genesis

I grew up in a small coastal company town developed
by Dow Chemical Company and designed by Alden
Dow, a talented architect with obvious connections.
Mr. Dow's buildings, inexpensive wood structures due
to war-time restrictions, were unique and reflected
Frank Lloyd Wright's influence on Alden Dow's work.

After World War II architects, mostly from Houston,
continued designing unique homes and a few
commendable commercial structures. My father, a
young doctor, designed a home, contracting the shell
and finishing it himself. A picture of our house later
graced a postcard with a caption of "modern houses in
Lake Jackson" . This environment was no doubt a
subliminal architectural influence.

I always liked to draw and usually worked on
construction jobs during summers. There were no
architects in my town while growing up, but after two
years in college I decided I wanted to be an architect.
In my last year of school I got a job with an architect.
I was eager to learn and he taught me much. I
continued to work after graduation until I went to the
Army.

While in the Army in Virginia, I was exposed to real
colonial architecture for the first time in my life. I was
impressed with the architecture of Williamsburg,
"Westover" and "Bacon's Castle", not with the detail,
but with the beautiful proportions which it seemed were
common to good architecture regardless of the style.

After Military service, I soon moved to Houston and
worked for several firms, none of which had principals
with the knowledge to impart or inclination to teach.
Without the opportunity to work with strong design
mentors, I have sought knowledge and inspiration from
great works of architects past and present. I look at
their work with a critical eye in search of patterns and
clues to process.

I found myself being drawn to projects that displayed
big ideas, bold geometry and a consistent detail. I
respected the works of those whose work reflected
unique sites and program requirements. Works of L o uis
Kahn, The Kimble Museum in Ft. Worth and The Salk
Center in LaJoya were notable examples . I also found
myself drawn to the work of Mario Botta , Luis Barragan
and others.

Over the years, a personal architectural philosophy has
emerged which, when allowed, I try to implement in my
work. I seek to accurately ascertain and assimilate the
unique project requirements. I look to create strong
conceptual solutions developed with good proportions,
simply and consistently detailed. I search for design
cues in the client, the site and the program.