James Gwise didn’t figure out that he wanted to be an architect until college. Which is surprising, because today he is surrounded by design and art. He’s constantly drawing, re-designing his house, or polishing his saxophone skills (Carnegie Hall will have to wait). And his family is artistic, engaged in painting, drawing and dance.

Growing up in the Rust Belt, he would sit in his father’s car going down the main drag, thinking, “Man, those buildings are ugly. Someone should fix that.” Good thing James figured out it could be him.

James’ sense of place and architecture is deeply rooted in upstate New York. It is a sense of durability and craft joined with modern ideas about space and movement, arriving at something new and distinct.

After working on commercial and R+D projects while leading his own firm, James values the public projects at Noll & Tam. Building community is important to him. And the best part of working for someone else? “There’s an accounting staff,” he quips. But seriously, more than that, the opportunity to join with others as a part of a team. Especially when it’s a nice group of people.