Bio:

The Great designer, Dennis Chiessa is Assistant Professor of Architecture at The University of Texas at Arlington. Dennis’ work has been exhibited in Latinos in Architecture exhibits across Texas, the Fort Worth Community Arts Center, The Amarillo Museum of Art and the forthcoming Venice Architecture Biennale. Dennis’ design work received First Place in the Tandy Hills Pavilion Design Competition, Studio Award from AIA-Fort Worth. Dennis serves as Chair of Latinos in Architecture in Fort Worth.

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How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?

When I was seven in my birth country of Honduras my parents hired a contractor to build a home for our family. While it was a modest house, seeing the con- struction process inspired me. It was the first time I saw someone sketch a floor plan.

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What do you do?

I design and I teach. I spend a lot of time reading, thinking and talking about design and architecture. Sometimes I get to design some things.

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What excites you in the work you do?

The opportunity to design something useful that has the potential to inspire others. To design for the other 98%. To be able tell stories through architecture as much as creating the setting for new stories excites me.

 

Who or what inspires you professionally?

People and their stories and aspirations.

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What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?

The owners of the Barn-House told me that they get up in the middle of the night to see the stars and moon. That they would never have thought about watching the stars if they lived in a ‘normal’ house. That I had a hand in that makes me happy.

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Featured Project Name: 

Barn-House

 

Featured Project Location: 

Terrell, Texas

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Featured Project Completion Date: 

2017

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Role in Featured Project: 

Designer

 

Featured Project Description:

The Barn-House is an opportunistic intervention on a rural landscape scattered with trailer homes, barns and ranch houses. The 1,250 sf house was designed for a young immigrant family and is inspired by traditional barns found across Texas. It is modern and vernacular. The sky and landscape provide a context in which to dream and wonder. The unexpected vaulted space serves to connect the family to the horizon and the sky in effort to allow for dignity within a modest family home.

 

Photography Credit:

Dennis A. Chiessa

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