In this edition, we continue our interviews with local architectural legends. We spoke with John Shirley about his beginnings, life, education and career. When did you decide to become an architect? When I was a boy, I loved Tinker Toys, American bricks. I loved to build things, and I just thought I would like to be an architect. In high school in Southern California, we had to take a class that researched an occupation. I thought, “This is perfect,” because I really wasn’t that aware of what architects do except to get to draw great stuff. I found this survey that showed all the education an architect needs, how many years that takes, and how long he has to apprentice before getting his license. And then, after you were licensed, they showed that a window washer in San Francisco made almost twice as much money as an architect after four years of experience. It kind of squelched my dream. I then left the country for a couple of years, serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. LEGENDS BY FRAN PRUYN John Shirley, AIA 8 REFLEXION | 2022-23 | AIA Utah
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