Member: Allen Williams, AIA

Allen Williams, AIA, Senior Architect / Project Manager, MSA Design

What inspires you?

It really depends. I think inspiration is tied to a problem, an emotion, or a series of recent life events. What inspires us one day may not evoke the same emotion another day. When a song, something that someone says, a beautiful space, a work of art, or something I read makes me feel inspired – I do my best to acknowledge the source of inspiration and pass that inspiration along through my own work in some way.

Of your recent projects, which is your favorite and why?

I plead the fifth. Each project, large and small, has aspects that make them wonderful, and favorites in their own ways. Projects that stand out are the result of a great client with a rich and challenging project and a smooth construction process in which the entire team (owner, contractor, and design team) focuses on the implementation of the work – resulting in everyone walking away proud to have had a part in the project.

What do you consider your strongest skill?

I would have to say flipping between designer and detailer. I have always believed that being good at one makes you better at the other. I love that architecture allows us to be creative in both the artistic and the technical sense.

What do you love most about what you do?

I love working with others to find solutions to problems that will hopefully affect society in a positive way. I also love how this profession allows for constant learning – from day one until we decide to hang up our T-squares!

When you’re not being an architect, what do you enjoy doing?

Spending quality time with my family, home improvement projects, running, cycling, hiking, and exploring cities (especially those with a rich history) when the opportunity arises.