the Gallivan Center re-design; the Midvale Senior Center, recognized by the AIA’s Design for Aging Award; the Sweetwater County Justice Center in Wyoming, recognized by the AIA Architecture for Justice Review; and, most recently, the Crocker Science Center at the University of Utah, including the adaptive re-use of two historic buildings as well as two new academic and research buildings. I also had the chance to work on the renovation of Ogden High School, my alma mater. It was one of the most complicated projects I’ve ever worked on: restoring one of Utah’s finest examples of Art Deco architecture and adapting it into a 21st-century learning environment. The preservation of the building was a significant feat for the community and won the National Trust for Historic Preservation Honor Award. How has architecture evolved since your early days in school? It has changed in several capacities. There is the technology, the way buildings are designed and documented, and, more recently, the way they’re constructed. One thing that has also changed is the sophistication of buildings. There is now an expectation for buildings to meet extensive requirements for environmental systems, energy use, air quality, cost controls and responsiveness to increasingly complex users’ needs. This has required greater design expertise and specialization. Firms need an array of experts to accomplish all the pieces of a project because no one person, certainly not the “master architect,” would be able to accomplish it alone. This requires architects to learn to lead in a different way. In retrospect, would you have done anything differently? I can’t say that I would have done much differently. I had the opportunity to work in two very rewarding firm environments. I’ve always felt quite challenged in what I was doing. I’ve been satisfied with what I’ve done and had a good time doing it. Is there anything you would have liked to do or still want to do? I’d like to continue working with the public. The projects I’ve enjoyed most and perhaps contributed the most to the environment are in public architecture. I believe — to borrow from Sam Mockbee — that “good design is for everyone.” We’re all entitled to good design; it’s a right, not a privilege. That’s an area of design I would continue to foster as both a designer and an advocate. What would you like to be remembered for, as an architect, a designer and a public citizen? That I really did strive to make this a better place through design and design advocacy. This includes my work with the American Institute for Architects, serving in multiple leadership roles in the state and participating on three RUDAT and SDAT teams that took me to communities in Texas, Pennsylvania and Nebraska. It includes my work with the Utah Center for Architecture, which I helped to initiate alongside Elizabeth Mitchell, Warren Lloyd and Burtch Beall. The Center hosted the Utah Architects Project, the first database of Utah architects from 1847 to 1949, and implemented the EECTA/Box City initiative, an award-winning curriculum for children to learn about the value of good city planning and to appreciate the elements of architecture and urban design. This work also led me to serve as the chair of AIA’s Institute Honor Awards for community and regional design, with a national jury evaluating projects from all over the world. A great experience. Ogden Eccles Conference Center Burch Creek Residence, Ogden Burch Creek Residence, Ogden Murray Science Center at Waterford School 11
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