About

My name is John and I’m a licensed architect living in the Twin Cities (Saint Paul & Minneapolis) MN.

I design (or have designed) just about everything. From simple deck additions and kitchen remodeling projects all the way up to behemoth multi-phase medical research facilities.

For the last 4-5 years, I’ve been working for the local office of an alphabet firm, and more recently been in the hospitality realm of project types.

I’m a regular guy, with a dry sense of humor, a well forged work ethic and have been known to be primarily fueled by coffee.

I’ve received design awards both regional and national, and aside from the ‘dark years’ where gainful employment was scarce – I’ve been pretty fortunate in my career thus far.

(A little fore-shadowing, there will likely be a post eventually about what it’s like to shed most of your worldly possessions and designing a life of minimal means.)

All the crazy, started when I was young enough to hold a crayon and make that elegant expression that we all experience without thinking about it…

A line.

(Insert time lapse imagery of a child constantly restarting drawings because of errors and a passion to get what was in his mind onto a piece of paper)

Following that, around 1994-95 I landed my first gig in as a draftsman. I got the position on the experience that I had running the CAD lab in the back of my Architectural Drafting class in HS.

I was hooked on the ability to create with a computer.

I’ve run my own teams, studio, and even consulting firm – on just about every project type out there.

My favorite part of architecture is being immersed in problem solving and developing elegant and cost-effective solutions.

My favorite part about the tools of architecture, is getting crushed by a learning curve and coming out the other side with an evolving approach to our unique struggles of mastery over method. As a profession – I believe that this is one of our biggest obstacles.

When I’m not designing buildings – I’m designing process.

All of this, extends beyond digital media and putting lines on a page. I’m a maker. 3D Printing, small wood shop, photography, guitars and a mean grilled cheese sandwich.

I’m a family man, and I consider myself pretty fortunate to have had the opportunities that I’ve had so far.