I knew I wanted to be an architect since I was young. Luckily for me, New Trier High School in Winnetka offered drafting and architecture classes, which further confirmed my passion. I went on to earn a degree in architecture from Montana State University. Studying at Montana State University allowed me to balance the two things I enjoy most – architecture and skiing.
Most of my non-working life has been dedicated to some form of skiing. As a child it was my favorite activity. In college most of my time was spent trying to keep up with my ski buddies on the ridge at Bridger Bowl. Two and a half seasons in Montana were dedicated to backcountry tele-skiing with my dog. My late 20’s and early 30’s was spent visiting as many resorts as possible with my father in my vacation and free time. The most enjoyable skiing I have done in my life was teaching my son and daughter to ski when they were young. I have spent most of my life immersed in skiing culture, averaging 80-100 days a year in my twenties, and 30-35 days a year with my family. My love for skiing naturally drew me to clients who also enjoy a mountain lifestyle.
I worked at multiple firms in Bozeman while earning my degree, and mountain architecture was the architectural language I learned from my early mentors. After a decade in the West, I moved back to Chicago to broaden my knowledge of different architectural styles, especially traditional and contemporary. I enjoy cross pollinating different styles into one project.
Over the years I have noticed many architects will just do design, or working drawings, or construction observation, but I enjoy every stage of the home design process and prefer to complete each stage myself. Every project is an opportunity to collaborate with our clients and create homes that are as personal and meaningful as the people who live in them. When we can transform clients’ unique desires into personal, architectural elements, everyone walks away feeling great about the project.
As I get older, I am not as balanced with my time and forget to have a life outside of architecture. However, a couple of hours skiing on the hill in the morning once or twice a week refreshes my mind. After 30 years of playing guitar, I am teaching myself the pedal steel guitar. I thought the transition would go a lot smoother, but it turns out pedal steel is an incredibly complicated instrument, and much like architecture, there are so many levels and layers to understanding it that it certainly clears my mind of everything else. Photography helps as well. Another very technical but creative endeavor like architecture.
It is about making client dreams a reality, from the first sketch to the move in. At Stillwater Architecture, we are committed to making sure every project reflects, not just the vision, but also the personality of the people who live in the homes we design.
