Builder / Architect

Chicagoland Edition

Becker Architects Collaborative Approach, Sophisticated

Solutions Both Drive and DeďŹ ne AwardWinning North Shore Architectural Group

cover story

Becker Architects

Collaborative Approach, Sophisticated Solutions Both Drive and Define Award-Winning North Shore Architectural Group

By Tonya Poole

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MIKE KASKEL; WWW.KASKELPHOTO.COM

Becker says that while it’s certainly not true for all firms, he hears a lot of complaints from clients about architects that impose their own style on clients, often trying to create more of a portfolio piece for themselves than a comfortable home that fits the client’s vision and lifestyle. Working in both traditional and modern vernaculars, Becker and his team aim to custom craft a home that’s equally right for the site and the homeowner.

Becker’s firm, Becker Architects, is based in Highland Park — a turnof-the century lakefront community on Chicago’s North Shore. With an office of eight, including Becker’s wife, Nancy, firm co-founder, they split their time between residential and commercial projects, a bridge Becker believes adds value to everything they do. “I think that’s something that makes our office unusual,” says Becker. “Because we’ve got such a varied pool of talent and expertise here, we’ve created successful market niches in both markets. Our commercial work is primarily designing automotive dealerships, and while at first glance that may Richard Becker, AIA, President; Mark Siggelkow, Senior Project Architect; and Bert Boldizsar, AIA, Senior Project Architect (front to back) in front of a modern house addition and rehab nearing completion in Highland Park.

It’s well-worn, but worthy advice in most business circles: to achieve greatness in anything, surround yourself with greatness — and the adage may resonate more truth in creative fields than anywhere else, where the collective mind naturally achieves and inspires more than the sum of its parts. Washington DC native and third-generation architect Richard Becker, AIA, knows that when you’re building quality of life, that principle is as fundamental as it gets.

“We value collaboration not just amongst ourselves as professionals, but with the varied clients that we serve as well: homeowners, developers and business owners,” says Becker. “We spend a lot of time talking with clients about what they’d like to achieve, we absorb their goals and ideas, we’ll even do some role-playing to get at the core of their vision.

We’ll review their clippings, take them to showrooms and we’ll work through the design process exhaustively, because when it’s finished, that home needs to be about them, and not about us.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE KASKEL; WWW.KASKELPHOTO.COM

Nancy Becker, Bert Boldizsar, Kim Jischke, Sheree Dittmer, Hamid Ali, Omar Gutiérrez (seated). Richard Becker and Mark Siggelkow (standing).

The setting is a modern house designed and constructed by Becker Architects in 1998.

seem far removed from custom residential construction, they’ve got more in common than you might think.”

The firm handles a wide variety of residential projects, from new custom construction to remodels and additions. The team takes a collaborative approach on most every project to capitalize on the wide range of talents and ideas they’ve amassed as a group. As a result, Becker’s homes have become widely known for fresh, intelligent design that avoids architectural clichés.

Part of that process is engaging the client in discussion and facilitating open communication with team members, knowing that this increases the likelihood of a successful project. “Convincing a client to share with us the sometimes-intimate details about how they live can be a sensitive issue,” says Becker. “But it’s critical that they know how important that information is to designing the right home. Clients may walk through the door with preconceptions, but we’ll always tell them if we think they’re making a mistake. That said, we know when to back off and let the client overrule us. Apart from codes or life safety issues, we don’t stand in their way.”

The care they take in drawing out and assessing client goals ultimately translates into a home that’s not only beautiful, but also works in

harmony with each client’s unique living patterns — including clients with disabilities who need increased accessibility and functionality in a home. The team has worked on many special homes that incorporate ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) principles, including remodels and new construction. “We enjoy and are challenged by the additional requirements that these types of projects present,” says Becker.

“Right now we’re designing or constructing three different homes with elevators,” says Becker. “Whether those have been to assist a family with an elderly parent, or a disabled child or spouse, it’s becoming increasingly common to see homes being designed around special needs.

I think it takes a special understanding to be intuitive about those things and ask the right questions.”

For any project, the work that Becker and his team produce is a marriage of esthetics and function, with consideration as well for issues like site and neighborhood context. Becker, who once served as Vice Chair of the Highland Park Historic Preservation Commission and now sits on the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals, calls that “good neighbor” architecture. His experience with a variety of preservation and zoning issues has given him insight into how our communities have matured, and how they work together architecturally.

PHOTOS BY HNK ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Becker Architects also specializes in the design of automotive dealerships.

Testimonials Becker Architects has received many testimonials, both solicited and unsolicited, over the years. A sampling of them appear below: Dear Richard and Nancy, Thank you so much for the breathtaking pictures of our home.

We will cherish them forever.

As you already know, we have truly enjoyed living and entertaining here, as our house is perfect in every way. From the superior quality of materials, to the spacious wonderful floor plan, there is absolutely nothing missing.

All of the contractors were top of the line and extremely accommodating throughout the project. Besides all that, both of you are quite a team. Thank you for always being there and for all your help to make the home our castle.

Please feel free to use our name or ring our bell with any clients, any time. It’s been a pleasure to know and work with you.

— A Chicago area client

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE KASKEL; WWW.KASKELPHOTO.COM

Dear Richard and Nancy, You guys were great to work with. I enjoyed each and every meeting and every single conversation. You listened to my desires and many of my indecisive thoughts and ideas patiently, and always with a smile on your faces.

The process was enjoyable, and the end result — perfect! I love our home; as hard as it was for me to articulate the vision which was in my head, it’s now here in front of my eyes!

I thank you for your help, your knowledge, your wisdom, your patience, your expertise and mostly your friendship!

— A Chicago area client

Nancy Becker, AIA, and husband/partner Richard Becker, AIA, married since 1980, business partners since 1982, parents of five.

Becker acknowledges that juggling a budget, zoning issues, a client’s wish list and neighborhood character together in the same package is challenging — but says he and those he works closely with have mastered the process, from defining scale in context, to selecting the right materials, to paying close attention to detailing and overall character.

Success, he says, means delivering on their promises to their clients, and in the process, helping to enhance the neighborhood through appropriate architecture. “We work for the client, but we have a responsibility to the whole community as well.”

Equally as important to many of the team’s clients is a home that’s durable and low-maintenance. In response, the architects employ a strategy of life-cycle costing, that is, weighing the relative benefits of spending higher amounts at the outset for quality materials and trading that off against lower costs during the life of the structure.

To stay on top of trends in the construction industry, Becker’s firm sponsors Lunch-and-Learn Thursdays, bringing vendors in to meet with the team and discuss new materials, finishes and products. He and his team also attend relevant expositions and conventions to learn about who and what are new to the market. Back at the office, they have more than 400 lineal feet in their reference and sample library.

“It’s great for our clients, too,” says Becker, “since they are often curious to see what other choices are out there.”

Dear Richard and Nancy: As my husband and I just reflected on the dinner party we hosted for 24 people last night, we commented on how we literally couldn’t have done it without you! Without your architectural expertise, that is, which provided us with exactly the space we had hoped to attain.

When we first interviewed you, our guidelines were fairly general, but our goal was specific: to achieve an informal cooking and dining area in an integrated kitchen/family room space that would be both dramatic and functional.

Well, you did it!

As you know, we entertain frequently, and are consequently reminded again and again of how successful the months of planning and execution really were. Not only is it a pleasure for just the four of us to eat or lounge in our new space, but a crowd enjoys the area comfortably as well. Of equal importance to me, of course, is what a pleasure it is to cook and bake here to boot!

Our mud room/laundry room/desk/screened porch additions are a tribute to your creativity. We could never have envisioned how handsomely those spaces could all work together without your obvious attention to detail and your patient ability to communicate.

Your recommendations proved wise, your predictions correct and your accessibility invaluable.

Thanks again for your quality efforts which have impacted so positively on the quality of our lives.

Until the next project ...

— A Chicago area client Dear Richard, Now that all of the construction is finished in my house, it is time for me to write you.

In retrospect, the best part of the project was your professionalism and guidance. I am so happy that you made me seriously consider changing parts of the house that I had not anticipated. Every one who comes through the house just flips at what they see. They just don’t have enough adjectives to describe it.

I am sorry that you are not here to hear some of the compliments.

One day, I am sure while you and Nancy are watching television [this house is used for television shows and commercials] , you will instantly recognize all of your efforts in our house.

(As I mentioned in our phone conversation, Mayor Giuliani was here for a fundraiser and he was very complimentary!)

Many thanks for all your patience.

— A New York City client

PHOTO COURTESY OF WATTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Nancy and Richard have five children, ages 11 up to 23.

Commitment to details doesn’t stop there; Becker says the firm is well known for the quality of their construction documents and their detailed drawings, both of which help the building process proceed smoothly for contractors and clients alike. Equal effort is put into contract administration. The firm works closely with the contractor and spends whatever time it takes to assess field conditions and work progress, attending meetings with clients and all those involved with the process.

For developers looking to distinguish themselves through out-of-thebox solutions and original design, Becker Architects offers the collective experience of more than 100 years in architecture — and experience, he says, is priceless when you’re building someone’s future. “So much builder and developer architecture is clichéd and anonymous. We’re not the only firm doing what we consider unique, contextual buildings, but there aren’t enough of us. And not enough builders appreciate what high-quality architecture can do for their bottom line. They may be a penny wise and pound foolish. Architecture is a business that people typically expect to hit their stride in their 40s or 50s. It’s a slow cook,” Becker says. “Experience is cumulative and seasons the work.”

That experience means that the firm focuses on producing designs that are buildable, rather than designing only for the purpose of making a statement or garnering press and recognition. Even so, outstanding design doesn’t go unnoticed: Becker’s team and their designs have

received a number of industry awards, and have been the subject of features in shelter magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, Remodeling and Traditional Home. One of their homes was also profiled for a 13-episode run on the popular HGTV reality series “Dream House.”

Becker’s experience in the field has also translated into offshoots of his design work. In addition to real estate development in the New York and Chicago metro areas (he’s about to break ground on a small office building in Southern New Jersey), he’s also a co-founding principal of Orange Loft, an architectural software company formed in 2000 with co-founders and fellow Syracuse alumni Steven Burns and Gary Beyerl.

ArchiOffice (www.archioffice.com), the firm’s cross-platform product, provides all the tools that are needed for managing an architecture firm — contacts, time, calendar, billing, project and document management — and has achieved impressive worldwide sales since its market debut in 2003. The new version 8.0, in development over the last year, has just begun shipping last month. Becker is in charge of their marketing efforts long distance through their Australia office.

Syracuse University has played a large role in Becker’s life. Not only did he meet his wife, Nancy, in the School of Architecture, but two of his children have gone on to attend the University, one of them a graduate last year. Becker was the 2004 recipient of the School of Architecture’s Outstanding Alumni Award.

Moving forward, Becker says he and the team will continue to keep a close eye on market trends, new materials and developments in sustainability. An advocate of smaller, smarter spaces, he says that over the years he’s tried to gently nudge his clients toward building less square footage, but doing it better — akin to the principles of The Not So Big House by author Sarah Susanka. “We strive for an economy of form,” he says. “We show clients how they can have a beautiful, well-detailed home without the expense of wasted space. Unfortunately, we’ve been conditioned by our culture to think ‘bigger is better.’ It’s been tough to combat that, but with increased awareness of dwindling resources and growing dissatisfaction with ‘McMansions,’ I think we will see the pendulum swing.”

Staying on top of, and in tune with, any industry requires vigilant work and long hours, and Becker says working together with his wife has made time he spends at work and in the field a little easier. “She’s a real balancing element for me here,” he says. “Nancy is calm, whereas I tend to be somewhat frenzied.”

Despite the long hours, the Beckers make spending time with each other and their five children — Sam (23), Michael (21), twins Jack and Emily (18) and Zoe (11) — a top priority. Becker and his two oldest sons just returned from a trip to London and Berlin, in fact, after his son, Sam, spent a semester studying there.

“The freedom to go and experience things like that with my kids is really one of the best perks of being an entrepreneur,” he says. “Another is providing our clients high-quality architecture. Memorable buildings can do a lot to raise the human spirit.” ■ For more information, contact: Richard Becker Becker Architects 595 Elm Place, Suite 225 Highland Park, IL 60035 (847) 433-6600 www.beckerarchitects.com rb@beckerarchitects.com