Spotlight On: John Schoonmaker
Get to know John.
We are extremely fortunate to have a staff of incredibly talented and interesting individuals at WJW! For today's staff feature, we're turning the spotlight on John Schoonmaker. John recently marked his fifth anniversary with the firm. He has been instrumental in our ArchiCAD Roundtable program and indispensable for sharing his technical know-how with fellow staff. He also serves on our Sustainability and PARTI (Planning Architectural Recreational Team-Building Initiatives) Committees. In his role on the Sustainability Committee, he championed WJW’s AIA 2030 Commitment, including drafting much of the content for our Sustainability Action Plan and spearheading our in-house Conceptual/Schematic Design-level energy modeling.
What made you decide you wanted to work in architecture?
I went off to college to study environmental science and I hated it. I used to walk back to my dorm past the architecture school late at night when you could see them working in the studio with the lights on. They seemed to be having a lot more fun than me so I switched majors and never looked back.
What special knowledge or quality do you bring to the WJW team?
I think I bring a certain self-critical attitude to the projects I work on that helps us make sure we are doing sound work, not just racing towards deadlines.
What has been your favorite project and why?
Hamlin Ave. PSH’s are my favorite. They tend to be medium size buildings and that is my favorite scale to work at.
What do you most love about what you do?
Love is a strong word. I enjoy being challenged everyday while being secure in the knowledge that I am working on projects that will objectively improve people’s lives.
What has been one of your proudest moments working at WJW?
A couple years out of grad school I was sitting in the trailer on a construction site with an owner and a G.C. There was a problem with one of the windows being installed, so we were discussing an alternate detail to remedy the issue. The owner was not understanding the solution, so I grabbed a pen and sketched out the detail while talking him through it. Seeing me draw it out put him at ease. That was the moment I realized I did in fact know what I was talking about.
What energizes you at work?
Coffee.
What are the non-design lessons you’ve learned from your work at WJW?
I’ve learned a lot about communication. The phone is very powerful and you can accomplish a lot by talking to people instead of communicating purely through drawings and emails.
Name one piece of architecture that continually inspires you and why.
I don’t tend to look at one work of architecture over and over. Whenever I am stuck on a design problem or lacking inspiration I look out the window on the train to and from work. Inevitably I will see something that will jog my brain and give me what I need to get back to work.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
I enjoy working on my house. It is therapeutic to have something I can experiment on design-wise where the stakes are lower.
Tell us about a favorite book.
Our Man in Havana - Graham Greene. Still very trenchant satire.
Offer your best life/business/design advice to young architects starting their final year of school.
Don’t just take the first or highest paying job offer you get. Take your time and think critically about where you want to work. You will be spending a lot of your time and energy there.
Look into the future: name something you’re excited about and think may Be a part of architecture and design in the next 10 years.
I think eletrification of the U.S. energy grid has too much momentum to stop. There is going to be a lot of opportunity for the buildings we design to be very energy efficient and very sustainable in the coming years.
