HARRY JAMES HOWARD
Howard and Associates Architects, Inc
SAY IT LOUD - FLORIDA Exhibitor
Florida Based Designer
Who or what inspires you professionally?
This may sound cliche, but first and foremost, my mother inspired me to pursue architecture when it was not a profession open to Blacks, especially in the South. A few local Tampa Bay architects I work with over the years and other modern Architects
HARRY JAMES HOWARD
Bio:
Howard and Associates, Architect, P.A. is an African American owned and registered firm guided by the direction of Harry J. Howard since its inception in 1991. Located in the greater Tampa Bay area, Howard and Associates, Architect P.A. has contributed to the development of this fast-growing area in the form of aviation, educational, commercial, residential, medical, and industrial design.
How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
My interest in architecture began in 6th grade. I was shown the plan for a small camper trailer. I asked the teacher who prepared these drawings. Her response: an architect. I never hear of an architect. I knew then that's what I wanted to become.
What do you do?
I am an African American Architect who manages my own Architectural Firm for over 40 years.
What excites you in the work you do?
The creativity of solving and organizing the needs and desires of a client into a structure that is first functional and yet contributes aesthetically to the community and the environment in which it is built.
Who or what inspires you professionally?
This may sound cliche, but first and foremost, my mother inspired me to pursue architecture when it was not a profession open to Blacks, especially in the South. A few local Tampa Bay architects I work with over the years and other modern Architects
What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
The design of Howard W Blake Performing Arts High School. It is the largest high. It is the largest high school in the history of the Hillsborough County School Board. It is also the first Magnet Performing Arts High School in the district.
Featured Project Name:
Howard W. Blake High School of the Performing Arts
Featured Project Location:
Tampa, FL
Featured Project Completion Date:
1997
Role in Featured Project:
Architect of Record
Featured Project Description:
Blake High School is the first Magnet Performing Arts High School and the largest high school designed in the history of the Hillsborough County School Board. Located near the northern edge of downtown Tampa, alongside the Hillsborough River, the school consists of 345,000 sqft., and has a project construction cost of $42 million. The three-story design includes Administration Bldg., Media Center, Athletic Complex, Parking Garage, Gymnasium, 600-seat Theater, and Academic & Orchestral Classrooms
