Nathaniel Hudson, AIA

A passionate young architect dedicated to the profession and advancing its importance in society, Nathaniel Hudson, AIA, embodies the attributes of a full-fledged citizen architect. Engaged in a variety of roles, he has leveraged his talents to become a prominent voice in shaping practice, theoretical exploration, and community engagement.

Hudson is the founding principal and owner of FormGrey Studio LLC, an experimental and exploratory firm with offices in Reno, Nevada, and Omaha, Nebraska. Focused on design process and detail, his firm develops innovative practice models for design, planning, fabrication and art. Hudson has organized FormGrey around that confluence while simultaneously promoting the highest standards of workplace equity and inclusion.

While the firm boasts a diverse portfolio of residential, commercial, and public works projects, Hudson has emerged as a leader for Northern Nevada Community Housing’s next generation of projects. For several years his work has been awarded state funds to construct low-income and workforce housing in northern Nevada that, in defiance of his detractors, rely on contemporary design and sustainable systems to alleviate the stigmas attached tosuch housing. His projects have been overwhelmingly successful, despite limited budgets and a challenging construction market.

In 2008 Hudson accepted a dual appointment as a studio faculty member and fabrication shop director at San Diego’s NewSchool of Architecture & Design, where he received several grants for the development and teaching of a fabrication-related undergraduate thesis curriculum. Working with colleague James Enos, he constructed the PeriScope Project, an experimental model of temporary urban development in San Diego’s East Village that was exhibited at the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale. Hudson’s commitment to education continues at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, where he has served as a part-time instructor and a member of the college’s architectural advisory council.

Hudson has long been committed to the AIA, beginning in 2007 when he joined the AIA Northern Nevada board as associate director. As the chapter’s director of education, he reformed and expanded its scholarship committee, his efforts supporting the region’s students through thousands of dollars in annual collegiate scholarships. In his role as vice chair for the Washoe County School District’s technical sciences advisory committee, he integrates chapter initiatives into the K–12 education environment and works with Truckee Meadows Community College faculty to facilitate portfolio workshops.

Last year Hudson joined the AIA Strategic Council, after participating in 2017 as an associate member on the council’s Life Cycle of an Architect workgroup. Drawing on his years of experience as an educator, his insight and knowledge are now shaping the Transforming Architectural Education workgroup. With fellow councilors, he organized and facilitated two workshops at the Parsons New School in New York City during A’18, highlighting the AIA’s work in shaping the future of design education.

Through design rigor and an eagerness to challenge expectations, Hudson has proven to be an inspiring leader. By investing in multiple areas of thought leadership, he has enriched his practice and delivered positive change to the communities he serves.