Career StagesNational Associates Committee

Interviewed by Jimeca Sims, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP

Michael Shirley, AIA, LEED AP is a Principal and Senior Project Designer at FKP Architects. A passionate champion of FKP’s mission of Transforming Business by Design™, Michael has collaborated with many of the nation’s largest and most prestigious health care, research and academic institutions, creating memorable expressions that enhance the client’s competitive advantage.

Where did your passion for architecture begin?

The seed was planted from an early age. My grandfather was a contractor. I was so impressed by his knowledge and in awe of how he brought systems buildings together. I began developing my artistic sense with graphic art classes in junior high school. Those two interests converged in architecture school, where my passion was fueled by my professors and fellow students at the University of Florida. During my time there, the Houston architecture firm CRS was designing a new student center on campus and invited students to participate. I worked with the team building models and other presentation materials. I not only got to see a project team and the design process in action; the experience really made me realize the significance design has on everyday lives. This building would transform the campus experience. I actually ended up working for CRS in my early career.

How did you get started as a professional architect? Who were your early mentors?

I ran into the age old challenge — it’s hard to get a job if you don’t have experience, but to get experience someone has to give you a job. As an eager young architect, I took advantage of every opportunity to gain experience. I was slowly building my hands-on background, with internships, construction assignments and the like, but it was perhaps my stubborn determination that led to my first job at a small 12-person Tampa firm. I admired that firm’s reputation and commitment to design and persuaded them to take a chance on me. Everything about that experience was mentoring, and my boss, Dean Rowe was a huge inspiration to me. I learned quite a bit about the business of architecture — something you don’t get much exposure to in architecture school. I later moved on to CRS in Houston, at which William Caudill (the prolific theorist, designer and founding member of the renowned Caudill Rowlett & Scott) was a strong influence in the way I began to think about design delivery. I worked with Paul Kennon as a young designer and eventually became the Design Director for the office.

What drew you to FKP?

At the Tampa firm, I developed an obsession with the power of transformative design, being exposed to all project types from education, governmental, residential and historical restoration. I had the great fortune of being a part of CRS which became HOK, where I had opportunities to work on large-scale, pinnacle projects. I was drawn to FKP because it is not just about design — the future of our clients business is just as important as aesthetics. It’s not about the here and now; it’s about knowing where our clients want to go and how we can give them the tools to get them there. We know our client’s businesses and pair that understanding with our design expertise to transform the way their organization functions, creating well defined experiences through design that relates to their public. It’s very addicting and engaging work.

What is FKP doing to help emerging professionals?

Our firm is consistently ranked among the “Best Places to Work” in Houston and is among 2008’s “Best Companies to Work for in Texas” — due in large part to our commitment and interest in our staff’s development. The cornerstone of our mentoring and education program is first identifying what excites and motivates our staff, then finding the best ways to cultivate those interests and expand their growth as a professional.

We have an extensive in-house education program, leadership training program and a “My Principal” program that matches each employee with a principal mentor to guide and ensure their enrichment. We support and strongly encourage organizational involvement and honor and reward professional registration and certification achievements. Keeping our staff happy and engaged is one of our greatest responsibilities. Every architect has career-shaping mentorship stories and our program at FKP is designed to include everyone, from the newest to the most seasoned. We all learn from and enrich each other — resulting in maximum benefit to our profession and our clients.

What advice or lessons learned can you offer?

I owe my career to the notion that you find people you admire and see how you can help them. Use your unique experience and point of view to bring a new perspective and don’t be afraid to contribute. Keep your mind open to the possibilities. I believe even the most experienced professionals have something they can learn from the young up-and-comers. From how to use new technologies to fresh eyes and new ideas, the greatest successes are made by diverse, cohesive teams.

What is your perspective on the future of the profession?

Technologies such as Building Information Modeling are transforming the way architects design, and their project teams work together, blurring the lines between disciplines. The traditional sense of hierarchy is giving way to an integrated team dynamic, which results in a more efficient process and less wasted energy. Tomorrow’s architect will need to know more, have the capacity to envision greater detail in their works, and will need some mastery of the project development process—not just design, but planning, construction, finance, and project management. As strong thinkers and synthesizers, architects are engaged as consultants and this reliance will grow.

Sustainability of the built environment in design is no longer a trend, it is becoming standard operation as the care and preservation of our natural resources becomes increasingly important. Our job as designers is to encourage our clients to see the long-term benefits of their “green” facility investments. It’s becoming increasingly important for us to insist on post-occupancy evaluations of the buildings we design so we can evaluate and document successes that can teach others, and find new ways to maximize resources and optimize benefits.