(August 2016) Blog Question #6: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF ARCHITECTURE IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA?

BOB (Partner Emeritus):

Foreman Seeley Fountain buildings are like my grandchildren. They are all my favorites. However, a very worthwhile non-FSF building that I really like is the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center.  It is a LEED Gold Certified building whose purpose is to provide an educational facility to educate the public, especially children, highlighting the environmental heritage of Gwinnett County. The architecture is pretty cool, too.

JENNIFER (College Intern):

The Architecture building at KSU (Marietta Campus).  I am currently attending Kennesaw State University, where this building is located.  I have interacted with this building many times.  It is by far my favorite building on campus since it is the one with the most dynamic design, in regards to the inside and outside. Every floor & every room has a different layout.

LISA (Office Manager):

My favorite piece of architecture in Georgia is the High Museum of Art.  Originally founded in 1905 as the Atlanta Art Association, the High Museum of Art received its first permanent home in 1926, when Mrs. Joseph M. High donated her family’s residence on Peachtree Street. In 1955 the Museum moved to a new brick structure adjacent to the original High house. When the Atlanta Memorial Arts Center opened in 1968, the High Museum of Art was at its center.  The High is the leading art museum in the Southeastern U.S. With more than 15,000 works of art in its permanent collection, the High has an extensive anthology of 19th- and 20th-century American and decorative art; significant holdings of European paintings; a growing collection of African American art; and burgeoning collections of modern and contemporary art, photography, folk art and African art. The High is also dedicated to supporting and collecting works by Southern artists.

***If you enjoyed reading our blog question & answer for August and would like to learn more about our firm and the people who work here, comment below and post some questions you'd like to have our office answer.***

What Is your favorite architectural masterpiece? Or your favorite design element? & Why?

(July 2016) Blog Question:

What Is your favorite architectural masterpiece?  Or your favorite design element? & Why?

BOB (Partner Emeritus):

Fallingwater is the architectural masterpiece created by Frank Lloyd Wright and constructed between 1936 and 1938. UNESCO has recently voted to include it as a World Heritage Site, along with several other FLW buildings. Some consider this to be the most important work of architecture of the 20^th Century. This house completely changed the concept of residential architecture. A house no longer needed to be a box one lived in for protection from the elements, it could be a way to live as part of nature, to live naturally in the environment, not separated from the environment. It became the precursor to the environmental movement in the latter half of the 20^th Century.  As we are now witnessing the rapid decline of our culture, Fallingwater represents the high water mark of the architectural accomplishments of western civilization.

JERRY (Partner):

I do not have 'one' favorite.  I have many!

I admire many great works of architecture going all the way back to ancient times.  I love the beauty in the simple geometry of the pyramids, yet I love the beauty in the Greek temples and the design and ability it took to construct them.  I also love the Gothic cathedrals (French over English) and their sheer magnitude to the human scale.  But I also love the elegant beauty in the contemporary lines of Falling Water.

So I prefer not to put myself into a corner and simply say that is my favorite building, style or iconic image.  I enjoy many in their element.

JEFF (Partner):

Faye Jones's Thorncrown Chapel.

Fay Jones was a disciple of Wright, except I think he took the nature discipline further and did it successfully.

Thorncrown was done down a long path.  All materials were carried to the site and assembled without impact to the environment.  He took nature, and turned it into a gothic cathedral.  The building is now an American icon, that inspires all visitors.  With a simple donation box in the worship space, the building construction, all maintenance, and upkeep are fully self supported thru donations of visitors. It has also weathered time unlike many other projects that are design icons, but poorly constructed.

DAVID (Director of Construction Administration):

Agrees with Bob.

AMY (Intern Architect):

My favorite building in the world is currently the Butaro District Hospital in Rwanda. It is the most thoughtfully-approached building project, carefully considering the needs of the community to be served. The design team did not only consider the functions of the hospital, but also the opportunities to engage local labor and building materials. This not only cut the cost of the project by a third, it provided jobs and skills training for 4000 people. I love this project because it represents the potential for human-centered design, creating so much more than a pretty building.

CHRIS (Intern Architect):

I like brutalist concrete buildings probably because of five years in the University of Tennessee’s Art and Architecture Building, which is also my favorite example. One of my favorite things about it is what I like to think was a joke on UT’s obsession with football. The structure grid is in 30’ bays and it is as long and wide as a football field. The building is bisected by an atrium with art classrooms on one side and architecture studios on the other, and faculty offices cantilever into the atrium (a test of faith maybe?). It is also the only building on campus that is not covered in orange brick or revivalist styles. Its atrium space with art and building projects on display (and stores) is a common path of travel for anyone just passing through. I like that a building having no pretense of good looks operates better in function than it does in appearance.

JACQUELINE (Intern Architect):

I have always loved art deco architecture.  As a child, my dad would always plan our summer vacations around architectural monuments.  This included everything from going to Virginia to see Monticello to going to Los Angeles to see the Getty Museum.  My favorite vacation spot was South Beach, Florida, because of all of the Art Deco style hotels.  Even in New York, I was surrounded by Art Deco architecture such as the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building.  To make a long story short, my favorite architectural buildings are the strip of Art Deco hotels on South Beach.

DELANE (Intern Architect):

My favorite style of architecture is based on my residential design background. I am partial to the American Craftsman style.  My favorite feature is the deep porches.

JENNIFER (College Intern):

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

Being absolutely honest, this was a pretty hard question for me, since I don’t consider myself very knowledgeable yet about all the types of architectural designs and buildings out there. I started doing some research to look for something that I would find somewhat appealing. I realized that every time I saw buildings such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, I was drawn to their out of the ordinary design and their contemporary style.  I find this interesting and exciting.

LISA (Office Manager):

I’ve always been intrigued by The Sydney Opera House.  It’s visually stunning and I was awe-struck when I first saw pictures of it.  Its roof is shaped like “peaked shells” and its interior was made for superior acoustic sound.  I’m sure it’s perfect for Opera and theatre. It’s earned its reputation for being a world class performing arts center.  Even though construction began on the Opera House in 1957, it still keeps a modern look even today.  This is definitely on my bucket list as one place I’d like to visit.

***If you enjoyed reading our blog question & answer for July and would like to learn more about our firm and the people who work here, comment below and post some questions you'd like to have our office answer.***

(June 2016) Blog Question #4: Pretend you’re writing a letter to your younger self. What would you say about the road ahead? Any advice for future architects?

BOB (Partner Emeritus):

To: 1972 Bob

From: 2016 Bob

Re: Letter to past self from future self (If I had to do it all over again, what I would do differently)

Here are a few words of advice to future me:

1. From now on, you are working for you. You are hereby self-employed. Get that straight now. It will come in handy in the future.

2. Your number one job is sales. Without it you do not get to do architecture. If you want to create really good architecture, learn how to sell. Most clients will prefer mediocre design.  Learn to sell your clients on really good, or even great design.

3. Since you are already self-employed, learn to provide really great service. Act like an entrepreneur.  Think like an entrepreneur! It will come in handy later.

4. Come in a half hour early.  Go the extra mile. Work late, but not too late. Your family comes first.  All those extra hours really do not matter that much. Always have a positive attitude.

5. The best time to start your business was yesterday, or in the depths of a recession.  It will never get any easier. Just go ahead and do it.

6. The competition will make you better. Beat them at their own game. Do a better job than they do.  Do better designs than they do.

7. Creativity in the architecture profession often means being inspired by the best ideas from other designers. Only make them better. Constantly improve! Try new ideas!

8. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you and who can do things you can’t do, or you do not want to do.  If you have smart people around you, they will make you look smart.  Dumb people around you will make you look dumb.

9. Keep learning new things.  Never stop learning.  It will come in handy later.

10. Ask for help.  Ask God for help.  God will help you, if you ask Him and trust Him.  Your number one partner in business is God.  Sometimes God’s help will come through people who you least expect to help. Accept whatever help you get and be thankful.

P.S. It is not about you.

JERRY (Partner):

As with any start to a career, one needs to understand their own individual strengths and talents first.  While the appeal of 'architecture' as a career can seem alluring, architecture is not for everyone.  Only those truly with the passion for this hectic career really need to consider it.  However, there are many related fields that one can have near architecture, from marketing to spec writing to interior design.  So my advice would be to spend a day or two with an architect and see if it really is what you 'thought' it would be.  If so, go for it!

JEFF (Partner):

Dear past self,

Quit being hard headed!  Don’t listen to everyone else.  Stay with what you want to do. Started working at 23, eligible for test at 26, registered at 26, name on the door at 28.  Who says you can’t?!

DAVID (Director of Construction Administration):

Dear Future Architects:

When considering a career path it is important to take inventory to determine your strengths, what you are passionate about and what society will reward you for.  The best scenario is an overlap of all three.

I looked for a career that would encompass design creativity, my love of construction and the ability to develop my visions and those of others while building something of lasting value.

A bonus for me has been the opportunity to work all over the world and experience different cultures.  Architecture has been a good fit as well as a fulfilling career.

Dave

AMY (Intern Architect):

Dear architect hopefuls,

Whether you are in school, job hunting, working or somewhere in between all of that, work hard and be kind. I hope you know by now that this is not the place for riches and glory, but it is incredibly rewarding the moment you get to see the countless hours of design materialize into something real. There will be projects that bore you to death. There will also be projects that will make you incredibly excited. Find a firm that embodies the design principles that are important to you. Spend time at different firms to get a feel for large office vs. small office culture. Travel and be inspired by architecture & culture in different cities or countries. Do not lose or forget the passion you have, and never be afraid to take risks.

                                                                                         

CHRIS (Intern Architect):

Architecture school teaches the idealistic end of the field in how to draw and the design process so before considering it I would say to concentrate on how the real world of architecture works. Join a home building project or something similar to see how buildings are made. Find a mentor architect willing to let you follow them around their office and in the field to see if it is still what you want to do. Then think about learning to draw and build models.

JACQUELINE (Intern Architect):

Dear younger self,

It’s hard to tell you what the right or wrong thing to do is because I’m still trying to figure that out.  I do know that a huge part of making it through architecture school or even through your architecture career is to make good friends who will support you and that you can rely on.  It is almost impossible to go it alone.  Your friends will be the mental, emotional & physical rock you’ll need to get through a final or a deadline.  Architecture school will be one of the hardest things you’ll do in life, but going through it with awesome people makes it a little more tolerable.

Push yourself but make sure you have a healthy balance of work, family and social life.  No one wants a burnt out architect.  Try and explore the world and see all the architecture that is already out there.  This will influence you, whether you realize it or not.  It’s one thing to study famous buildings in a book, but it’s a whole other experience to see it in person.  Warning: you might catch the travel bug once you start! 

Once you’re ready to work, try and find an architecture firm that fits you.  There’s nothing worse than working at a place that makes you miserable.  Finally, in regards to taking the ARE’s, try and set a schedule for yourself to study.  Then when that doesn’t work (which there’s a good chance it won’t), find a study plan that is right for you.  Lots of blog posts tell you that once you start, you must not stop and to take all the tests back to back.  That’s definitely not for me.  However it might work for some of you.  Only you know yourself and what you’re capable of.  If you fail, it’s not the end of the world.  There’s a good chance the architect next to you failed a few tests as well.  These are not easy tests, but keep at it.  No one’s perfect.  Use the failure to make you stronger and more determined to pass the test the next time.  Once you start the road to licensure, a lot of what I’ve just said will go out the window.  Just try and make educated decisions and surround yourself with supportive people.

Sincerely, the oh-so-not-perfect, still trying to figure things out, Jacqueline

JENNIFER (College Intern):

From a 2^nd Year Architecture Student to a 1^st Year Architecture Student:

Currently, I am 24 years old, going into my 2^nd year of Architecture school this upcoming fall. Ever since I was 12 years old, my sister has always been my inspiration for becoming an architect. Just seeing all her projects and what she went through in school amazed me. Even though I wish I would’ve started pursuing Architecture as my major as soon I graduated high school, just like my sister did, I didn’t.  The reason is that when I graduated high school in 2011, my sister was graduating college with a 4.0 GPA with Architecture as her major.  She spent several months job seeking and it seemed to be a mission beyond impossible to achieve. I would constantly hear her say, “I would make more as a part-time waitress than as an architect right now.”

It was finally time for me to start my future as an architect, but my sister’s experience without luck of job offers not only scared me, but also my family and friends.  They made me hesitate with lines like, “You will not make any money as an architect.  Try to do something else.” and “There is no job security with Architecture.”  As a result, I decided to forget about architecture and just major in Business like 90% of my friends. That way, my options for job security would be more flexible and easier to achieve.

Bad idea. I never felt more unsatisfied.  I realized that going after the money, or taking the easy way out wasn’t the answer. I ended up transferring to Architecture, and decided to finally try it out. At the end of the day, with Architecture as your major, there are several other things you could do if, ultimately, being an architect doesn’t work out.

Currently, after a year in Architecture, I could not be happier or more satisfied with finishing the first year successfully with good grades.  I’ve even already been hired as a paid intern in an architecture firm.

A couple pieces of advice while in Architecture school:

-   Make a schedule/routine and stick with it

-   If you have the opportunity to walk or ride your bike to class, do it. Get as much exercise as you can. Considering this is an extremely time consuming career, it is almost impossible to fit in a work out schedule in your already, busy day.

-   No matter what, sleep AT LEAST 5 hours a day. All nighters will not be the answer to your emergencies or last minute problems. Be sure to plan ahead. (One of the kids in my program totaled his car on the way home because he fell asleep on the road)

-   Eat as healthy as you can.  Try green tea vs. coffee. With coffee you will feel tired again after a couple hours.

***If you enjoyed reading our blog question & answer for June and would like to learn more about our firm and the people who work here, comment below and post some questions you'd like to have our office answer.***

Blog Question of the Month

In honor of Earth Day, this month's questions have a sustainability theme!

What is your definition of sustainable architecture? Do you have a favorite sustainable building or favorite sustainable feature?

BOB (Partner Emeritus):

Sustainable design is when we design, not just for today’s client, or for today’s public good, but we design for our children and grandchildren and our client’s children and grandchildren.  Sustainable architecture is meant for future generations and is respectful of how we use today’s resources so that that we do not short change future generations, by taking from our environment in a way that robs our descendents of the resources we enjoy today.

One of my favorite sustainable designs is the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center in Buford, Georgia.  This LEED Gold Certified building was designed by Lord Aeck & Sargeant.  It houses an environmental museum and is part of the Gwinnett County park system.

http://www.lordaecksargent.com/design/arts-and-culture/environment_heritage_visitor_centers/gwinnett_environmental_heritage_center

TERI (Senior Project Manager):

Sustainable architecture to me is design with the intent to extend the normal anticipated life expectancy of the building to the greatest extent.  Sustainable architecture aims to design buildings that run as efficiently as possible and minimize their impact on infrastructure & the environment.

Louvers!  I love louvers!  They are probably one of the most simple things that can be included in a sustainable design solution.  They lower heat gain for the building and plus, they just look cool!

AMY (Intern Architect):

Sustainable architecture pays attention to the lifecycle of a building: what materials are used; the way a building functions; how it relates to the users; and its recyclability once the structure has reached the end of its life.

My favorite sustainable building is the Butaro District Hospital by MASS Design Group.

http://www.massdesigngroup.org/portfolio/butarohospital/

                                                                                             

CHRIS (Intern Architect):

My definition of sustainable architecture would be the Minecraft definition: fully-grown trees in minutes, infinite resources hand gathered without mechanization and everywhere the sun path goes directly overhead.

JACQUELINE (Intern Architect):

Sustainable design is a way to ensure that our children enjoy the natural resources that we are enjoying right now.  It also helps to ensure that the building can be as efficient as possible, which might not be obvious right away, but in time, can make a difference both environmentally & financially.

One of my favorite sustainable works is the Hearst Building in NYC, which was certified as New York City's First Occupied Green Office Tower.  It achieved the Gold Rating for Environmental Sustainability by U.S. Green Building Council in 2006.

http://www.hearst.com/newsroom/hearst-tower-officially-certified-as-new-york-city-s-first-occupied-green-office-tower

 

  

***If you enjoyed reading our blog question & answer for April and would like to learn more about our firm and the people who work here, comment below and post some questions you'd like to have our office answer.***

What is your definition/ view of an architect?

What is your definition/ view of an architect? 

In addition, name one word that sums it all up.

BOB (Partner Emeritus):

Someone once observed that an architect is a specialized generalist. This describes a person who knows just a little about many different things.  In fact, an architect is someone who knows less and less about more and more, until he reaches the point where he knows practically nothing about almost everything.  On the other hand, an engineer is just the opposite, knowing more and more about less and less until he knows almost everything about nothing.  A contractor obviously knows nothing about anything as evidenced by the fact they he continues to do business with both architects and engineers.

A single word for people in the design professions: Designists (a much cooler word than designer).

A single word to describe an architect:  Obsessive

JERRY (Partner):

If there was one word that I would use for an architect, it would be advocate.  In reality that is what we are.  Owners come to us and want us to create environments for them for varied reasons.  We, in turn, design those spaces that best suits their needs and fulfill their dreams and wishes.

JEFF (Partner):

It is the architects’ job to know all, see all and be chief problem solver.  Our job is to assist an Owner is realizing their vision, and help in all aspects of getting there.

One word: solutions!

TERI (Senior Project Manager, Newly Registered Architect):

An architect???…I’ve actually never really considered that question.  I would say simply put, an architect collects as much pertinent information as possible and then produces a design that addresses each of those issues discovered.  However, with the bias that our subconscious continually seeks order in its environment, well, a great architect not only responds with a cohesive design solution that addresses the building’s programmatic requirements but one that also appeals to the user’s innate sensibility.  Architects create a sense of order even amongst chaos in the built environment.  Combine that with coordinating the inner workings going into any building and that’s an impressive feat.

In addition, name one word that sums it all up: Facilitator

DAVID (Director of Construction Administration):

Architects are Designers of the built environment.

One word to describe an “architect”: Leadership

AMY (Intern Architect):

An architect is multifaceted: one who blends art with engineering and balances the interests of many.

One word to sum up “architect”: caffeinated

CHRIS (Intern Architect):

My view of an architect is someone who makes a hard hat a part of the suit.

One word that sums it all up: Advocate

JACQUELINE (Intern Architect):

My definition of an architect is someone who strives to make our built environment functional and yet aesthetically pleasing.  They are always stressed out and are rarely appreciated.

One word to describe an architect is: creative

***If you enjoyed reading our blog question & answer for March and would like to learn more about our firm and the people who work here, comment below and post some questions you'd like to have our office answer.***

What inspired you to pursue a career in architecture?

BOB (Partner Emeritus):

Once in a while, a city or town becomes an architectural “Mecca.”  Columbus, Ohio, Hartford and New Haven, Connecticut each had their time in the sun.  The Chicago School in the late 19^th century is a great example.  Each of these lasted a few years as architectural Meccas and then faded away.  For a short while, in the 1950s and 1960s my home town, Sarasota, Florida became one of those kinds of special places.  Architects like Paul Rudolph, Ralph and Tollyn Twitchell, Victor Lundy, Mark Hampton, Gene Leedy, Tim Seibert, Bert Brosmith, and Frank Folsom Smith were designing amazing modern schools, churches, and public buildings all around me as I was growing up in Sarasota.  I attended High School in a building that won many architectural awards and was published in all the architectural magazines.  I thought every town had this kind of architecture.  I had no idea that these unusual modern buildings were not the norm. I first met several these architects when I was in high school and worked for both Tollyn Twitchell and Frank Smith while in high school and during and after college. Sarasota was also known for its many famous artists and writers.  I was inspired, but did not fully understand that I was growing up in an architectural and artistic wonderland.  People traveled from everywhere to see what I saw every day.   I can never recall a time when I wanted do anything else but become an architect.  God did not give me a choice. 

JERRY (Partner):

I've wanted to be an architect since I was in first grade.  It was my teacher who saw the potential and told my mother to point me in that direction.  During class one day, I drew a picture of a house being built (there was one across the street from our house that was being built and I just drew from memory what I had seen).  The house was framed with studs, I also showed a stack of bricks and pile of sand beside it.  My teacher said that she had never seen anything like that in all her years of teaching.   I would give anything to still have that picture.  I can still remember walking over to that house and smelling the fresh cut wood.  It impacted me more than I knew at the time for sure.  Then in third grade I laid out this massive city plan.  I kept moving the city limits by taping more and more paper together and showing more and more developments.  I was a nerd!

JEFF (Partner):

It is just what I grew up with and always wanted to be.      

Dad was an architect.  I would go to work with him on the weekend and draw at another drafting board while he did his thing.  I loved the big paper and the selection of pens and pencils!

Then when I got the chance, I worked in the office with him in high school as the “gofur”.  (go for this and go for that).  What I did kept expanding over the years and I stayed in that firm until I graduated college and started working for Bob.  That office had bets on what year of college I would drop out and become a computer science major.

Interestingly, in college we all had to take the “survey” courses of the other schools in fine arts.  Music survey, art survey, etc. and we also had to take the architecture survey.  One day the professor was showing pictures of what an office looked like.. Each picture was only up for about 10 seconds.  BUT, one of those pictures was me sitting in my dad’s office on one of those Saturdays.  The professor worked at the same office during those same years.

TERI (Senior Project Manager):

When I was very young, probably 5 or 6, I loved to sit & draw.  My God-father once said to me, “You should be an Architect.”  When I asked him what an architect did.  He told me, “They draw houses.”  That was good enough for me and I was ‘hooked.’  From that point, I would study buildings as I passed by taking in all of their details and fell more in love with my decision through the years.  I have never wanted to be anything other than an architect.  

DAVID (Director of Construction Administration):

While growing up in Miami, a close friend of my father’s was a prominent architect named Glenn Buff.  He was a member of the College of Fellows in the American Institute of Architects, had worked on experimental geodesic domes with R. Buckminster Fuller, and had been recognized for numerous design awards for his work.  While taking drafting courses throughout my junior and senior year of high school, my father’s friend took an interest in me and provided me with a drafting light and supply of paper from his office.

During high school I worked at night as the building janitor for his firm in Coral Gables.  During the summer I would run errands and do drafting assignments.  I went away to college at Georgia Tech to study architecture.  After graduation and working in Atlanta for three years, my father’s friend approached me about joining his Miami firm.  I took the job, and I ultimately learned from him that mentoring others is as important as the work you do.

AMY (Intern Architect):

Art has always been a passion of mine, I love to explore it’s many forms. It was no surprise that I would eventually be introduced to architecture, but I was a late bloomer as a “wanna-be-architect”.  I went to college for graphic design, convinced that was my destiny. When that route didn’t seem right, about a year into school, I took an introductory course in architecture out of mild curiosity. I fell in love.

What inspired me to dive headlong into the profession? My senior year I heard an architect speak at a student conference. He told us how his firm worked with a community and international nonprofit organization to design and build a hospital in a town that had no decent medical facilities. They were there through the entire process, even going a step further and training willing townspeople construction skills to work on the building themselves. That story inspired me. I want to make that kind of positive impact in my work, where architecture means bringing life to a community.

CHRIS (Intern Architect):

I had been building and drawing since I was a kid and it made the most sense to try and make a career out of it. Drawing and painting has also been in my family but no one had gone into anything artistic as a career. I had taken art each year of high school and was encouraged to look at schools specializing in art and architecture. Spending a spring break traveling to various architecture schools around the southeast was most inspiring through seeing the studio spaces full of drawings and model buildings. A friend of mine also considered architecture and we both attended a two week summer course for high school students interested in architecture at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. Getting to experience the design process in so many ways over that time was an experience in thinking about creating a space and not only rendering what one sees. This led to my attending UT's architecture program, graduating in 2007. My career in architecture began at Lyman Davidson Dooley in Nashville, TN working mostly in healthcare design and some commercial and government work. I continued with similar building types in Savannah, GA at HGBD. Working towards my architecture license is my current goal, while drawing and painting the rest of the time.

JACQUELINE (Intern Architect):

The primary reason I decided to pursue architecture was due to my father being an architect.  I grew up going into the office with my dad on weekends and wondering when I would be able to use those fun pencils, brushes & templates he was working with.  He seemed so artistic and professional.  I made it my purpose in life to follow in my father’s footsteps.  I didn’t think of architecture as a “man’s profession,” which at the time it seemed to be perceived that way.  I just knew my dad did it and I wanted to do it too.  I started drawing with my dad (granted it was with crayons & #2 pencils at first) and was the only kid in kindergarten who could spell “architecture” correctly.

As I got older, I started expanding my knowledge of architecture to not just drawing but observing, travelling and seeing how other cultures expressed themselves through the built environment.  I spent a summer in the Loire Valley chateau hopping through a grant from the French Heritage Society, an organization who had also awarded a grant to my father to work with and study architecture in France for 6 months.  I also studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain for a summer while in Graduate School, and ever since then have had the travel bug.  My love of architectural history also led me to teach a few classes while attending graduate school.

Although my dad might have introduced me to architecture, seeing the world and realizing how the built environment can play such an important role in one’s society has pushed me the rest of the way to pursue my architect’s license.

***If you enjoyed reading our blog question & answer for February and would like to learn more about our firm and the people who work here, comment below and post some questions you'd like to have our office answer.***

Foreman Seeley Fountain Architecture – how it all got started

The first week in July of 1985, Bob Foreman set up shop and moved furniture into newly rented office space in Stone Mountain.  The new company officially opened the Monday morning after the Fourth of July, with a new phone system, a new Sears electric typewriter, and a “sign on the door” that read Foreman Associates Architects.  Thirty years later, we are celebrating that day in 1985 when it all began.  

However, it really didn’t just suddenly start on that day in 1985.  It really began eight years earlier when Bob joined a Norcross architectural firm where he became a “partner” when the firm renamed itself Cunningham Bailey & Foreman Architects.  After some rough years during a difficult economy in the early 80’s, Bob was not satisfied working for a firm where his name was on the door but he had little actual input into how the firm operated.  The decision to open a new company came after much prayer and thoughtful consideration. 

The plan at first was to specialize in churches and schools.  We stuck with that plan and soon added bank projects to the mix.  Jeff Seeley joined the firm in 1987 right after graduation from Kent State.  Jerry Fountain, with a degree from Southern Tech, joined in 1989.  In 1992, we changed the name of the firm to Foreman Seeley Fountain Architects.  Later, we decided the company name should reflect what we did, not what we were, and we became Foreman Seeley Fountain Architecture.  Over the years, we have added interior and tenant space design services, and recreational and municipal facilities.  We have completed projects in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Tennessee. We have come a long way since opening in that little two story office building in Stone Mountain.