Name: Justin Taplet
Hometown: Pearland
Major: Bachelor of Architecture, Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design
Graduation Year: 2008
Employer: Smith & Company Architects
Title: Senior Project Manager

Why did you choose the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design? What drew you to design?
My mother was in the army, so I grew up moving around a lot – about every two years. As a kid traveling and living in different places, I would always notice how buildings and cities would look or feel. Driving through new towns I would be glued to the car window, taking in all the surroundings.

In 1998, my mom was stationed in Fort Hood, Texas. I was born in El Paso, Texas, but we moved to Los Angeles before I was even one year old, so moving to Killeen in 1998 was essentially my first time living in Texas. I was in Killeen for three years, which was the longest time I had lived in a single place. Being there was also significant because that was my eighth through eleventh grade years. My “growing up,” teenage years in Killeen were different compared to the other places I had lived. I felt more connected to the place and to the friends I had made. Any time before that, I barely even remembered classmates or friends because I was so used to just moving on and meeting new friends.

We then moved again at the end of my junior year to Germany. I finished my high school years in Germany and sorting out which college I was going to attend was rather simple because I only had a few priorities: study architecture, be in a big city, and move back to Texas. This led me to the University of Houston

What is one of your favorite memories from your time on campus? Was there a particular professor who influenced your education?
A favorite memory is tough for me, there were so many meaningful moments that shaped me into the person that I am today. The most enjoyable was the thrill and enjoyment I felt on graduation day. The sense of accomplishment I felt made it into the top three moments of my life.

Each of my studio professors had an impact, but if I had to pick, I would say Bill Neuhaus stands out. He took an interest in me and was very encouraging and interested in the design I was doing in his studio. I kept up with him the most for years after graduating. He was always available for a talk or lunch when I was trying to navigate through my career.

My fifth-year studio professor, Jeffrey Brown, also had a significant impact on my career in a few ways. I specifically took his studio because he had a reputation for being a straight shooter and highly rigorous. I was interested in learning from him because he was leading a large award-winning firm, and I wanted to see what it took to be in that position. I landed my first professional job right after graduation due to his recommendation. Someone he had worked with in the past was in business for themselves and was looking to hire a recent graduate and Jeffery recommended me. I worked there for about one and a half years until the recession caught up to us at the end of 2009.

Tell us about a typical day in your job. Do you have a particular design or business philosophy?
I love my current role because of the variety it offers. I wear multiple hats and have a direct impact on business and projects. Being in a leadership position within in a mid-sized firm allows me to work on all aspects related to delivering projects and obtaining new work. I may draft responses for RFQ questions, get out some trace paper to sketch some ideas for a specific design problem, redline CDs, or set up a new project or drawing details in Revit all in the same day.

In addition to the variety of duties that change within a given day, our firm also has a variety of project types. We are a generalist firm, so we have multiple practice areas: K-12, higher education, multifamily, aviation, office, healthcare, etc. Everything about my role requires me to be very nimble and always open and ready to learn at a fast pace.

This also ensures we stay true to the design process – tackling each project to create architecture, responding specifically to the given client and program. No “copy-texture” – each project has its own voice and its own expression.

What is one career accomplishment of which you are particularly proud? How do you feel the College prepared you for this?
Hands down, becoming licensed. Completing all the requirements to become licensed is such a challenge because it requires “bringing it altogether”. The “it” is so vast, but I believe that is what I learned during my time at the college. It was about being exposed to new information, figuring out how to maximize your time, dedication to precision and accuracy, and synthesizing everything into a final deliverable. Those are the same things required to pass the exams and to create a successful career.

What is one valuable lesson you learned during your time at the Hines College?
Everything requires iteration. It was amazing to see the results from having such dedication to a project, working on it and making it better day by day. This is important because it goes beyond creating architecture; it applies to everything in life. We can create or make anything better if we are intentional and dedicated to the process. I learned “your first idea is your worst idea.” Everything can get better and it is our job to make it happen, step by step.

What advice would you give to current architecture and design students?
Your story is your own. Embrace who you are and where you have been. Your career is not a race. Follow your own passions and interests even if they may not align with a traditional approach. Prioritize learning and you will never go wrong.

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