Q: Where are you from?
I was grew up on a farm outside of Albany, Oregon, in the self-proclaimed grass seed capital of the world. We had sheep, cows and chickens, which was a lot of work when I was growing up. I spent the good portion of my childhood on the business end of a shovel. I lived in the same house for most of my childhood, but we eventually bought the bigger house next door and moved in there.
Q: Where did you go to school?
I did my fresh year at the University of San Francisco and then finished my undergrad at the University of Oregon. For my Masters, I attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
At USF I majored in advertising design while at U of Oregon I pursued fine arts with a concentration in photography as well as landscape architecture. I worked as press photographer in college and really enjoyed that medium. However, I didn’t want to be a press photographer my whole life and found landscape arch compelling. At Pratt I studied industrial design with a focus on furniture and ceramics.
Q: Who is in your family?
I have a brother and a sister, both younger. My wife, Simran, and I have a three year old named Caden. Siman is a real estate agent for Vanguard and Caden is a Senior Vice President at Twitter (well not really – he goes to preschool).
My brother is a mechanical engineer and my sister is a physical therapist. They live in Eugene and Portland. Fun fact: my mom and dad were on the amazing race, season 19. They went far, but didn’t win. If you ever want a traumatic experience, watch you parents bodybuilding on national television.
Q: When did you first develop an interest in architecture?
From a young age, I was fascinated with building things.
Q: What kinds of projects do you most enjoy working on?
I like balancing bold creative visions with high client expectations and working with contractors and subcontractors that are highly knowledgeable.
Q: How long have you worked at FA?
Just over a month.
Q: What makes our office unique?
It’s very different from my former office. It’s full of light and air and collaborative design conversations.
Q: What’s your favorite part about coming to work?
I’m at a point right now where I’m learning about the firm, its processes, and developing relationships with colleagues; all of which I enjoy.
Q: Do you have a professional role model?
Nope
Q: What’s your design process like?
Lots of ideation to begin. Followed by practical assessment and refinement.
Q: When was the last time you did something for the first time? What was it?
I rode a camel for the first time in November because my son wanted to. This was in the UAE. It was short and sweet. Much like this interview.
Q: Have you ever won a contest or award?
Yes, I was Mr. San Francisco Movember 2009. Movember happens in November and is a fundraiser for prostate cancer research. To participate, you grow a mustache and attend a party. At the party there’s a costume contest and I rocked it!