Executive Director / Chief of Organization, Urban Artifact
CINCINNATI
Q: Is there a particular challenge that comes along with churches?
A: Churches are similar to a performing arts facility in that it’s a presentation in front of an assembled group of people. The biggest trick for those, other than making it sound and look good, is keeping the people that do different things separated when they need to be and together where they need to be. There is usually a whole technical string of people who make the show run, and they are typically not out in the open.
Q: How do you balance functionality with aesthetic appeal, and what is your theory on it?
A: My theory has evolved dramatically since I was in school. Spending more time in a city that has cool historical roots has changed that a bit too. The greenest building is the one that’s already there. The focus recently has been making sure you’ve got this highly insulated, air-tight box. Being able to do that well generally means trying to do that simply, because the more simple the enclosure is, the easier it is to keep it air-tight, water-tight and last for a long time.
Q: What advice would you give a future customer about the process? What advice would you give them about the design realm?
A: We often struggle with clients going straight to builders or developers and not the architect. To me, the architect is the person who can help you plan and answer questions upfront. I’m here to help clients get to that stage where they really understand what they’re going to get, and it might not be what they had in their mind in the beginning. The built environment usually looks different from that first imagination. That is the fun part for me.