Newly licensed, we sat down with Architect Dan Wilder for March's Staff Spotlight to talk about how he feels about being licensed, his accomplishments, and his upbringing into architecture - including some great photos of a cabin he designed.

Q: What inspired you to become an architect/designer?

I have always been interested in the way buildings are put together, and how they work. When I was in grade school, I would draw cross-sections of castle drawbridges when I should have been listening to the teacher. My favorite buildings are those where you can see the structure and systems at work.

Q: You were recently licensed – congrats! How do you feel about it?

It feels great! Although the work of an intern architect is almost the same as a “real” architect, I’m proud to finally have the official title.

Q: If you could give advice to a young designer, what would you say?

This profession has many facets, from abstract design to the literal nuts-and-bolts. Explore the different paths early, and pursue the one that inspires you the most.

Q: Do you have any guiding design principles in your process?

Buildings do not exist in isolation. They interact with occupants, visitors, passers-by, the global environment, and generations of people in the future. I find it valuable to consider multiple connections in design, and not just the immediate aesthetic or practical concerns.

Q: What have been some of your career highlights/proudest achievements so far?

I’m very proud of the cabin I designed for my father. I designed it myself, including all the traditional heavy timber joinery. Dad and I then built it ourselves by hand at a site inaccessible to vehicles.

Q: Do you have a favorite city to visit for architecture?

Venice, but more for the urban condition than any individual building. It is completely unique and shows that alternative modes of urban living are possible. The peacefulness of a completely car-free city is incredible. And when you see online packages delivered by boat and hand cart, you realize that the “normal” way of doing things is not the only option.

Q: Do you have a favorite building or perhaps a favorite architect?

One of my favorites is the Bruder Klaus Chapel by Peter Zumthor. The interior is a flint-black cave, created by casting concrete around a stack of logs and then burning away the wood. It’s a building that tells you exactly how it was built, but the story is completely unbelievable.

Read more about Dan here.