Growing up as an identical twin, I’ve always found character and identity interesting. Where do they come from? How do we understand them? How much do they change day-to-day? I had these questions in my head constantly as a kid, and I think it’s why I gravitated towards Architecture. 

I was hooked after a project in 8th grade, while I was still split between math and art. Getting to explore a client perspective (my dad’s), understanding their wants and needs and find out how to create a building that willingly meets those needs was the first time I felt like I had all of my boxes checked, and I still see it this way. 

Today, I would describe my way of designing as a character study, understanding the motivations, the will and the influences that craft an architectural character. Just as we are shaped by the environment we grow up in, I believe a good building reflects the surroundings that it’s foundations rise from. Understanding this character is how I get to explore the design solutions, giving the building voice where I may be indecisive. This metaphor may sound a little spacy, but in the vast sea of decisions available to every design and the widely varying subjectivity, it’s helpful to have this character that knows what it wants. 

So far in my career I’ve had an internship in Boston with Annum Architects, and one closer to my hometown in St. Louis at Blaes Architects. Both have confirmed my interest in the field of design, and I’m looking forward to starting my career.