Why did you become an architect? People, culture, and how a culture expresses itself have always interested me. I have studied music, languages and literature, but I became interested in architecture because it is tied to the physicality of a place. Architecture ties all my interests together and brings them into a reality that exists beyond me. You have a B.A. from Amherst. What did you study? I arrived at college late in the 1980s, intending to learn a foreign language and become a diplomat. I started with German, but the Iron Curtain had just dropped. I became fascinated by the USSR and was excited to learn about its hidden, mysterious and forbidden culture, so I began studying Russian. You studied architecture at Yale University. What was the most important thing you learned there? I had a fantastic professor at Yale named Alex Purves. He always used to say the idea is only 1% of the project. The most important thing I learned is how to take an idea floating in your head and translate it into a physical entity. As you become conscious of your process, you can control it and develop projects intentionally instead of by accident. You were the executive director for the City of New York Public Design Commission. What was that experience like? I had a phenomenal public sector experience. I worked in the Department of Design and Construction on the Design Excellence Program for 10 years before Mayor De Blasio appointed me to be Executive Director of the Public Design Commission at City Hall. The Design Excellence Program’s mission was to harness the deep field of architectural talent in New York City to produce world-class public buildings. The commission reviews most capital projects designed on city-owned property, and it is responsible for ensuring a high level of design quality. I had a bird’s-eye view of everything that was happening. It was really edifying to see architecture and its effects on the built environment from this vantage point. What has been the most significant work experience you’ve had so far during your career? Architectural work involves weaving together processes that have many moving parts. The project is a bit like a basketball or soccer game. The ball is always in play, and everyone is constantly moving. You need to think simultaneously about the present and the future. Opening and running a small firm with my husband and partner, Devin, feels like the biggest, most complex and never-ending architecture project of them all. You have to balance different needs, scales and paces. There are three main pieces to balance: 1. The office: We work to create a good office culture. 2. Clients: It’s important to us to develop a good working relationship with our clients; projects often take a few Getting to Know: Faith Rose, AIA Idaho Juror 30 AIA IDAHO ARCHITECTURE | 2022-23 | aiaidaho.com
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