Please join us in giving an enthusiastic welcome to the newest member of our team, Nick Granese! Nick joins Patriquin as a recent ’22 graduate, having received his BS in Architectural Design + Technology from the University of Hartford. Below, he shares his favorite aspects about the job of an architect and finding inspiration.
Why architecture?
Like many I grew up playing with Legos, always building a new set, then quickly dismantling and rebuilding it in a different way. Throughout my life this hobby never wavered, and before I knew it—I wanted to be an architect. To me, architecture is a more refined version of playing with Legos. I get to bring my imagination to life, and have fun while doing so.
Name 3 things a great design requires.
3 things a great design requires can be summarized with one overhead concept: be considerate. Be considerate to the environment and the culture your design inhabits. Be considerate to the people your design is meant to draw in. Be considerate to the problem your design is there to solve. Your design should consider all possibilities of what it can become so that you can better choose what it wants to become.
What’s your favorite aspect about the job of an architect?
Architecture facilitates idealistic dreaming in real world application. It’s one of the few jobs in the world where you can express your full creativity.
What do you use for inspiration when working on a new design?
Architecture is like a puzzle, and I love to find the ‘sense in the nonsense’. When I find myself stuck in a design, I start throwing ideas around my head that aren’t necessarily ideal or optimal, because in those weird and unusual ideas, you’d be surprised just how much sense you can make out of the nonsense. Even if I don’t end up going with one of those designs, it jogs the brain and gets me thinking again.
What advice would you give to aspiring architects?
Any aspiring architect should attempt to learn everything they can about any topic. It sounds like a lot and it might not always be relevant, but the more knowledge you have the more you can draw upon when making decisions. I would recommend never pushing away an opportunity to learn something just because it does not align with your immediate interests. ‘Literal’ and ‘optimal’ can only carry a designer so far, there will always come a time in everyone’s life that unorthodox thinking and a unique approach will be far more beneficial than just drawing inside the lines.