Interview with Robert Nichols

When I was 12, my father hired architect J.Robert Hiller (now StudioHiller which was changed after The Hillier Group - the nationally known firm in Princeton, NJ was sold) to design a new laboratory for him. I visited the firm to see the model and drawings and soaked up the ambiance between my father and Bob Hillier. Fortunately, when I was fifteen and in a youth employment program, I got a part-time job in Hillier's firm. When I was in the college, an architectural history professor asked me if I would like to help save a 100-year-old cabin in the Green Mountains in Vermont. Without assistance, I drove to the cabin , measured the entire structure, and prepared the final drawings for the report. The professor not only gave me an A, but encouraged me to apply to the School of Architecture at Cornell University.

I chose to become a designer after an experience at different design firms in Washington, DC, NYC, and Boston. I decided to start my own business as designer because I believe that my role is a freedom of design without being pardoned or controlled.

Most of my design work is the new contemporary house, including universal design and new technologies for residents with disabilities.

To learn more information from me for the future of their professional services, I need to have young designers to work with me in the team.

They are very competitive in between their positions. It's important for me as principal as well as judge to listen and make a final decision who is the right one about the new idea that matches to the client needs.

A review and evaluation on the good design is very important to understand a clear concept on the new language and technology of architecture.

Most of the client wants a good design to make their investment when the construction is completed. The value of good design is combined with the program what the client provides and we the designers in the team to build a strong relationship and connection with them from beginning to end of construction.

I can work for 24/7 anytime in morning, afternoon or evening because the time is money that client is spending depending how soon he/she wants the construction to be substantially completed.

My dream project is to build the arts gallery or museum, because an organization wants to invite many architects for the design competition. The competition for a new arts museum is not easy to win on their toughest selection.

By research, I can discover some resources of information from office or department of architecture for my successful design.

I get inspired by the master builders as well as Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies and LeCorbusier. Louis I. Kahn was a great legend of the 21st Century American architecture after FLW.

FLW's residential projects, especially Fallingwater and Martin House, were my favorite architecture not because of beauty of architecture, but because of exploring a new language of architecture. The principal idea of his buildings - both residential, museum, institute and housing - are central core of the structure.

I hope I can make my greatest design by developing a new language with the simplification of elements.

Nothing. I would be very impressive if the people improve themselves to be better perhaps I can communicate with them for more details in their designs.

Builder? Actor? Chef? Or whatever depends on my skill in work.

When I pick up a brick, I ask it "What is design for you"? The brick replies, "I love to be designed in house by myself"! So, I can find out what proportion of human design I can fit in the scale of space.

By thinking as apple falls from tree for a gravity. I can't listen to a teacher, supporter or wife, but I can reach to new heights by myself.

As a kid, my mother was a talented pianist while my father was an organic chemist with his own laboratory. I feel I absorbed from my parent's diverse backgrounds an interest in both creative and practical arts. I found I had a talent for seeing things in particular ways, and representing this vision pictorially.

Before I became the designer, I learned that many people of disabilities were barred from entering building and accommodation without the accessible elements. As a hearing loss designer, I feel I should be so sensitive to remove barriers from building for the disabled people. The universal design which differs from the standard as Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 shows more beauty of the accessibility to installed in in a good manner with existing structure to allow people with disabilities into the building. I think it's very important to work with designers, architects, politicians, and advocates for people with disabilities to build a bridge to other countries in order to positively influence disability policy.

The designers should bring more information in their work by presenting the conceptualized idea, "before and after" sketches, site relationship, 3D views and images, models, etc. for the town/county meeting and review. The designers shall be listening with their patience to whoever the outside people give their thought and comments on the presentation.

My next design is a new custom that will be starting in construction this coming fall. Hopefully it will be completed in the end of winter in 2018 before I will submit entry for A'design Awards competition.

I hope that when I become successful my ultimate goal will make more money for living!

Depending on their financial situation, the middle-income family seek the concept in design and cost that would be reasonable for their needs. It is very similar to FLW's usonian homes. Usonian is a term usually referring to a group of approximately sixty middle-income family homes built in USA. I would design for it!

It's important to a client and/or family who want to live better for a long term or who want to make investment from selling in the future.

A contemporary house with new technologies and method of materials.

Takoma Park House project. I won a Silver Trophy A'Design Award for the house because I think it is a good architecture with a new style. The house forms a linear structure in a cantilever cube with one being open and the other enclosed.The house is understood frontally by the layering of principal facades.The first of these consisting of a stainless cable rail frame Cor-ten panel and mesh fence defines the outer edge of the house’s boundary.It acts as a focal point, receiving the stair between front driveway and side entrance level.The house’s form is also reflected in the distortion of the plan of the two decks above.

I have no idea, because at this moment I am not complete in the new house design and research to see what will be in coming years.

It will be built in the same area where I live and work for this year.

As soon as when I have done with it. Hopefully it will be finalized this coming summer in preparation to start construction.

Work at home office to start a new design project with the team, involving within all basic phases of architectural services.

Think design.

Design always sets the trends. Everything in problem is solved by design, not trend.

Model making is one of a few technologies that the designer can research on the scale of human behavior in space. CAD is the important technology to view 3D.

My design software is ArchiCAD by Graphisoft. It is very useful to view and draw everything from conceptualized design to construction with several systems for the builder.

It depends on how skill the designer creates with his own hands on color and material.

Anything whatever the people ask about my design. I cannot answer what they will ask until I will know when they ask about my design.

To bear in mind, the design needs to include new products to obey the program.

No, I am only the one partner.

By inviting architects and designers to review my design. I will provide a refreshment for them to make sure they are satisfied with the design.

Many books about the contemporary houses from around the world. I subscribe Resident Architects, Architectural Records, Architects, Dwell and The Plan.

I have spent much of my time to research and develop by myself to become a master designer. I have some people who are working to be integrated in the team for the design project.

I can invite some designers/architects from the local society in architecture for meeting during lunch or coffee to discuss more details about the design. Most of them are also hearing loss architects who share their similar experience in professional area of architecture with me.

I am very happy about the Silver Trophy A'Design Award. That is my first time I ever won for the house design since it was completed last year. I would be delighted to meet with new faces to share our experiences in work at the Gala Ceremony, perhaps we will keep in contact with each others afterwards.

Red, Siena, Italy, pasta, fall, BMW, Pinot Grigio, Kevin Spacey.

Pantheon taught me that the dome without a hole is where the light is not, and the space is inside where the light is from outside. It is a matter of no-light or electrical light. To make a dome which raises above the wall and which makes its own roof of no-light, but oculus cuts to open in middle to bring natural light: that is the marvel of the designer.

When I work hard on marketing to get a contract for my business, I would be very motived myself to design and build a good structure.

As a kid, I was fantasized by FLW's Guggenhiem Museum, TWA Terminal at JFK, and New York World Fair in New York, where my grand parents used to live. Many interesting architectures by great master builders gave me very motivated to learn to become a designer.

I think that the new "Computer Revolution" will change many softwares for every designer to work in competition with each others to build a new futuristic structure. Many new technologies by the computer's software are endlessly changing new tools in design for human and animal to earn their living to avoid from being affecting by the global warming. If not working, then trip to another planet!

Some of them applaud me for receiving the award in recognition of my courageous work as hearing loss designer. I wish my parents could be proud of my excellency in my working design which received recognized awards if they were alive.

As Owner/Principal in Design of my own firm - Nichols Design Associates, Inc. - in Washington, DC, I work closely with the client and other appropriate non-profit organizations to create sustainable, universal design and planning solutions for residential, multi-housing, commercial, municipal and institute buildings. residential, small commercial interiors and government. For the past two decades I have presentation on the conference universal design and design programs throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan.

I am specializing on the contemporary design to explore a new style and language of architecture that fit to the site and client's program.

It depends on different kinds of the working project to match the client's program. Most of my working design is involved within a range in the building's scale from interior architecture to the urban design. The work by the design solution includes a style in the project.

My favorite design is the contemporary house. The spatial organization in the family house is defined by the structural wall and/or column on a level or more levels. Sometime, the main volume of the house is entered through the primary facade, located at the center with an opening space of the composition. An opening space in the house is void which is opposite as anatomy from the fireplace as Frank Lloyd Wright's solid core space in his house design. An opening space is a visual cue in the 3-dimensional way from lower to higher level of the house design.

My first thing for my industrial design for the remodeled kitchen is the rolling cabinet. The kitchen features new cabinets with universal design and a rolling cabinet with folding countertop, light fixtures, and appliances. The rolling cabinet also features a universal design; it rotates, enabling hearing-impaired two residents to see the signals flashing from the doorbell and telephone. Two spotlights under the upper cabinets are accessible, and they are wired to flash when the doorbell, telephone, smoke detectors, or security system requires attention.The renovation, however, did more than simply meet the client’s need for a safe home. It unified the requisite technology with a natural, environmentally focused design. Wood cabinets, granite countertops, and hardwood floors exemplify the project’s use of natural light, color, and texture.

My favorite material for exterior veneer is cembonit sheet - a special cement fiber panel to prevent water staining and dirt. Their cembonit sheets on the facade retain its attractive appearance in both dry and wet weather conditions. Another favorite platform on exterior platform is Ipe. Ipe which is originally made from Central and South Americas is a special wood treatment for decking which also resist the weather for a long term. Radiant heat flooring is one of the building technologies for the mechanical system in the house. Radiant floor heat saves energy and is cleaner, healthier and maintenance-free in the family house.

The site analysis and programming provided by clients for a new building will help me feeling the most creative to design a new style and shape of architecture that fits to the environmental land.

Design research including programming, site analysis and existing buildings relationship in the neighborhood area and model study is most important for designing.

Motivation, inspiration, exciting, communication.

The good lord gives me a brain that works so!

Solution by design in 3D with drawing, CAD, and model making makes me successful.

Respect to what the design jury/judge gives positive and negative on the preliminary or final design presentation because it is important for me to change how the building design improve the people need to live and work more environmentally.

As a designer, I am responsible for the community meeting to review the presentation showing how the building design on the site works in the relationship to the other existing building on a street or block. Meeting with the local society and organization of the neighborhood is very important for them to understand how the concept in design works in advance for approval and grant.

I have no idea. I will tell what is the future of design when I have a contract for building.

The last exhibition for my several detached family designs, universal design in public and private accommodation for people with disabilities and other professional architectural designs was held at the local AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapter. Hopefully, the new design projects like this Silver Trophy A'Design Award for the house will be held in the next chapter exhibition.

I have greatly learned from Colin Rowe’s theories and historical teachings of modern architecture. Rowe was a professor in the Urban Design program at Cornell University, and he taught me how to create and enact a "vision of the world of architecture". There are two aspects to the concept of the single family house; one ideal and abstract, the other real and analytical. These aspects are interdependent. The abstract concept of the Takoma Park House, which won the Silver Trophy A'Design Award this year, is the idea of a spatially layered linear system with circulation across and along the layers from main entrance to rear private area. The proposition to this is the acceptance of the problem, inherent in any linear system, of ending that system. The ideal aspect of the concept - vision of the world of architecture - affects and is affected by its real and analytical response to problems related to site, program, circulation and entrance, structure and enclosure.

The principal idea of my design for the house and other types of building is the central opening space is the "visual cue". This will make people living and working more comfortable in an opening space with the provision of the natural light in the structure. The cost of energy will go much lower and the natural light inside the space will be more cost effective in a long term.

Washington, DC, USA. Sometime the cultural heritage (mostly hearing people) in my country affects my designs, because of the problem in communication with me as a hearing loss architect. The pros what my own business is to buy and build a great contemporary house for a sale. Also most of the clients who are disabilities as well as hearing loss, wheelchair and aging are sympathetic in relationship with me as hearing loss architect for design and building structures. The cons for my design is that the client is having a second thought about the communication with me as hearing loss architect in all basic phases of architectural services from programming to construction administration.

I work for myself as Principal and Owner of Nichols Design Associates. Sometimes I work as a design consultant with the large A/E firms on their request for proposals and other accessible design in the building.

As President and Chairman of the Board of World Deaf Architecture, Inc.(WDA), I have many suggestions to give attendees who are members and non-members of American Institute of Architects (AIA) at the annual National AIA Convention about how to work in accomplishment with the other architects who are deaf and hard of hearing at work. WDA is now affiliated with the AIA Knowledge Communities and Networks that associate with over 100,000 AIA members in the national and international. For my own business, I can give some advices to some interns who are hearing loss students learning how to improve their skill in design for the future.

At this moment, I am working on programming and design development for another new house in Washington, DC. The next step after the end of design development is the presentation review within neighborhood association and county zoning board.

Design guide instruction, CAD, model study, sketching, photography.

Work in office every day. Ride bicycle in the park. Visit the museum. Dining out with a family.

The board members of WDA and I will share some pearls of wisdom for young deaf/hard of hearing designers how to improve their communication with the others through out the AIA committees, meetings, and other events in annual convention.

The only positive way what I need to work by myself is to get business with payment for living and working.

Work every day from 8AM to 8PM, making "cold call" with potential clients, improving and upgrading the website to make an attraction to outside people. Go to the community meeting in the neighborhood to market for my business, too. Communicating, wearing well casual dress, showing images of work on iPad are the tool of business marketing.

Must have a knowledge in CAD, 3D Revit, programming, construction management, etc. Must have a skill in oral communication for the meeting and construction.

ArchiCAD produced by Graphisoft; Photoshop C4; Sketch-Up; Architectural history and modern design books, Lego's model making.

Team is better than individual to manage the time. I cannot do by myself without a team so that's why I learn from the past.

It depends on the programming and scale of building. For the new house design, I can do on programming and schematic design that will take up to 6 -7 hours which will be split for two days. For a mid size office building it will take around 10 to 12 hours and it will be split for three days or so.

Not very much to ask anybody. When I have done my schematic design for the concept, I will invite a group of 2 or 3 staffs to sit and review with their comments on design.

The most important job experience is to be involved with all basic phases of architectural services as well as working on programming, schematic design, design development, construction document development and construction administration. These phases are very important to learn to become familiar with the scope of service as professional designer.

Some of my clients are married, single or divorced for residential. Some of other clients are the board for multi-housing, condominium association and non-profit organization for commercial and office.

I really enjoy my experience on the design for the house, because my job is a freedom of work without being supervised or pardoned by my boss as principal. It is a very challenge job and I can create anything from my design work.

I hope some day I will become successful whenever the new concept in the building design is successful.

Most of my time I can do by myself on design. Remember, I cannot do better without a team on all phases of architectural service. The relationship between myself as individual and staffs as team is essential to keep up well on the design.

Not yet for now, but I would be happy to talk about any works when I have upcoming new development in a moment.

Contact me at robert@robertnicholsdesign.com or my telephone +1-202-540-8889.

I will publish new article for the WDA newsletter about new design development by deaf and hard of hearing architects this month. Hopefully, I will bring copies of newsletter for the gala ceremony.