Bio:
The great designer, Mr. Whitley graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. He also studied at Harvard Graduate School of Design, Continuing Professional Education, the Development of Property. He has served as Principal of Whitley/Whitley Architects for many years and has managed many projects encompassing the full range of architectural size, complexity and budgets. He is passionate about serving communities and making them better places to live.

How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
My brother and I created tree house communities in the woods. Eventually we realized we used the same techniques to build tree houses as contractors. The movie, “The Fountainhead” made a big impression on me. The architect won and got the girl!

What do you do?
My responsibility is to oversee quality assurance and control over construction documents before they are released for permitting and bidding. I review and red mark a lot of drawings and specifications. I also review building codes for compliance.

What excites you in the work you do?
Successfully solving problems excites me and maintaining a high level of consistency in my approach to problem solving. All architectural problems bring about new and different challenges that I love to overcome.

Who or what inspires you professionally?
My father and mother inspired me. Their commitment to discipline and excellence helped form my work ethic. My father was a rare person of color to work in the chemistry field and he was always being tested. I always admired his fortitude.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
One proud professional accomplishment that I remember was overcoming all the challenges associated with the design of the Wolstein Center. I am very proud of this project because it is one of the largest, most complex and expensive projects to date.

Featured Project Name: 
The Wolstein Center, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio
 
Featured Project Location: 
2000 Prospect Ave, Cleveland, Ohio
 
Featured Project Completion Date: 
1991

Role in Featured Project: 
Senior Technical Director
 
Featured Project Description:
The Cleveland State University Wolstein Center is a $55 million, state-of-the art, full service, indoor arena and multi-purpose facility that is capable of seating up to 15,000 people for special events. It is a primary destination within the City of Cleveland featuring 13,610 theater-style cushioned seats, 40,000 square feet of storage, a 10,000-conference center an annex, auxiliary gymnasium and much more.

Photography Credit:
Philip Stephens and Wolstein Center website