Charles Weston is a Registered Architect and the Principal Designer at Weston Miles. He is unique as he is also a licensed contractor and constructed WMA’s LEED Gold Certified Granary, our current office building.What do you find inspiring about architecture?
First I want to define what architecture is and isn’t. 2 quotes:
1. A bicycle is a building , Lincoln Cathedral is a piece of architecture. Nearly everything that encloses space on a scale sufficient for a human being to move in is a building, the term architecture applies to building designed with a view to aesthetic appeal.
2. It takes more than putting building materials together to create architecture. No one can explain exactly what that more is , except that architecture has spirit and buildings do not.
Making architecture is a hard and time consuming endeavor. I love the hunt to find out what the problems are and solve them in a creative way. There are so many disciplines associated with my craft, that if given the opportunity to express themselves in the most efficient way and do that with all the influences, then you have solved the problem and it becomes perfect. That is what I strive for in my work and find inspiring.
What are your hobbies and interests?
My interest in architecture carries over to evening and weekends, reading and trying to know more about my craft is important to me. I talk to my wife who also is an architect about articles in the paper or about a book we are reading. I do lots of running and have that time to think about work and design by myself as well as all other aspects of my life. I like gardening and trying to be part of my children’s and grandchildren’s life. I like bread making and generally make some each week, finally figured out how to get steam into the process and of course, eating the finished product with butter. A joy.
What’s one obscure tidbit about yourself?
I grew up in Hollywood and belonged to the screen actors guild. I had small roles in “My Three Sons ” and “Leave it to Beaver”