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Who or what was your biggest inspiration to pursue a career in Architecture? 

Two things stand out to me: 

WHO: First is WHO inspired me.  At an early age I had a mentor Paul Clayton who taught mechanical drafting and architectural design courses at my high school. I took 4 semesters of courses with him and fell in love with the idea of being an architect, until I realized how much schooling and internships were involved. I was daunted by the time, cost and effort needed to become an architect, especially since I would be paying my own way.  Additionally, my grades in other subjects were not great and my guidance counselor said I did not have the discipline or temperament for a 4–5-year program, and thus recommended a 2-year college to start. 

WHAT: Secondly is WHAT inspired me: Under Mr. Clayton’s guidance, my class entered an AIA-NJ high school design competition, and I won first place. That was 1988 and it was enough to give me the confidence to ignore my guidance counselor and apply to multiple schools (most of which I was accepted into with scholarships).  

One could say that AIA-NJ is responsible for my decision to pursue a career in Architecture due to the high school design competition they ran. I am not sure if they still have it, but they should. Having a mentor like Mr. Clayton early was also a huge factor. 

What has surprised you the most about the architecture profession?  

The biggest surprise to me has been how much we, as architects, touch upon: The profession affects (and is affected by) politics, art, music, science, history, engineering, industry, pop culture, technology, and the reality of limited resources on a finite planet. I never grasped the breadth and depth of our influence on these things at first.  After entering the profession, sustainability became particularly important to me, because I had the sense that the industry did not understand the impact our profession has on the environment,  

What has been your favorite part of being an Architect, or working in the profession?  

Making 3D Art (Architecture). One of my biggest thrills is walking through a building as it is taking shape and then seeing it finished after months (or years) of talking/looking at it on paper and/or a computer screen.  My favorite part, of course, is the opportunity to leave this planet better than I found it through creating Architecture that is environmentally responsible and healthy for both people and the planet. 

What was the best advice you have ever been given? 

“Don’t listen to what other people tell you…. believe in yourself and your intuition.” That was what my high school art teacher, Dr Boyle, said to me. I have been told I wasn’t smart enough for this type of career, that I didn’t have the right temperament or discipline to go to a long college program, that I wasn’t going to be able to make it financially on my own to pay my way through college, that I wouldn’t be able to find a job when I graduated and that my idea of creating sustainable buildings on conventional budgets was not possible. However, at this point in my career and life, it is safe to say I have proven all my critics wrong. Stick to your guns!  

What would you say was the best career move or decision you have made?  

Starting my own firm. For eighteen years I worked for other people, making them successful and prominent in the world of sustainable design, but never received the advancement or pay I thought I deserved, (nor the freedom to pursue sustainable design to the level I thought we should). I started my own small residential practice in 2003 while working for a firm that did not design residential projects and finally, in 2013, I officially went out on my own. It took time to build a client base and feel secure enough to make that leap, but I am not sure I could work for someone else now after having been my own boss for so long and enjoying the flexibility, freedom, and financial benefits it has brought. Being my own boss is not without headaches and having to do things I really do not like. However, the pros tend to outweigh the cons.  

What was the worst advice you were given? 

Aside from my high school guidance counselor telling me to not apply to architecture school, the other negative advice I got was from a principal at a prior firm I worked for who said the firm could not design sustainable buildings within conventional budgets. 

If you could go back in time, would you still choose to be an Architect?  

Without a doubt. This profession is a perfect blend of the arts, science, history, and genuine creativity. It is a career that is always fun, exciting, and different with every client. 

 Knowing what you know now, would you have done anything differently on your career path if you had the opportunity? 

I would have gone out on my own sooner. I feel like I spent too many years working for someone else to build them up and make them better only to be thought of as replaceable or expendable at the end of the day, (neither of which I am of course.) 
 
What (if any) sacrifices have you made to get where you are today? 

My biggest sacrifice has been the long hours working on projects, taking time away from friends and family. I have given a lot of my time to the practice of sustainable architecture. Work/life balance is one of the hardest things for architects to achieve because we are passionate about what we do. I do not work to live, as many people do. I tend to live to work because I love what I do.  

Where do you find design inspiration? 

Nature. I am a huge fan of Biophilic design and find Nature to be awe-inspiring when you stop to really look at its many natural structures, forms, and how they can be applied to the built environment. The idea of buildings being like trees.  Writings by William McDonough and Frank Llyod Wright have always been inspiring to me, setting me on a path of sustainable design early in my thinking and career. When I read “Lord of the Rings” I saw it as a bit of an environmental story.  The seed of the idea of Stewardship was planted in my head from a famous quote that has guided pretty much every design decision I have made in the profession:  

“The rule of no realm is mine. But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, those are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail of my task, if anything passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I also am a steward. Did you not know?” ― Gandalf, J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King.  

If more people acted like stewards of this planet, we would have a very different world.  

What part of the design process (from pre-design through construction) that you enjoy the most? 

This is hard to answer because I like all parts. The pre-design/schematic design phase is the most fun to me because it is true creativity and idea making. However, I also love to ‘geek out’ on the design development and construction document stages where the details, technologies and professions all come together to make the idea real. As noted earlier, true joy is at the end of it all, when I walk through my 3D Art and see the finished product take shape.  

Can you share with us some challenges you faced, that left you with wisdom that could be shared with others? 

Having spent the first 18 years of my career working on mostly public sector projects (schools, universities, and municipal projects), budget and schedule were always the drivers. Every conversation in my career on sustainable design always came back to the same answer: if it impacted the schedule or budget, it was not possible. So, I learned how to integrate sustainable design within those constraints. How do you do that? First take advantage of all the things that do not cost money, such as proper orientation of the building for natural daylighting, shading, ventilation, and views. Second, utilize the most efficient systems possible within the budget for everything from the building envelope, material choices, HVAC, lighting, and controls. Third, integrate renewable energy into the building design, instead of applying it after the fact, such as solar into the actual façade or roof materials. Lastly, look at the project holistically and integrate these elements to work together seamlessly. By doing this, we have created LEED Gold, WELL Gold, Net Zero energy/water/waste/human impact projects on time and within conventional budgets for a variety of market sectors and clients. 

What skills have you developed in your architectural journey that you have been able to apply to other aspects of your life?  

Integrative/ holistic thinking, critical problem solving, creative writing, public speaking, listening, appreciation for attention to details, and working as a team.  

What is your favorite type of project to work on?  

Renovation/adaptive reuse/historic preservation projects…they are technically challenging and force you to be highly creative in working with existing constraints. These types of projects also allow for a fair amount of creativity if it involves an addition/new construction combined with reimagining the existing building.  

The most sustainable building is the one that is never built, especially when factoring in embodied carbon, so I have focused a lot on existing buildings in my career as they are more sustainable to renovate than to build new in most cases, (however I have enjoyed working on some very exciting new buildings as well.)   

Could you share with us examples of specific projects you have worked on that you are proud of, or that have impacted you? 

In chronological order:  

• Thomas Edison State University Addition a preservation & adaptive reuse  

• • Project Coordinator at DF Gibson Architects  

• UMDNJ/ now Rutgers Dental School  

• • Project Manager at DF Gibson Architects 

• Microsoft School of the Future - LEED Gold certified  

• • Director of Sustainable Design at the Prisco Group  

• TD Bank LEED Prototype and Net Zero energy branch - LEED Gold & Platinum certified  

• • Director of Sustainability at Spiezle Group  

• Christina Seix Academy ground up new 60-acre sustainable K-8 campus  

• • Multiple LEED certifications  

• Director of Sustainability at Spiezle Group  

• • The Richard Holcombe House (my home), renovation, preservation, and addition to become an off-grid/solar powered, healthy, environmentally responsible farmstead 

• Architect of Record with my own firm, Designs for Life 

What do you think is the most significant issue currently affecting our profession?  

Climate Change, hands down, is the biggest threat and opportunity. Buildings are responsible for 40% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the US.  In places like NYC, that number jumps to 70%. The way we have designed, built, powered, heated, and cooled our buildings to date has been less than responsible. The profession has come to grips with this (in large part thanks to AIA leadership nationally), but there is a long way to go to truly fix the problems with the design, construction and operations of buildings that contribute largely to climate change.  

Where would you like to see yourself professionally in five years? In ten?  

Currently, I am a very small firm with several consultants working with me to produce projects. I would like to grow to have a full-time staff of about 10 to 15 and expand the size, scope, and reach of sustainable projects by including development and design/build in the next five years. In 10 years, I hope to still be doing what I love: designing and developing sustainable communities and buildings across the country and even Globally... or on Mars! 

 How do you stay relevant in an ever-changing profession? 

Always look for what’s coming next. I often ask myself: what is the next wave of innovation so I can try to get ahead of it. Sustainable design (focused on mitigating climate change) was that wave for me 20 years ago and much of what I have been doing as a best practice is now becoming the norm or code.  So, I must up my game, which is why my firm has been focusing on net zero energy, water, waste, and human impact projects. Health and wellness are the current wave and Covid brought that into sharp focus for many. We continue to expand our services to offer things like LEED and WELL certifications, specialty services (like building envelope commissioning) to other professionals and clients. We continue to reach out to educate the profession and public on best sustainable practices. Now I am looking at AI and how to leverage it responsibly in the profession to create even more sustainable results in a cost effective, resource efficient, and healthy manner.  

If you could only have 3 books, which would they be?  

Lord of the Rings (I am cheating here in thinking of the entire trilogy as one story) (J.R.R. Tolkien), Organic Architecture (Frank Lloyd Wright), The Lorax (Dr. Seuss).

 How has being involved with the AIA impacted you personally, and professionally?  

Personally, as mentioned, it was the AIA-NJ high school design competition that gave me the confidence to pursue a path in architecture despite what I was being told by others at the time. From there, I was involved with AIAS in college at NJIT, becoming the chapter president my third year and staying involved throughout college. AIAS provided the opportunity to hone my leadership/people skills, get to know the profession better, meet practicing professionals, and travel to conferences and events I would have otherwise not been able to attend. Similarly, AIA-NJ allows me to continue that growth in leadership, people skills, meeting other professionals and learning from my colleagues. I also have the opportunity to share knowledge with others while sharpening my public speaking and presentation skills. Most importantly, AIA-NJ provides us with a platform to have our voice heard collectively at the local, State and Federal levels on critical issues like climate change, environmental justice, health & wellness, and basic integration of beauty, art, and nature with the built environment. Personally, AIA has helped me grow as an individual, educator, leader, and responsible designer. Professionally, AIA-NJ has helped me promote the importance of sustainable design and to make a career out of practicing it.  

If you had one message you wanted to share with the Central New Jersey community, what would it be?  

Thank you! I have had the good fortune of doing something I love, surrounded by colleagues at AIA-NJ, many of whom have become friends, in a spirit of camaraderie that is rarely seen in other professions, I have received continued support and encouragement to pursue what I am most passionate about, sustainable design.