JOHN RIGGS
HAVING LIVED IN ARIZONA ALL MY LIFE, I HAVE A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE DESERT’S NATURAL BEAUTY. ONE OF MY DESIGN GOALS IS TO BUILD STRUCTURES THAT TRULY BELONG IN THEIR SURROUNDINGS. I LIKE THE USE OF TRADITIONAL, EARTHY MATERIALS JUXTAPOSING THEM WITH GLASS AND EXPOSED STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. I ALSO ENJOY THE USE OF EXPANSES OF PROTECTED GLASS AND CONTINUOUS FLOORING MATERIALS, INDOORS AND OUTDOORS, TO ALLOW INDOOR SPACES TO FLOW SEAMLESSLY INTO THE SURROUNDING DESERT.
ONE OF MY STRENGTHS AS AN ARCHITECT IS RESPONDING TO ELEMENTS PRESENT AT A BUILDING SITE, WHETHER THEY BE NEIGHBORING STRUCTURES, ROCK OUTCROPPINGS, WASH AREAS OR LARGE, NATIVE VEGETATION. I HAVE A PASSION FOR ACCOUNTING FOR THESE ELEMENTS IN MY DESIGNS AND PREFER TO DESIGN STRUCTURES ON CHALLENGING SITES.
DESIGN VALUES
AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA’S COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, SPENDING THREE YEARS AS AN APPRENTICE, AND PASSING THE ARCHITECTURAL REGISTRATION EXAM, I FORMED ARCHITECTURE ONE, LTD WITH TWO FELLOW UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA ARCHITECTURAL GRADUATES. ARCHITECTURE ONE QUICKLY BECAME ONE OF ARIZONA’S LARGEST FIRMS (99 EMPLOYEES), WITH OFFICES IN TUCSON AND PHOENIX. DURING OUR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF PRACTICE ARCHITECTURE ONE PROVIDED ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES FOR MORE THAN TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED PROJECTS AND WAS THE RECIPIENT OF NUMEROUS DESIGN AWARDS AND ONE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE AWARD, THE PRESTIGIOUS NATION BLUE CHIP ENTERPRISE AWARD.
FROM 1980 TO 1987 I WAS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR OF ARIZONA AND SERVED AS A MEMBER OF ARIZONA’S BOARD OF TECHNICAL REGISTRATION, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REGISTRATION AND “ENFORCEMENT” OF ALL THE STATES ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, LAND SURVEYORS, GEOLOGISTS AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS. FOR ONE OF THOSE EIGHT YEARS I SERVED AS THE BOARD’S CHAIRMAN. I WAS ALSO SELECTED AS A MEMBER AND ONE YEAR AS CHAIRMAN OF AN EXAM WRITING COMMITTEE FOR THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF ARCHITECTURAL REGISTRATION BOARDS. NCARB IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING AND GRADING THE NATIONAL EXAM GIVEN TO ALL ARCHITECTURAL CANDIDATES IN THE UNITED STATES.
SINCE CLOSING ARCHITECTURE ONE IN 1996 I HAVE CHANGED MY PRACTICE TO ONE THAT IS SMALLER AND MORE PERSONAL. EACH PROJECT RECEIVES MY PERSONAL ATTENTION AT EVERY LEVEL AND DETAIL.