For the past 8 years a special part of my practice has been the design of various retreat projects whose purpose is for the inhabitants to find solitude. This series of projects started with the Hermitage at the Franciscan Monastery an amazing design and investigation in conjunction with students at The Catholic University of America. This deep dive into the spiritual side of solitude has led to several more projects. Namely: the Hermitage 2 and a new project for the Schuyler Springs Retreat at Hebron Hill Farm.

Over the years I have learned a couple of truths about designing for solitude and spiritual connection.

The first truth is: the design must create a vantage point, to place oneself within nature. The vantage point allows the occupant to witness the passing of the seasons or simply the suns journey across the sky over the course of the day, this vantage point grounds us to be present and aware.

The second truth is: the design must provide for ones needs, but no more. Through economy and simplicity of materials the design must not be a distraction to the more important business of life. In fact, as I get older the more I yearn for less, and not more, the opposite of complexity, this provides space for reflection and life.

98% of buildings are designed and built without an architect’s services. Much of this is due to the public’s view of architects as an expensive luxury as opposed to a necessary facilitator and value added member of the construction team. Some believe that architects are marginalizing themselves by not interfacing with a greater segment of society. I have dedicated my career to change this paradigm. To do this I am both a licensed architect practitioner and a member of the faculty at The Catholic University School of Architecture and Planning. My primary teaching and research focus is Practice Management, Comprehensive Design Teaching, and Pro-Bono practice through the implementation of design build projects. My most important responsibility at CUA is the Directorship of CUAdc, the in-house pro bono design collaborative.

The Catholic University Design Collaborative or CUAdc is an organization for student engagement in the local community through design and design build projects. For the past eight years, I have led students on many award winning projects for non-profits in Washington DC. In 2012 we completed the construction of a 400sf Hermitage on the Franciscan Monastery grounds in Brookland, which won the 2010 DC AIA Un-built Award, and is set to be the first of four. I have also worked with community groups like Metro Teen Aids, The Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, the World Bank Community Foundation as well as several DC public and charter schools.

My most recent collaborative experience was the leadership of Team Capitol DC in the design and construction of their 2013 Solar Decathlon entry: Harvest Home. As project coordinator and Principal investigator for the Department of Energy’s $100,000 grant, I led a team of 10 faculty and almost 100 students to compete in Irvine , California. The Harvest Home was designed to be net zero energy, modular, and sustainable. It was donated to a homeless veterans housing provider in San Diego County after the competition.