BUCK'S BIO

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Growing up in Georgia, I was surrounded by the history and architecture of the colonial and antebellum South. I was about ten years old when my parents took our family on a trip to Savannah, which contains one of the nation’s largest and most architecturally significant historic districts. We toured the magnificent homes, churches, parks, and public buildings of Savannah. I was fascinated by the stories and lore of those time periods, and knew deep down that I wanted to create beautiful, enduring buildings.

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I attended Georgia Tech in Atlanta, studying architecture, building construction, and business. I wanted to understand not just design, but how buildings are assembled, and the business of construction. I wanted to be able to fill a need for both creative and practical services. I visited and studied in Savannah, Charleston, New Orleans, New York, Chicago, and London. I graduated with a BS in Building Construction in 1993.

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After graduating from Georgia Tech, I started my design practice in the Atlanta area. I had several custom builder clients, and they, along with their referral clients, kept me busy. We designed and built high-end custom homes in most every style. I continued my studies of New Urbanism in North Florida at Seaside and other important developments, and was fortunate to expand my practice there. I designed in the Dutch Caribbean style at several renowned developments including Rosemary Beach. I was elected to several architectural review boards (ARB’s) and learned greatly from the experience. I continued to practice in Georgia, and expanded into designing historical preservation projects. As New Urbanism expanded into Georgia, I was again very fortunate to have design opportunities in traditional neighborhood design (TND) around metro Atlanta, including developments like Tributary at New Manchester. I was able to design more authentic new homes in the high Queen Anne Victorian and Classic Colonial Revival styles. I also expanded to practice at Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee, where I combined historical design with modern floor planning to achieve “rustic elegance”. I never advertised, and all my business has always been by referral. I hope that means I do a good job and offer useful and creative design solutions for my clients’ lifestyles, taste, and budget.

The recession caused virtually all construction to stop in the East. I took this time to reflect on my career, and became interested in high-performance energy and sustainability. I wanted to learn how I could apply new technologies and practices to my aesthetic design offerings. I attended the “Build Small, Live Large” conference in Portland, and this time fell in love with the of design and building. It’s well known that the Pacific Northwest is a leading region in energy and sustainability design, and I decided to move to the Portland area to study in depth and become qualified to offer these services. I completed Earth Advantage’s Sustainable Homes Professional course (SHP), Natl. Assn. of Homebuilders Certified Green Professional course (NHB CGP), and LEED’s Green Associate accreditation (LEED GA). I enjoy working with builders who share the same ethos for creative and meaningful design, coupled with high-performance energy and sustainability.

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I love all styles of architecture, and strive to produce excellent design in the style my client desires. If I have a “specialty” I would say it’s helping my clients corral their ideas and desires to form an inviting, unique, and livable plan. I call it “herding cats”. I love the challenge!