I STARTED MY CAREER IN CHICAGO AT C.F. MURPHY ASSOCIATES, WHERE I WORKED ON A
LOT OF PRESENTATION DRAWINGS AND IN THE SHOP ON PRESENTATION MODELS. I
ALSO DID A LOT OF INK HAND-DRAFTING OF "STANDARD DETAILS" (ITEMS LIKE EXIT
STAIRS, RAILING SYSTEMS, ETC.)... LEARNING WHAT A DETAIL DRAWING NEEDS TO SAY TO
BE OF VALUE TO A CONTRACTOR.
THE POOR ECONOMY IN THE 70's DICTATED THAT I LEAVE CHICAGO TO FOLLOW MY BOSS,
JOHN NOVACK, DOWN TO TULSA, OKLAHOMA WHERE HE WAS STARTING URBAN
DESIGN GROUP (OFFICES NOW LOCATED IN ATLANTA AND DALLAS). WE STARTED U.D.G. AS A GROUP OF
THREE INTERNS AND JOHN... WORKING ON A LARGE MULTI-USE DEVELOPMENT CALLED THE WILLIAMS CENTER.
I LOOK BACK AT THOSE BUSY TIMES WITH A GREAT DEAL OF SATISFACTION. I LEARNED A
LOT ABOUT THE PROFESSION, AND DEVELOPED A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE ABOUT MY
ABILITIES... THANKS, JOHN.
AFTER THREE YEARS, I RETURNED TO CHICAGO. AT PERKINS & WILL, I WORKED ON
HIGHRISE OFFICE BUILDINGS, A DELTA AIRLINES TERMINAL EXPANSION AT O'HARE, AND
LARGE UNIVERSITY PROJECTS FOR THE MIDDLE EAST. THE UNITED STATES
CONSIDERED IRAQ AND SAUDI ARABIA TO BE CLOSE ALLIES, AND THE LARGEST PROJECTS IN
THE FIRM AT THAT TIME WERE BEING DESIGNED FOR THE MIDDLE EAST. THE PROJECT
SHOWN IS SALAHALDEEN UNIVERSITY... ONE OF TWO IRAQI UNIVERSITIES DESIGNED BY A
STAFF LED BY WILL REUTER, A WALTER NETCHE DISCIPLE. LOTS OF MODELS AND
DRAWINGS... BUT NEVER BUILT.
CLICK TO VIEW NORTHWEST FIRM COLLABORATIONS...
IN 1984, I MOVED TO SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. AT BNMR ARCHITECTS (NOW BASSETTI
ARCHITECTS), I LEARNED A MUCH "SOFTER" ARCHITECTURAL STYLE, A LOT ABOUT WOOD
DETAILING, AND A LOT ABOUT PUTTING TOGETHER A 62-STORY OFFICE BUILDING. I
ENJOYED BEING A JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES FOR THAT FIRM... STAFF DESIGNER, PROJECT JOB
CAPTAIN, MODEL BUILDER, AND ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHER. I ALSO LEARNED HOW
TO USE AUTOCAD THERE. MY PROJECT LOAD INCLUDED HIGH-RISE APARTMENT AND
OFFICE BUILDINGS, PROPOSALS FOR A CIVIC CENTER, AN AQUARIUM, AND A MATH-SCIENCE
BUILDING BUILT FOR LAKESIDE SCHOOL (WHERE PAUL ALLEN AND BILL GATES FIRST
LEARNED TO TINKER WITH COMPUTERS).
AFTER A SEVEN YEAR MOVE TO SAN DIEGO, I RETURNED TO SEATTLE TO JOIN OSKA
ARCHITECTS (NOW OLSON / KUNDIG) IN 2001. MY JOB DESCRIPTION AT THIS STAGE OF MY
CAREER WAS JOB CAPTAIN / CAD MANAGER. I SPENT HALF OF MY HOURS MANAGING A
STAFF OF OVER 60 CAD USERS, AND I HELPED INTRODUCE THE FIRM TO THE USE OF
COMPUTER MODELS. MY OTHER HOURS WERE SPENT ON PRESENTATION DRAWINGS,
MODELS, AND CDs FOR SCHOOLS AND LARGE RESIDENCES. THE EDUCATIONAL PROJECT AT THE LEFT IS A
SCIENCE BUILDING FOR WHATCOM COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
COMMERCIAL PROJECTS SUMMARY...
I JOINED NTD ARCHITECTS - SAN DIEGO AS A PROJECT DESIGNER / JOB CAPTAIN IN 1995 AND
EVENTUALLY BECAME THEIR CAD MANAGER. I STARTED OUT ON THE "HOSPITAL SIDE",
WORKING WITH DESIGN PARTNER KIT ASHLEY ON SEVERAL PROJECTS FOR PARADISE VALLEY
HOSPITAL, AND THEN MOVED TO THE "SCHOOL SIDE", WORKING ON ELEMENTARY AND HIGH
SCHOOLS WITH JON BAKER AND RICH NOWICKI. ALONG WITH JAY WHISENANT
(PRODUCTION HEAD FOR THE FIRM) WE DEVELOPED CAD TECHNIQUES FOR
DOCUMENTING COMPLICATED MULTI-PHASE SCHOOL RENOVATION WORK USING THE ADDITION OF "AS-BUILT" AND
"NEW-WORK" AUTOCAD BASE DRAWINGS TO DESCRIBE WHAT WAS TO STAY AFTER DEMOLITION
AND WHAT WAS TO BE ADDED.
AS I MENTIONED IN THE RESIDENTIAL PROJECT SUMMARY, I'VE COLLABORATED WITH KEVIN
SCANLAN (SCANLAN DESIGN) SINCE 1995. THE COMMERCIAL PROJECT SHOWN AT THE LEFT IS
A BIOLOGICS MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN SAN DIEGO. KEVIN AND I HAVE COMPLETED DESIGN PRESENTATIONS AND
CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION FOR SEVERAL RENOVATIONS AT THIS FACILITY. THE
COMPUTER MODEL IMAGE YOU SEE WAS "STRETCHED" FROM THE 2D FLOOR PLANS
OF SEVERAL BUILDINGS TO CREATE A 3D DRAWING PRESENTATION FOR THE COMPANIES MARKETING PROGRAM.
CLICK TO VIEW MIDWEST FIRM COLLABORATIONS...
CLICK TO VIEW SOUTHWEST FIRM COLLABORATIONS...