Growing up I had three core people speak into my life. An architect, a builder, and a developer. Having a developer father, general contractor step-father, and architect as mentor growing up meant I lived out the OAC contract by osmosis. Profession was how I was able to make sense of the world–and entrepreneurship a way of life.
In Alamo Heights, Texas there exists a partnership so compelling to me as a young person that I changed the trajectory of my life to understand it. I am speaking about the Overland Partners, who’s mission is to model how we should live and influencing the world through our practice of Architecture.
In 2012 I finally had the opportunity to work with my mentors there, and it shocked me. I did not understand the depth of love for the built environment that would be required to relentlessly pursue Architecture. One time Mr. Jones telling me that he wouldn’t bill the current effort to the client because he thought we could do better!
Coming from a development family, I did not understand the lack of wealth in architecture. Mr. Winn one time taking me aside, empathetically, that talking about my vacation to the Bahamas might be rather insensitive, as many laboring in Architecture cannot afford such a luxury. I now have to cope with thoughts of “What if we just did design-build so everyone can have value” and “Why don’t architects simply develop their own deals”.
By 2013, My 3rd year of Arch School, my studio coursework likely looked very bizarre to the UTSOA faculty. I was constantly worried about parking ratios and figuring out how to have exceptionally well designed commodity buildings.
My life mission might be: How can we care both for the deep love we need for the built environment, and profit while doing it?