Buck's Bio

Learn more about Buck, his experiences, desires, and goals in the field of design.

Flagler College, St. Augustine FL

Historic Architecture in Savannah, GA

Historic Architecture in Charleston, SC

A Love of History

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, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina, which contain two of the nation’s largest and most architecturally significant historic districts. We toured the magnificent homes, churches, parks, and public buildings of Savannah and Charleston. On another trip, the Spanish Colonial architecture in St. Augustine, Florida was such a surprise. The beautiful masonry, tile roofs, and courtyards evoked romanticism and desire to travel to foreign lands. I was fascinated by the stories and lore of those time periods, and knew deep down that I wanted to create beautiful, enduring buildings.

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.

Expanding Opportunities

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.

A New Worldview

The 2009-10 recession caused virtually all residential construction to stop in the Southeast. I took this time to reflect on my career, and became interested in high-performance energy, sustainability-sourced products, and healthy environments. 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 future 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.

Combining It All

Today my practice continues in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest, and I’ve completed projects across the US and Canada. I love all styles of architecture, enjoy meeting new people, designing in new areas, and achieving 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!