OBSESSING OVER DETAILS—LIKE THE WAY A ROOF’S EDGE ON A BUILDING VANISHES OUT OF SIGHT—IS WHAT MAKES ARCHITECTS LIKE MATTHEW KREILICH TICK. Last month, the design principal and partner at Minneapolis-based Snow Kreilich Architects, headlined Portland Design Events’ quarterly lecture series, in which he discussed some of those very details and his firm’s dedication to creating architecture that connects people. Snow Kreilich was recently awarded the prestigious 2018 AIA Firm Award.
GRAY caught up with Kreilich to chat rooflines, running and who he’s just followed on Insta.
What’s the best part of your job?
Working with incredibly creative people every day, learning from our clients, and creating architecture that more profoundly connects people to the places and sites we build on.
Can you share a detail from a recent project that you’re proud of?
We always obsess about roof edge conditions. I love the roof edge for our [Straight River] rest area along Interstate 35 in southern Minnesota. It’s so minimal, it vanishes from sight allowing the wall to meet the sky uninterrupted.
“The smartest thing I’ve ever done was…”
Become an architect!
Who is the latest person you followed on Instagram? Why?
Brock Davis. I love the way his mind works. He’s a visual artist who challenges you to see ordinary objects in new ways. Anyone who can reframe one’s understanding of things is doing something right.
How do you get out of a creative mind block?
Running is a relatively new passion of mine that’s great for breaking through the mind blocks. It’s my mental escape—the longer the run the more I’m able to find a calm state of clarity.