Luke Voiland, AIA, LEED AP

My mother would say my architecture career began when I learned to draw. As a child, I would spend hours drawing intricate depictions of little worlds filled with people, machines, and animals. Oddly, though, I never considered being an architect. Instead, I spent my college years pursuing other interests, like physics, economics, law, and geography.

A trip to Rome in my 20s changed everything. The Classic architecture of the ancient city shifted my perspective and inspired me to imagine worlds of the future. My mom was right, and I became an architect—relying on my pursuit of other fields to inform my architectural vision.

As a leading designer at Shepley Bulfinch, my work spans multiple disciplines, but is bound by a common belief in healthful environments. My approach to design often explores a project’s physical and social context using maps, institutional and demographic data, and historical documents. Consequently, my work considers the relationship between site, program, and façade, to create unique spaces with each building that interact responsibly with their surroundings.