Celebrating New Architects: Dane Clark

Dane Clark recently joined the firm’s ranks of registered architects. Today we celebrate his accomplishments.

Dane recently joined PAYETTE in April, 2017, and has been working on the new Science I project at the University of Connecticut. Dane has also contributed to the fabrication efforts in the office, including the full-scale China mock-up, the Boston University Donor Model, the acoustic enhancement research project and various project site models. Dane earned his Master of Architecture degree from Rhode Island School of Design in 2015, and his Bachelor’s degree from University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning in 2009.

What inspires you?
The unexpected and unfamiliar. I am fascinated by objects and spaces which allow one to question their assumptions and remove preconceptions.

What is the best part of your job?
Oscillating back-and-forth between abstract drawing and tangible construction to develop sophisticated architectural ideas. I enjoy developing a logical plan with a very talented team of designers, and then building those spaces, whether in model or full-scale construct, to test the assumptions made in the design and evaluate the quality of our ideas. This process allows for discoveries to be made, and better architecture as a result.

What is the most import thing you’ve learned so far?
There is a richness is starting a design with a very rigorous set of principles, then allowing the program and site to create complexity, rather than starting with very complex architecture and then attempting to reconcile the design.

The sky is the limit: if you could design or redesign anything, what would it be?
An underwater sauna in Lake Superior.