spotlight || architect profile AL: You’re no longer practicing architecture. You’re a full-time architectural photographer. What changed? PS: The economy. I was reaching burnout in my career as an architect and happily pursuing my photography avocation when the opportunity to finally take the divergent path presented itself. I should have made the move earlier. It made sense for me. I’d started photography with my beloved Nikon F, graduated to the 4x5 format, and then moved on to digital all while practicing architecture. As an architectural photographer, it’s the best of both worlds. AL: What is one insight to be shared? PS: A sense of time and place. There’s an incredible connection that architectural photography can make in documenting the built environment. I feel it’s important to leave a record and a legacy that represents the culture of our time.
Geoffrey Warner, AIA Alchemy Architects Minneapolis
AL: Introvert or extrovert? GW: Extrovert. But it’s not about that really. I do have a good business sense. Somehow I named my practice Alchemy. We come up first in all the architect searches. AL: Where do you get your specs from? GW: Orgreen from Specs Optical — gun metal titanium and blue. I designed the store, so I have to buy glasses there. It helps that they ROCK! AL: Give us some specs stats. GW: Silver frames on the exterior. From my perspective as the wearer, I see powder blue. AL: Who is your architect inspiration? GW: Carlos Scarpa. I studied his work in Italy through a fellowship. And Le Corbusier. I suppose those two are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Inspiring to me is how much good work architects have done in the past 10 years. There’s more sharing and better dialogue about good design. AL: When did you know you wanted to be an architect? GW: I don’t have any idea. I do recall a test put to me as a 5 year old. I was left in a room with LEGOs to test my dexterity. I built quite an elaborate building in that short time. It got me into kindergarten. Both of my parents were professors at the University of Minnesota, and I grew up in a neighborhood of Rapson homes. I could always draw. I drew upon that knowledge and managed to sketch a Rapson home on my architect’s entrance exam that got me a half-point out of five.
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| Autumn 2011
movement back toward that role. Which is a good thing. It’s really coming full circle. AL: Tell us about your architect journey. GW: I had one year at the University of Minnesota with Ralph Rapson as dean before he retired. I’m still close today with my mentors from architectural school: Tom Meyer, FAIA, Garth Rockcastle, AIA, and Jeff Scherer, FAIA, all with MS&R. Right after school, I landed at Architectural Alliance. When I left that firm, I had $500 saved and a ticket through a fellowship to study Scarpa in Italy. I dabbled in furniture design and learned as much as I could about materials. Then Alchemy — which wasn’t a plan, just something that happened over time — as a way to get work done. AL: What’s a common myth about architects you’d like to dispel? GW: “Architects have big egos.” I actually think this is true; however, architects are good listeners, too! Our clients come to us with very specific ideas about what they want their design to be. And that’s fine — we are totally comfortable working with that. I would almost go so far as to say design is the easy part. As an architect, we are really problem solvers who listen, design, then facilitate how the design is implemented.
AL: How do people respond when they find out you’re an architect? GW: “I was going to be an architect.” The conversation is almost predictable.
AL: What’s distinctive about your process? GW: We’re here to help the client. We continue to ask the questions “What is the idea behind the design?” and “If everything else drops away, what idea will always come though?”
AL: What is one learning to be shared? GW: Historically, architects were considered master builders, and I think now there’s a
AL: What trends are you keeping an eye on? GW: Hiring great interns and students who can navigate technology and social media.
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