they’re just easy to manipulate. Then, we moved into Revit and three-dimensional design and created three-dimensional models of our buildings. I’ve been a little reluctant with all of that. I worry that we get into the computer too soon and that don’t spend enough time thinking strategically about the problem that we’re trying to solve. In some ways, with computers, it becomes too late to make a lot of changes. In ‘79 and ‘80, architecture was a men’s game. There was one woman in my architecture class who had to drop out for family reasons. Now, I think more than half of the architecture classes at the U are women, and there are certainly many minorities. GSBS has consciously tried to be more inclusive and offer opportunities to others. We’ve discovered that it makes us better architects, better human beings and more sensitive to others’ issues. We’re diverse, inclusive and multidisciplinary in many ways now. It is really fun to work with people with so many different backgrounds and educations in our firm. Disappointments? Sometimes, you invest emotionally, intellectually and financially in the pursuit of a project that you really want, and it doesn’t work out. There are great personal losses and loss of resources. There are disappointments to the people in the firm who we want to convince that we really do know what we’re doing. My personal disappointment is the loss of some of the people I consider friends, mentors and staff. When you lose a key person in the office, for whatever reason, you always stop and say, “Isn’t there something we could have done to work this out?” I think losing important people is harder than losing projects. What do you love about architecture? I believe I owe the world something for the privilege that I’ve had. I think I’ve inspired a few people, at least within environmental design, to try to make the world a better place. The sad part of being heavily involved in it is realizing how much more work we have to do. The amount of change we have to create as architects is huge, and we’re still not all on the same page. I think the environmental architecture movement and creating LEED … those are all really good things. We have a profession that’s deeply capable of making the change that we need to make, but we have a political and social system that is standing in the way of our profession doing what we know how to do. Advice for young architects? Sometimes, I teach at the architecture school. It’s a great opportunity to meet students and see some of the talent. I think we’re getting architects who are really proficient at using computers to design. Computers allow us to look at really beautiful renderings quickly. But 100 views of a bad idea is still a bad idea. Sometimes, it’s easy to seduce people with really beautiful renderings. I look for people who are able to think critically and try to define the problem before we start Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District Weber Basin Water Conservatory District 11
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