by Tracy Ostroff
Contributing Editor

Summary: Randy Brown, FAIA, founded Randy Brown Architects in 1993, with the mission to bring innovative and artistic architectural designs to his home state of Nebraska. The firm has designed more than 300 commercial and residential projects. In 1996, the firm became a general contractor to allow for more control of the construction process and provide clients with a higher level of design excellence. In 2001, Brown, along with three partners, founded Quantum Quality Real Estate to develop commercial and residential property. The company has developed and owns commercial projects and is developing residential projects. Brown is frequently published and has received more than 100 design awards, including several national honors. He established a design-build summer internship program and has held many academic positions, including the Hyde Distinguished Professor at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

What is your design philosophy?
It is evolving. Design is at the heart of what we do, and it is the core of the profession. I believe we need to advance the profession of architecture through creating and communicating excellent design as an essential element in helping organizations achieve their business objectives.

How do you balance the roles of architect and contractor?
We are a design firm first. And we have built many of our projects to make sure the design gets executed correctly. If value engineering is a must, then we the designers want to make the changes to the project. Many of our built projects would not have been built if we had not rolled up sleeves and gotten our hands dirty. For some design-build jobs we sub all of the work out and just manage the construction. We have also taken on projects where we build much of the projects with our own hands. We have a shop, and we weld and do woodworking. We enjoy the fabrication process and it allows us to continue to design with the hammer and torch. But we only do construction and fabrication to get our design projects realized. Bottom line: it is all about the design. Being the GC means more headaches and more responsibility, but also more money.

We have mastered stand-alone buildings and now we are working more on planning projects involving many buildings. We need to be looking at neighborhoods, not just individual buildings.

What do you hope attendees will take away from your presentation?
My presentation is going to address how my work has been digging into the suburban sprawl problem and how I have been offering interventions into the suburban landscape. My work addresses the need for higher density and diversity and the need to reuse and create community and sense of place.

What is your vision for the next 5–10 years?
I am going to continue breaking down the doors of larger-scale work. Our firm started with small remodel projects, and every year our projects are growing. We have mastered stand-alone buildings, and now we are working more on planning projects involving many buildings. We need to be looking at neighborhoods, not just individual buildings. We need to be working on a better suburbia, with less sprawl and more density and diversity.

What leadership skills will architects need to survive and thrive in the next decade?
It’s about responsibility, making deadlines, doing things yourself, getting things done, and not cutting corners but instead doing it the right way. We have to remember that good things take time, and architects should not bite off more than they can chew. If you can't figure out how to build it, then don't draw it. Architects should focus on working as a team, helping each other with deadlines, enjoying the process, and making design decisions throughout the construction process.

How does your presentation or practice tie back to the convention theme, “The Power of Diversity: Practice in a Complex World?”
My work is all about bringing diversity to the complex world of suburban sprawl.

Is there a best practice tip you can share with your fellow architects?
Physical fitness improves your ability to think and work.