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ABOUT ME

 

I am a registered Architect in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I have been registered since 1984. I hold a certificate from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), and I have extensive training and experience in sustainable design and construction. I am listed on the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division Directory of Qualified Supervisory Personnel, under Historic Architecture, and I meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Preservation.

 

I grew up in Milwaukee, and received a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from the University of Wisconsin in 1977. I spent a couple of years working for design/build firms in the Milwaukee area, doing homes, offices, stores, and car dealerships, then spent a winter as a ski bum, ending up in Santa Fe in the spring of 1979. There I spent time as a construction worker helping to build a solar adobe house, as well as working for a small engineering firm.

 

In the fall of 1980, I moved to southwest Virginia to begin my graduate studies at Virginia Tech. I received a Master of Architecture in 1982. Graduate school was a transformative time for me; it instilled the basic design philosophy and commitment to good architecture that I still carry with me. The curriculum emphasized self-directed study of a wide range of design related issues, and was focused on the artistic side of architecture as well as the scientific side.

 

After graduating I spent a period of time traveling in Europe and the western United States, and settled in Salt Lake City. There I worked for a developer designing and building multi-family housing, condominiums, and office buildings. I moved back to Santa Fe in 1983, and I have lived here ever since.

 

When I came back to Santa Fe, I went to work for a small design oriented architecture firm, moving from an intern to a licensed architect, and eventually became a partner in the firm. The firm, Johnson, Nestor, Mortier, and Rodriguez, became one of Santa Fe’s largest and most successful architectural practices, and was eventually renamed Architects Santa Fe. We were known primarily for houses and historic preservation work, as well as for retail stores, offices, schools and churches. Much of our work was influenced by traditional New Mexico adobe architecture, with an emphasis on hand made, traditional craft finishes.

 

The work of our firm was published in numerous books and magazines, including Santa Fe Style, Santa Fe Design, New Mexico Magazine, Santa Fean Magazine, and Southwest Sampler. The firm also received several awards, including a National Preservation Honor Award for the Preservation of New Mexico’s Historic Churches, from the National Trust for Historic Preservation; and an Award of Merit for the Renovation of the Juan Jose Prada House, from the Old Santa Fe Association.

 

During this time my wife and I bought, remodeled, and sold several houses, living in them during the process. In the early 1990’s, the firm bought an old building on the edge of downtown Santa Fe and remodeled it into our offices, doing much of the construction work ourselves.

 

In late 1996, I left the practice and took a job with Santa Fe office of the National Park Service, accepting a position doing historic preservation work throughout the West. I was also able to design some new buildings, and become an expert in sustainable design in the process. In addition, I continued to do houses, completing several over the next 18 years. During this time I also designed and built my own house.

 

In late 2014, I decided it was time for a change, and formed a new architectural practice, to offer personalized services, do one project at a time, and do as much as I can by myself. The emphasis of this practice is to provide well-designed, well-built, sustainable and affordable houses and buildings, as well as remodeling and historic preservation services.

 

When not doing architecture, I am an avid mountain biker, skier, and hiker. I enjoy spending time in Santa Fe and the Southwest, enjoying the historical, cultural and recreational opportunities that are available here.

 

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