Name: Bob Shibley, FAIA, FAICP
Title: SUNY Distinguished Professor
Company:
University at Buffalo, School of Architecture and Planning
Where are you from?
Buffalo by way of Washington DC and North Bend, Oregon
How many years of experience do you have? 53
Why did you choose Architecture as a profession?
I love its breadth and depth. It is fundamentally a discipline of the always complex relationships required to make great places. There is so much we can do with this profession, and you see the impact of your work both immediately and in the long term.
What Industry of Architecture do you work in? Education and Practice
How many years have you taught? 41
Why did you choose architecture as a profession or subject to teach?
Effective practice requires reflection. Teaching how to reflect on practice -- to do it better -- is very fulfilling.
What school do you teach in?
University at Buffalo, School of Architecture and Planning
Best project or most unique/favorite project?
"The Queen City Hub; A Regional Action Plan for Downtown Buffalo" with companion plans for the Waterfront, the Olmsted Parks and Parkway System, and the City of Buffalo Comprehensive Plan. We developed these plans with a consortium of faculty, staff, students, practitioners, the City of Buffalo, and community constituencies in fabulous collaborations.
In your opinion, what are the most pressing issues architects will face in the coming years?
No surprises here: We are headed for an ecological catastrophe if we don't fully address the social and ecological dynamics of climate change and develop resilient approaches to building that address the hazards already in front of us. These catastrophes are, of course, deeply connected to the necessity to address equity and social justice.
What is the most inspiring part of your job?
I’ve had the pleasure of learning from some great mentors during my career, including multiple kick a** women who showed me how to stand in a boardroom and deliver. To them, my friends, colleagues, parents and family, I’d like to say thank you for the learning opportunities, listening ears, coffees, glasses of wine and never-ending support!
What advice would you want to pass along to young professionals entering your industry?
Be curious. Curiosity is a form of humility that enables excellent communication, invites more profound understanding, and enables the best decision-making. That same curiosity assumes we all drink from wells we did not dig -- understanding the history of place and aspirations for places are critical to our success in placemaking.
If you could represent yourself in the Olympics, which sport would you play and why?
I would be a sprinter. I ran for the University of Oregon track team under Bill Bowerman, and I was fast but nothing near Olympic quality. Even so, I have the body memory of being in great physical shape and able to move quickly -- I would go there again if I could. More to the point, track is seldom a team sport. The goal is personal best. So much of life has to be team sport, but track and field gives you a bit of distance from constantly working with others. Even track, however, is coach and athlete team and peer-to-peer learning, But at the end of the day, win or lose, your time on the stopwatch is the measure of success. Are you improving?