Owner, Arcanum Architecture, LLC
CINCINNATI
Q: Why did you choose residential?
A: I’ve been exposed to many types of architecture. I was involved in the Co-op Program at UC, and I purposely tried to work with different types of architectural firms. I like residential work because I have more of a one-on-one relationship with my client, and I find that to be very fulfilling. I can experience the space in my mind before it’s built, but when the client experiences it for the first time, it’s a great feeling.
Q: Are you seeing more of a push from your customers to design more sustainably?
A: I think that everything is going in that direction. A lot of the things that we are starting to build are much more efficient, more insulated. We still have work to do on understanding what “sustainable” really is. There’s a lot of work to be done in the future of construction with respect to materials. We still build the same way we did hundreds of years ago, so how we construct things really hasn’t changed. How we approach projects has changed with CAD (Computer-Aided Design) and computer rendering. This makes our jobs easier and gives us the tools to create challenging and unique structures. I believe there is an opportunity to be creative and find different ways of building things.
Q: How do you balance functionality with aesthetic appeal? Does form follow function?
A: I don’t create a space then think about how it’s going to be used or force a use into it. When I look at a building, it’s more about what does this space want to be, what is it telling me it wants to do. I take the client’s wants, the feeling of the space, and design architecture around that.