Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd Howard.
Todd, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
After growing up in North Dallas and going to St. Mark’s School of Texas, I attended Texas A&M where I received my architectural degree. After several years working in a firm in Dallas, I hung out my shingle and started the firm. The success over the past 19 years is attributed to our team, as I am only establishing the vision. They are the true heroes who help us achieve that vision. My wife and I have lived in East Dallas for the past 24 years and have two children.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road of ownership always has its bumps. Sometimes they are potholes. The economy during some of those years has certainly presented its trials. The architectural profession is cyclical in nature, ebbing and flowing with the overall real estate market. When it is busy the work is everywhere and staying focused on the vision during those times can prove challenging. But through it all, patience, perseverance, and hard work always pay off.
Please tell us about T. Howard + Associates Architects.
We have been around for 19 years and focus on healthcare, pre-K-12 education with a specialty niche in early childhood facility design, multifamily, and commercial interiors. We have worked all over the country for Fortune 500 companies, institutions of higher education, and healthcare. We take pride in our stance on sustainability and our dedication to improving the lives of others. Our brand is “Agile by Design” because we adapt to the flexible nature of our clients. We think about the impact our designs have on the built environment and their impact on people’s lives and support social justice initiatives that benefit communities. We solve our client’s challenges and help them to establish their goals. We believe strongly in being leaders in our firm, in our profession, and in our community.
Do you feel like our city is a good place for businesses like yours?
Dallas is a great place for architects but it is very competitive for the medium sized firm. There has been an economic boom over the past few years that has brought multitudes of companies to Dallas from across the nation and as such, there’s been a need to expand our infrastructure, housing, retail, healthcare buildings, etc.
This is an especially great place for young architects to begin their career. The job opportunities are plentiful particularly with firms such as ours that offer a wide variety of experience in various aspects of a design project. If looking to start a practice, while the competitions can be fierce, the need for quality design, not cookie-cutter design, does exist but must be sought after. Dallas is a world-class city with world class cultural arts and strong leadership. Development of our Southern Sector is imperative and comprehensive urban planning with the introduction of high speed rail is going to be incredibly important to connect our Farmer’s market with the High Speed Rail Station with green space. This could allow the Convention Center to turn its front door to the south opening to wonderful outdoor park with restaurants, entertainment areas, and other pedestrian friendly experiences. We need to continue our efforts in Dallas to become a pedestrian friendly city where the urban core is more attractive than the suburban sprawl.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1506 Griffin St WDallas, TX 75215
- Website: www.thaarch.com
- Phone: O: 214.522.1100 D: 214.466.2731
- Email: tsanpedro@thaarch.com
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