Celebrating New Architects: Dan Russoniello

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

Since joining PAYETTE in 2013, Dan has worked on a number of academic science projects, including the Columbia University Data Science Institute, the Center for Integrated Life Sciences and Engineering at BU, Bryn Mawr College Park Science Addition and Renovation, and the UW School of Public Health Programming and Visioning study. He serves as the firm’s licensing advisor, and is involved in the development of Revit resources for the office.

What inspires you?
I enjoy learning how people think and what they are passionate about, and I really like sights that make me pause, whether designed by humans, natural formations, or appearing almost by accident.

What is the best part of your job?
The most satisfying part of my job is making decisions, sharing ideas, and solving problems as part of a team. I also really enjoy discovering the thinking behind design decisions.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned so far?
Three things I keep in mind are that it’s hard work to keep things simple, until something is built it is still just lines on paper, and the specifications control as much of the design as the drawings.

The sky is the limit: if you could design or redesign anything, what would it be?
I would like to plan a city that would encourage mixing of people with differing levels of wealth. I’m not saying I know how, more that I wonder what that would look like.