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For Richard, architecture has always been about more than buildings. It is about ideas, communication, and the ability to make complex concepts understandable. Often, that work begins with nothing more than a pencil and a piece of paper.

As Managing Architect in C&S’s Rochester, New York office, Richard brings more than forty years of professional practice to his work. He also teaches as an adjunct professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Over the course of his career, he has led programs, guided project teams, built strong client relationships, and mentored younger architects. He approaches each role with a designer’s eye and a teacher’s patience.

An Architect, a Teacher, and a Mentor

Richard’s career began in New York City, where he worked in interior architecture before expanding into architecture and interiors across Upstate New York. Teaching became a natural extension of his practice because he sees design as something that must be both learned and experienced.

Students, he believes, need more than technical competence. They also need to develop creative skill, visual thinking, and the confidence to communicate ideas clearly.

Architecture, in Richard’s view, depends on a broad toolbox. Over the years, that toolbox has evolved from hand drafting to early computer platforms like Sun Microsystems and AutoCAD, and eventually to Revit, BIM, and cloud‑based coordination tools. Each advancement introduced new capabilities and new challenges.

To Richard, no tool is inherently better than another. They are simply different ways of designing buildings. Each has strengths and limitations.

The Enduring Value of Drawing by Hand

While digital tools now drive most production workflows, Richard continues to rely on hand drawing as an essential part of his design process. There is something tactile and immediate about drawing. The texture of paper, the movement of pencil or marker, and the wash of watercolor create a level of expressiveness that digital tools rarely replicate.

Drawing has been part of Richard’s life since he was five or six years old. He moved quickly from crayons to colored pencils, tracing and sight‑drawing newspaper comics like Peanuts. Today, he still draws nearly every day. His sketchbooks are filled with pencil, ink, marker, watercolor, and acrylic studies.

This lifelong practice is not separate from his professional work. It is central to how he thinks and designs.

For Richard, sketches are practical tools. They support communication, conceptual exploration, and technical problem‑solving. They allow ideas to surface quickly and develop collaboratively.

Sketching in the Early Stages

Hand sketches are especially valuable in the early stages of design, when ideas are still forming. Richard often begins with trace paper, developing concepts that project teams later refine using digital tools such as Photoshop or SketchUp.

It is not uncommon for digital renderings to be intentionally made to look more sketch‑like. Those visuals more accurately reflect the stage of the idea and signal that the design is still evolving. Highly polished renderings too early in the process can create a false sense of completion. Freehand sketches, by contrast, communicate atmosphere, intent, and personality. They leave room for discussion and iteration rather than closing the conversation too soon.

When a Sketch Makes the Difference

Richard has seen firsthand how a drawing made in the moment can move a project forward:

• Napkin sketches in airports that later evolved into multimillion‑dollar food service projects
• Perspective sketches with potential tenants that helped them visualize spaces and move ahead with leases
• On‑site sketches with contractors inside job trailers to resolve complex assemblies, including work on projects such as Sony Music Studios

In each case, drawing helped clarify ideas, accelerate decisions, and keep the focus on collaboration rather than software.

Balancing Art and Rigor

While artistic expression is important, Richard emphasizes that it must always be grounded in rigorous thinking. Programming, process, and technical development are critical to successful design.

The difference between a building and architecture, he believes, often comes down to the depth of thought behind it. Even highly utilitarian structures can benefit from architectural intent when approached with creativity and care.

Drawing a Line Forward

In a profession shaped by rapidly advancing technology, Richard believes hand drawing remains relevant because it supports real‑time thinking, clear communication, and authentic expression. Technology has undoubtedly advanced the field, but drawing continues to play a vital role in shaping ideas and helping people understand them.

After decades in practice, Richard continues to rely on curiosity, craft, and human connection. His sketches remain a simple but powerful way to translate complex ideas into shared understanding.