10 REFLEXION | 2021-22 | AIA Utah in there, it's nuts because it has such dramatic acoustics due to all the angles. What about struggles? I had a pretty fortunate career. I sometimes struggled when an employee was not working out. That was the hardest thing I had to do; let employees go. I felt so bad. I struggled with trying to learn the computer. I never became good at the computer. I would always work at it for a while and then pick up a pencil. (Then) did you pass it on to others to do the CDs? I said, “Here is what I would like it to look like. You put it on the computer.” But always, we always had the idea: if I told you to take something and put it on the computer, I also want you to add any ideas you have. If you think this doesn’t work and you have a better idea, put it in there. There is no prize for who gets the best ideas. Working with clients? Working with clients can be strange, but it can be so rewarding. I worked with geology people on the Sutton Building for probably five years: Master Plan, Programming, Preliminary Design, and then finally the real design. It was a long, long process but so enjoyable. I talked to every single professor in several departments, not just geology, but geophysics, and astrophysics, and weather and all of them. I liked just about all of them, and they liked me and the people who were with me. I think it made for a really good building. I have been up there relatively recently, and people would say, “Oh, these halls, it’s fun to walk up and down the halls in this building.” Wow, I don’t know if there is a better compliment that you can get as an architect: for people to say it is fun to walk up and down the halls. Reflections on your career? It’s a wonderful career. It’s not easy. School was very, very hard. Working up in the profession was quite hard. A lot of long nights. What was hard about it? All the work you have to do to get it right. “That’s not right.” And you do it over, and that’s not quite right. And you do it over. That is difficult. But in the end, you end up being happy with what you did. Learning how to work with other architects can be a struggle. But you have to be patient, and you have to listen to them, and not just always get your own way. Any regrets? I wish I would have been able to pass on the office (to someone). When we were ready to let it go, no one really wanted to take it over. I can only think of that as a failing on the part of me and my partner, Andrew, so that’s a regret. Any advice you would give to younger architects? Think about the people. And if you are in it for the money, go find another job. I don’t think it’s a way to make money. I think it is a way to accomplish things and help people out, and you can make a decent living. You are not poor when you are an architect. I would advise them: do things you can be proud of. The first project I ever had at Brixen and Christopher was a ticket kiosk on the Snowbird Plaza. I had only been there for six months, and I said, okay, and it worked out pretty well. I think young people should look for opportunities; don’t be too eager to redesign the world. Look for opportunities, and whenever you get it, if it is a little ticket kiosk — 10 feet by 10 feet, you make it the best thing you can make it. b — continued from page 9 Think about the people. And if you are in it for the money, go find another job. I don’t think it’s a way to make money. I think it is a way to accomplish things and help people out, and you can make a decent living.
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