Find Design Inspirations While Working at Home

February 24, 2022February 24, 2022 Staff Report 0 Comments Real Estate

While you may have found some of your own design inspirations during the pandemic-induced work from home period, three local architects say they did as well — and they are ready to talk about it.

The Dallas Architecture Forum, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing public education about architecture, design, and the urban environment, continues its popular panel discussion series on Tuesday, March 1, at 6:30 p.m. in the Raible Chapel of First Unitarian Church of Dallas.

It is free and open to the public.

The discussion will give attendees the rare opportunity to learn about what inspires some of our area’s most talented design leaders in their creative process. Panelists will also discuss how they gained new inspiration while working at home during the pandemic. Panelists Daniel Gunn, Tricia Quaid, and Cliff Welch, joined by moderator Ian Zapata, will discuss these topics and take questions from the audience.

Ian Zapata, Moderator
Design Director
Gensler
Ian Zapata is a Design Director for Gensler’s Dallas office, leading design for commercial office buildings and headquarters campuses. His diverse experience also includes aviation and hospitality design. Ian believes that great cities promote human development, and that has led him to be a strong advocate for better design in emerging cities like Dallas-Fort Worth. Zapata is particularly interested in the types of solutions that arise out of unusual interdisciplinary collaborations and hybrid typologies. He is a past president of the Board of The Dallas Architecture Forum.

Daniel Gunn, Panelist
Visual Artist / Project Designer
Daniel M. Gunn Art
BOKA Powell

Daniel M. Gunn is an emerging visual artist and designer originally from Birmingham, Alabama. His ability to draw was discovered at an early age. Daniel’s love of art and drawing continued throughout middle school and high school. In 1998 he enrolled in the Art, Advertising, and Design program at Burlington County Institute of Technology in Medford, New Jersey. While still in high school Daniel also discovered an interest in architecture, and he pursued studies at the School of Architecture at Louisiana Tech University. Gunn currently resides in the Design District and works for the award-winning Dallas architecture firm BOKA Powell. When he’s not busy designing buildings by day, he is honing his skills with the paintbrush on canvas by night.

Tricia Quaid
Landscape Designer
Tricia Quaid Landscape Design
Tricia Quaid is the CEO and lead designer of Tricia Quaid Landscape Design, a full-service design/build firm. She earned her Masters in Landscape Architecture from UT-Arlington with Honors. Quaid’s Master’s thesis received an award from the ASLA for her study of the relationship between design intent and design perception. Her travels around the world have informed her philosophy of creating spaces that are complementary to both the site and the architecture of each project. Quaid’s respect for North Texans’ lifestyle preferences and her knowledge of the ecological processes of the local environment undergird her designs utilizing native plants and materials. She and her team design with the intent of providing safe, dynamic areas for entertaining, play, and relaxation.

Cliff Welch
Architect
WELCH Architecture
Cliff Welch, FAIA is a Dallas architect whose work has been honored at local and national levels. His background includes working with the late Dallas modernist Bud Oglesby after receiving his degree from UT-Arlington, working as a principal with Design International, and founding his own practice Welch Architecture in 2000. Welch creates timeless architecture rooted in classic modernism. His work evokes a richness of detail, materiality, craftsmanship, and artful composition, elevating awareness and appreciation for design. His work focuses on balancing vitality with restraint and celebrates attention to detail, honesty of materials, and respect for craftsmanship. His work has been recognized with over 30 awards and in numerous publications. His projects have been included on architecture tours, and Welch has participated in panel discussions, interviews, lectures, and symposia.