I grew up in a small Midwestern town near Rochester, Minnesota. Living on the edge of this growing bedroom community, I was surrounded by the construction of new homes. My childhood curiosity provoked me to sneak in after workers went home to study the plans left on site. Investigating each room to determine its use, I was fascinated by construction. I aspired to be an architect from the age of twelve and poured over books about architecture, gaining comprehension of architectural drawings at an early age. My Dad was also a big influence, as a man with humble means he was a dreamer and developer with the ability to make something from nothing.
After enrolling in a drafting course in the 10th grade and designing an underground house as my project, the teacher referred me to the local lumber company for a job. I became the first in-house draftsman for the Kasson Lumber Company and had homes that I designed and drew built while I was still in high school. This gave me great confidence to enter college and pursue a Bachelor of Architecture degree which I received from North Dakota State University in 1988. During the summers of my college career I worked for home builders and architects maintaining consistent work experience in the field that I had begun at 17 years of age.
Relocating with my wife to Maryland in 1988, I worked for several different firms in the Baltimore area developing a broad base of experience in both commercial and residential architecture with an emphasis on the design of church and synagogue buildings as well as custom homes and additions. I received my Architectural Registration in the state of Maryland in 1994 and have also completed the NCARB Certification allowing me licensure in any state.
In 1999 I founded Joe Architect Incorporated, whose work has been featured in Chesapeake Home and Style Magazine. Intentionally seeking to develop a more efficient work process and provide better service to my clients, I became an early adopter of the cutting edge technology of BIM (Building Information Modeling). My work with this technology has led me across the country to work on projects for the United States Coast Guard and General Services Administration.
My real passion is seeing creative ideas thoroughly brought to conclusion. I am tenacious and imaginative with a keen eye for detail. I love working with people and strive to be genuine, speaking my mind while being able to listen to different perspectives. I am very much a team player and a collaborator. I would love to get to know you.