas? What Was youR

expeRIence When tRansItIonIng

fRom a pRIvate fIRm to a

goveRnment entIty?

I was working in the private sector, had

my four girls, and decided to stay home

for a few years with them and do

freelance work. Around 1995, I was ready

to return to work and the City of Dallas

happened to be hiring. I thought it would

be good to work locally since I was

travelling too much when I was in the

private sector. It was a big transition

because when you work in the private

sector you work for clients; when you

work in the public sector you work as an

owner’s representative, setting and

implementing policy for public work.

What InspIRed you to focus on

the sustaInaBIlIty aspect of ouR

BuIlt envIRonment?

In early 2000, the city was looking to be

more energy-efficient and the LEED rating

system had just been launched. A task

force was formed and I was asked to

participate because I was the program

manager of design and construction for the

city’s existing buildings. So I got involved

and have been involved since then.

What Is youR favoRIte place In

dallas? hoW does thIs space

emBody a “sense of place”?

Trinity Groves, because of its variety of

spaces. In terms of buildings, I would say

the Meyerson Symphony Center. I love

how it mixes the monumental type

building with the intimate experience of

the concert hall.

What WIll Be some of youR

pRIoRItIes as the 2016 pResIdent of

the aIa dallas?

My priorities will include continuing to

establish AIA Dallas as the resource for

architecture matters for Dallas. If there are

public policy issues, the AIA should be

consulted and we should issue a position

statement. Continuing what we have

done this year is going to be really

important: making sure we have a seat at

the table for those conversations.

Number two, making sure that AIA Dallas

remains a relevant organization:

continuing to grow the membership;

giving the membership value from

education, networking, and professional

practice issues; and making a difference in

the community through advocacy. �

Interview by Anita Delgado, AIA, projectarchitect with Corgan

she is a leader, influencer, and sustainability advocate who has been actively engaged in the sustainableevolution of the city through her work in design, planning, and public policy. Zaida Basora, Faia is theassistant director of public works for the city of Dallas and the 2016 president of aia Dallas. she has beeninstrumental in the implementation of Dallas’ green Building code resulting in over 40 sustainable and high-performing city facilities. she was elevated to the aia college of Fellows in 2012. Just days before celebrating20 years serving the city of Dallas, Zaida discussed her career, as well as her plans for aia Dallas in 2016.

For the complete interview with Zaida,including the accomplishments that bringher the most pride, her advice to women ina male-dominated industry, and herfavorite green project, visitwww.aiadallas.org/columns/zaida.

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Profile | Jack and John Matthews

matthews southwest (msW)has transformed the south side ofdowntown Dallas. Its positiveimpact on our urban fabric is mostevident on lamar street south of I-30, where nearly every building onthe 45 acres has been built, re-developed, or made possible byJack Matthews and his team, whichnow includes his son, JohnMatthews. MsW also developedthe omni Dallas conventioncenter hotel and the tribute, a1,500-acre mixed-use communityon lake lewisville in the colony.the firm’s largest project is theBow, a 2-million-square-footheadquarters designed by Foster+ Partners for encanacorporation in calgary, Alberta,canada. nate eudaly, hon. AIADallas visited with Jack and John tolearn more about how these twovisionary leaders from twogenerations have shaped Dallas—and what they hope to achievegoing forward.

Where did you groW uP? What

aCtiVities did you enJoy? hoW did

you start in the real estate

deVeloPment Business?

JAcK: I was born and grew up in London,

Ontario, Canada. I played football and

hockey, ran cross-country and wrestled. At

16, I began working for my father’s

construction company, and then attended

the University of Western Ontario, where

I earned an undergrad degree in

economics and an MBA. I joined my

family’s construction company while

finishing my degree and I became

president of the firm at age 27. In 1988, I

founded Matthews Southwest to provide

an American presence in the development

business.

John: I grew up in Dallas, played hockey,

and attended SMU. I had an aptitude for

math, and taught algebra in Mississippi for

several years. I then worked on staff with

Teach for America. About four years ago, I

joined Matthews Southwest.

Steve

Text Box

When starting msW, Why did you

seleCt dallas instead of

houston or another u.s. City?

JAcK: I was given the task of finding a

place to invest about half of the

company’s assets. I was asked to find a

market that spoke the same language, had

pretty much the same business ethics, and

was a direct flight away. I looked at a

number of cities, but Dallas seemed to

have the best prospects for growth and its

economy was more diversified than

Houston’s, so I chose Dallas.

[South Side on Lamar was one of

MSW’s initial hallmark projects. To Jack,

the opportunity to buy the historic Sears

building on Lamar Street was compelling

from the start, as it helped transform the

area. MSW recently announced that it has

also bought the Dallas High School

building at Pearl and Bryan streets. The

property—also known as Crozier Tech—

has been vacant since the 1990s. The plan

is to convert the 6-acre property on the

eastern edge of downtown Dallas into a

mixed-use project starting with office and

retail space.]

Why did you Buy Crozier teCh

and What are your oBJeCtiVes for

the site?

JAcK: The history of the place and all the

connections to people—it was interesting

to me. From a business point of view, it is

5.4 acres of land in downtown Dallas,

which is a rare opportunity. I hope to

bring the high school back to its former

glory with some great office space and to

also create a public space where people

can gather in restaurants and attractive

retail. The site offers some good

opportunities for additional buildings, but

those designs will be respectful of the

original design of the high school.

hoW Can the greater dallas area

Create a more liVaBle urBan

enVironment? [sustainable urbandesign is important to MsW. the nYloDallas south side was redesigned sothat the 102 year old building receivedleeD gold certification—the firsthistoric hotel in Dallas to receive thisrating. Matthews southwest andarchitects 5g studio collaborativeworked together to renovate thestructure in order to attain thedesignation. the omni conventioncenter hotel also received leeD goldcertification. Matthews southwestmakes it a priority to create projectsthat enhance their neighborhoods andrespect the surrounding environments.]JAcK: We need to continue to fill in the

gaps. When I moved here, we had

pockets of urban life such as Deep Ellum,

but they were not connected to the rest

of the city. We need to continue to bring

them all together to maximize the city’s

potential.

John: We are doing a lot of the right

things. Some examples are Better Blocks,

developing the urban core, and the work

here on South Side. We need to increase

density throughout Dallas. The CityDesign

Studio and the Urban Design Peer Review

Panel are key elements to achieve this,

and I think this is a priority for the younger

generation of Dallas residents.

What Was your main motiVation

in helPing to fund the Pegasus

renoVation?

[Pegasus has been an iconic Dallas symbol

since the flying red horse was installed

atop the Magnolia Building in 1934, two

years before the Texas Centennial. Today

the Pegasus atop the Magnolia is a replica,

installed in 2000. Jeff West, former

director of the Sixth Floor Museum,

worked with MSW before his passing in

2012. He suggested that MSW should

help restore the original Pegasus. Jack

agreed and provided key funding for the

project, which now sits on an oil derrick

near the entrance to the Omni.]

JAcK: It was the right thing to do. I did it

as a tribute to Jeff and to give the city a

present that is such an integral part of its

history. �

Nate Eudaly, Hon. AIA Dallas is the executivedirector of the Dallas Architecture Forum.

Find out more about this father and son’swork together, including what futureopportunities await Dallas and whatadvice they both give to the nextgeneration. More photos of some of theirprojects are there, too.www.aiadallas.org/columns/fatherandson

46 sPRIng 2016

MsW

BeloW left: one well-known MsW project in Dallas is south side onlamar. BeloW right: Jack Matthews was instrumental in returning thebeloved and iconic Pegasus to public view outside omni Dallas hotel.

oMnI DAllAs hotel

Steve

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Profile | Laurel Stone, AIA

When you graduated from

sChool, Why did you Choose to

moVe to dallas?

My main motivation after college was to live

close to my family. I had always planned for

Dallas to be a starting point where I would

gain experience before moving to another

city. It turned out that the opportunities and

life I built have, quite happily, kept me here.

is it diffiCult to reCruit talented

young PeoPle to dallas? and if

so, Why?

It depends on where the talent is being

recruited from, but for the most part, yes.

Most of the new graduates we recruit

move to Dallas for the same family

reasons I did. I felt in school that we were

taught to seek out firms in big cities like

New York, Chicago, LA, or abroad. In

reality, I think there are a lot more

opportunities in rapidly growing cities like

Dallas where it’s also possible to live on

an intern’s income. I feel like the potential

in Dallas is more apparent to young talent

after a few years elsewhere.

laurel stone, aia has been working at 5g studio collaborative for the last 10 years and was promoted toprincipal a year ago. she has emerged as one of the leaders in a growing firm by being herself: hardworking,diligent, and determined. her experiences and risks early in her career have led her down a path to be one ofthe young leaders in Dallas.

colUMns | www.aiadallas.org 51

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52 sPRIng 2016

your Career has alloWed you to

Work at Both an estaBlished

large firm, Corgan, and a neW

small firm, 5g studio When it Was

only a year old. hoW Were those

first years at 5g different from

your exPerienCe at Corgan?

Corgan was my first full-time job out of

school and I loved working there. Even to

this day I fall back on training I received in

my time there. Corgan was very

structured in the responsibilities and the

tasks I was given. For me, it was a great

learning environment for someone with

little experience since there is a lot of

guidance and mentorship along the way.

5G was a start-up and they had

projects that needed people to manage

them. I got the opportunity to really dive

in and be involved in all aspects of those

projects with minimal experience. It was a

little more “fly by the seat of your pants,”

but I saw it as a challenge and really

enjoyed that. I’ll admit that I didn’t always

know what I was doing, but it forced me

to figure things out quickly and learn from

my mistakes.

Why did you deCide to take a JoB

at 5g When it Was still

Considered a start-uP?

I found out about the job through an

architecture school classmate and didn’t

really think it through, to be perfectly

honest. I took the interview on a whim. I

liked the casual environment and I liked

the people. I felt like it was where I

belonged. I was also drawn to the idea of

working on smaller projects from start to

finish. I was working on large projects at

Corgan that take years to see through

and have large teams working on them. I

wanted to be an integral part of the entire

design process, which was easier to do at

a small firm. A lot of people told me it

was silly decision. That it wasn’t a stable

option and that I’d be out of a job during

the recession. A lot of people questioned

it, but I really didn’t. I followed my gut.

And it worked out.

you haVe had a lot of suCCess By

a Very young age in your Career.

What are some of the key

faCtors in your suCCess?

One key is that I did the five-year degree,

so I started working very young. I was

also very aggressive in getting licensed as

soon as I was eligible. My mindset has

always been that if you’re not learning,

you’re not growing, so anytime I started

to feel stagnant in what I was doing, I’d

vocalize that to the partners and they’d

always respond with new challenges or

responsibilities. Those are rare occasions

though; I typically have more than

enough on my plate.

sinCe Being Promoted to

PrinCiPal, What neW PersPeCtiVe

do you Bring to the taBle in the

leadershiP of the firm?

In the 10 years I’ve worked there, 5G has

quadrupled in size. As a result, with the

partners out of the office more often, I

tend to be the day-to-day presence for

help in the office and the liaison with the

younger employees.

there is alWays a lot of talk

aBout the shifting dynamiCs

eaCh generation Brings to the

WorkPlaCe, and millennials are

definitely Causing some

disCussion on this toPiC.

teChniCally, you fall in the CusP

of the millennial generation, do

you identify as a millennial?

I think the mindset of our parents’

generation was that work was just that—

work—and that you don’t get paid to love

what you do, it’s just a bonus if it works

out that way. The millennial generation

wants to love what they do and feel

fulfilled by their jobs. I think I’m

somewhere in between. There are plenty

of days in which I don’t love what I do

and I think about changing paths, but in

the end I always know I’m going to stick

with it. I’m pretty conservative in my

decision-making and don’t consider

myself much of a risk-taker. I also

wouldn’t say that I’ve kept up with

millennials on the technology and social

media front, but I’m getting better at it.

What do you like to do in your

free time to try to maintain a

Work-life BalanCe?

I’ve gotten much better this year about

leaving work at work and not answering

emails from home or on weekends. I

swim with the Dallas Aquatic Masters

team several times a week, and try to get

out of the city on weekends as often as I

can with my husband.

lastly, What ProJeCt has Brought

you the most Pride and Why?

The Omni Hotel because it consumed

three years of my life. It’s the most

involved I’ve ever been on a large project

from the very start to the very end and

was a great learning experience all

around. We’ve also got a great view of it

from our office. �

Interview by Jenny Thomason, AIA, with 5GStudio Collaborative.

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For more on Laurel Stone’s perspective onyoung professionals’ impact, approach towork, and interest in Dallas, see thecontinuation of this interview.www.aiadallas.org/columns/laurelstone.

Steve

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Profile | Judge Clay Jenkins

the tornadoes that damaged many

parts of north texas in December

2015 left hundreds without homes

and claimed several lives. In what

ways did the surrounding

communities respond to the

devastation? What steps were taken

to assist with the immediate

response to the event?

We had a large number of community

groups and volunteers assist in the

aftermath cleanup of the tornadoes.

Volunteer organizations like Red Cross and

VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in

Disaster) came together to provide

temporary shelter and assist with

immediate repairs like tarping roofs and

mitigating debris. It is similar to the

dynamics of a family. When a member of

your family is hurt or injured unexpectedly,

it brings the rest of the family together. No

matter what the event may be, it is

important to establish trust and

communication within the community so

that in times of devastation people will look

to you to provide leadership and guidance.

You have to work together collaboratively

through these sorts of things and treat

everyone like you would want to be

treated if you were in the same situation.

There was the “resiliency of the people”

that involved the response from people in

our immediate area, but also those from

both East and West Texas who came in and

wanted to help. We had volunteer groups

like the Baptist Men from as far away as

Georgia and South Carolina provide

assistance and expertise and supplies and

feed people with giant trucks of food.

As head of the county, what are

some of the responsibilities you and

your team are tasked with?

When it comes to both public health and

mental health responsibilities, Dallas, like

most cities here in the United States, has

ceded that role to the county. Therefore,

mosquito-borne illnesses like Zika and

West Nile, or even Ebola fall under the

responsibility of the county. From a

governmental body standpoint, there is a

heavy county focus on public health, but

that rarely stands alone. There are mental

health issues that must be looked at as

well. Take “Tent City” for example. Those

who live outside of the city limits might

say the homeless individuals are the City

of Dallas’ responsibility. However a lot of

those individuals suffer from mental illness

as well and that’s where the county steps

in. There is no money in the City of

Dallas’ budget to assist those with mental

illness; it’s the responsibility of the county.

32 sUMMeR 2016

Dallas County Judge clay Jenkins began his first term in office January1, 2011. A native to the DFW area, he and his office have been involvedin issues including Dallas public health, transportation, education reform,and security. Responsible for county disaster recovery and emergencypreparedness, Jenkins has had to lead the charge against several keyevents that Dallas county has faced in recent years. These efforts haveaffected Dallas county on both a local and international scale—fromextreme weather destruction to national health-related viruses likeebola and West nile. An advocate for public health, Jenkins wasawarded the Millard J. and Robert l. heath Award for his commitment,leadership, and service to the community. columns met Judge Jenkins atthe county Judge offices in the West end to discuss the ways he hasdealt with issues impacting the growth and resilience of Dallas.

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the ebola virus presented a public

health scare for over six weeks here in

Dallas. how did you and the team you

assembled deal with the issues at

hand? how did you deal with the

public at large?

We have to be prepared for the

unexpected. We reached out to our friends

at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

who we had worked with closely during the

West Nile virus epidemic in Dallas back in

2012. I was asked by CDC Director Tom

Frieden to take charge of the crisis here in

Dallas. That night, we literally had to create

the incident command structure for Ebola

on a whiteboard because at the time there

was not one in the United States. The

problem with emergencies is the next

emergency you face is not the same as the

previous one. There was a fear amongst

people. As a leader in charge, you have to

remain calm because people are scared and

in fear and the most important thing you

can do is to communicate.

As Dallas continues its progress to

becoming a world-class city, what other

vital issues are we focused on improving?

I think it gets down to one thing and that is

what kind of city do you want to be? When

compared to other cities across the globe,

we have shown our resilience as a city.

Geographically, Dallas is not situated next to

an ocean or the plain between mountains. It

is here because people built it. They chose

to build in North Texas and because of that

we now attract talent from all over the

world. We have a diverse economy within

an urban context that is unique to this region

of Texas. There is a huge need for urban

planning ideas and initiatives as we tackle

these issues. We have a TXDOT-led

initiative called the Dallas CityMAP that is

looking at the urban core and the role the

surrounding highway system should play in

quality of life and economic development,

not just connecting people and places along

these roadway corridors. Their engineers

are looking at the cost analysis of additional

deck parks across downtown freeways like I-

30 and the impacts of taking down highways

like I-345. These studies will improve

regional mobility and safety, improve

neighborhood quality of life, and enhance

economic development. �

Interview by Ezra Loh, Assoc. AIA with Corgan.


WANT MORE?In an expanded online interview, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins describes what partarchitects play in the city’s vitality, and how the Dallas Independent School District figuresinto our future, and offers interesting insights from his insider point-of-view.www.aiadallas.org/columns/jenkins

BeloW: A sampling of Judge Jenkins' Twitterfeeds (@JudgeclayJ) illustrates the diversity of hisjob some days.

1. 13 nov 2015 - look who I ran into @Whitehouse Fmr sec of state Madeleine Albright who our daughter is named after ☺

2. 23 sep 20153. Feb 25, 2015- let’s get ready to rumble @MsnBc @chrisJansin

4. TcU Advising corps @TcU_cAc – Apr 5 Dallas county Judge clay Jenkins @JudgeclayJ declared it Recognition Day for national service in Dallas county!

5. 31 Dec 2015 - A resident’s kayak business and rental properties were in the tornado’s path @RowlettTexas @femaregion6 @TDeM

6. 30 Dec 2015 - glass blown out of this work van parked in front of a flattened house in @garlandtxgov @fema @tdem

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2

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5 6

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PhoTos By clAy JenKIns

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38 sUMMeR 2016

Profile | Michael Hellinghausen, AIA

michael hellinghausen, AIA is a principal and the coo/cFo of oMnIPlAn, a 60-year-old multi-disciplinary Dallas practice. Mike has been a speaker in TxA conventions for several years, leading seminarsand workshops on the management of design firms. he also writes about the business side of design on his“From Blueprints to greenbacks” blog. Mike is currently the treasurer for the Texas society of Architects andhe recently spoke to columns about his career choice, his role at oMnIPlAn, and the Dallas business anddesign landscape.

omnIPlAn has proven to be

resilient over different economic

cycles, architectural trends, and

through generations of partners. not

only has the firm been resilient, but

it has received recognition from

peers in the profession,

demonstrated by several awards,

including two Firm of the Year

awards from the txA and AIA

Dallas, five 25-Year Awards, and

dozens of design awards. As

Coo/CFo, how do you enable the

firm to keep its sharp design focus

while keeping it on sound financial

ground?

It can certainly be a tug-of-war, but my

point of view is that sound financial

management frees us to focus on the

quality of our work. When a firm cannot

maintain consistent or robust profitability,

the negative consequences can snowball

and distract the firm’s leaders from the

work at hand. Our management model

may be a bit different than other firms—I

oversee virtually all the firm’s operations

and finance, which frees up my partners

to focus on projects and business

development. Granted, that implies a high

level of trust and communication at the

leadership level, which I believe we have.

That said, it’s also cultural. We are

fortunate to have a 60-year history of

relentless focus on design, so in some

way, it’s in our DNA. During that time,

we’ve seen many economic cycles and

many leadership transitions. I think we’ve

learned how to manage both.

how does resiliency relate to a firm's

leadership and how does omnIPlAn

train its future leaders?

That’s always evolving, but we try to identify

leaders early, coaching and grooming them

for leadership, giving them time to make

mistakes before it’s for keeps, and then

getting out of their way. There’s another

quote that I like by a CEO of a large

corporation—“I hire the best people, and

then I leave them alone.” It doesn’t always

work. Sometimes they never catch fire and

sometimes they leave for greener

pastures; but most people will respond to

being acknowledged as leaders—and they

appreciate gaining more control of their

own fate. One huge mistake that firms

make is waiting until senior leaders are

ready to retire before identifying their

replacements. At that point, it’s too late.

I suspect that there must be a good

story behind the omnIPlAn name

… Am I right?

There is a good story! Part of it had to do

with becoming a corporation in the early

1970s and part of it was a recognition that

the firm was evolving beyond the first

generation founders, but the best part is

that the name was meant to convey a firm

that offered all disciplines in the A/E

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profiles, reprinted from 'columns' magazine

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