Team at Waechter Architecture | Portland, Oregon
BEN WAECHTER, AIA
PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT
Inspired by experiential and clear, distilled design, Ben founded Waechter Architecture (WA) in order to pursue these concepts in his work. Prior to forming WA, he worked locally and internationally with leaders in architecture including Allied Works Architecture (Portland, OR) and world-renowned architect Renzo Piano (Genoa, Italy). Ben is an award-winning and published designer whose principles lie in providing bold forms arrived at through exercises in concept, distillation, and intelligent programming. His experience includes a wide range of building types: cultural, hospitality, commercial, and multi-family and single-family residential.
BLAIR BARONE
STUDIO MANAGER
Blair earned her BA with honors from New York University concentrating in Art History. She joins WA with experience in various administrative and business development roles in the art and architecture industry including Phillips Auction House and Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Prior to joining WA she worked as a studio assistant for Allied Works Architecture in Portland, Oregon. With equal passion for organization and design, Blair’s interested in thoughtful solutions to streamline operations and increase engagement with the wider community.
ALEXIS COIR
PROJECT LEAD, ARCHITECT
Alexis is an alumnus of the University of Michigan where she earned an B.S.Arch with distinction, and Harvard University where she graduated with an M.Arch with distinction. Before joining WA, she worked at multiple firms including PLY Architecture in Ann Arbor, MI, Marble Fairbanks, A+I, and Frederick Tang Architecture in New York City. Having lived and practiced throughout the country, Alexis’ work is driven by understanding the connection between architecture and the communities it serves.
ALEXIS KURLAND
PROJECT LEAD
Alexis holds a BA in philosophy from Lewis & Clark College, a M.Arch from the University of Texas at Austin, and has studied and traveled throughout Japan, Mexico, Central America, and Western Europe. He is a LEED accredited professional who has worked in several prominent architectural offices. Prior to joining WA, Alexis worked at Allied Works Architecture on a variety of project types, including the National Veterans Memorial Museum in Columbus, Ohio.
QUINTEN McELVAIN
DESIGNER
Quinten earned his BA from the University of Arkansas where he won several national awards and worked with industry leaders such as Marlon Blackwell and Steve Luoni. Prior to joining WA, he worked at several architecture offices in the mid-west including the UACDC. Along with his professional work, Quinten co-illustrated the book Archi-Graphic: An Infographic Look at Architecture, and has been commissioned to design-build multiple pieces of furniture. Quinten has formed an extensive portfolio in office design, multi-family, hospitality, and higher education developments.
JUDSON MOORE, AIA
DESIGN DIRECTOR
With an education and background in agriculture development and environmental design, Judson is an alumnus of Texas A&M University with an M.Arch from Rice University. He has worked as a designer and educator throughout Texas, Montana, Idaho, California and Oregon, bringing over 18 years of experience across a broad range of project types including educational, cultural, commercial, retail, residential, and industrial design. With extensive experience in institutional and private development he has been a designer and project lead on a number of award wining projects in the Pacific Northwest.
REIHANEH NOORI
DESIGNER
Reihaneh holds an M.Arch from the University of Utah with an educational background in landscape architecture in Tehran, Iran. Before joining WA, Reihaneh worked at several leading practices in Salt Lake City including VYArchitecture where she formed an extensive portfolio in single-family residential, retail, and recreational/civic projects. She has also participated in multiple public art projects including the Salt Lake City International Airport Art wall. The relationship between the whole (context) and the part (architectural intervention) has always been central to Reihaneh's trajectory in architecture. It remains a critical part of her practice and has inspired her current investigation to create strong bonds that will improve the quality of life in and around them.
RAND PINSON, AIA
PROJECT LEAD, ARCHITECT
Rand is an alumnus of Auburn University, and the world-renowned Rural Studio in Hale County, Alabama. His professional work includes design-build work at the Epicenter in Utah and Lake Flato Architects in Texas, with a focus on residential, environmental, and agricultural projects. Rand’s work has won numerous AIA awards and has been featured in international publications and exhibitions, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and La Biennale di Venezia. He is drawn to an architectural narrative that is specific to its place, responsive to its environment, and characterized by its timelessness.
WILLIAM SMITH
DESIGNER
William is an alumnus of Harvard University where he graduated as an M.Arch with distinction, and previously from the University of Oregon with a B.Arch. Before joining WA he worked at multiple firms in Oregon, New York, and abroad including PARA-Project, LEVER Architecture, Architecture Research Office, Allied Works, and HaasCookZemmrick. Throughout his work, William considerers the possibility of building as a regenerative act for communities and their landscapes
GILBERTO VILLALOBOS
DESIGNER
Gilberto holds an M.Arch from the University of Oregon, a B.A. in Humanities from Washington State University, and has studied abroad in Japan and in Spain with RCR Arquitectes. Prior to joining WA, he worked for several offices based in Oregon and Southern California, primarily focused on residential and hospitality design. His fascination with architecture stems from its primordial response to the human necessity of shelter, and how it has evolved into a lens for how we view the site and ourselves.