Member Spotlight

Calvin Gallion, AIA

studio^Rise, LLC

Background

Originally from Natchitoches, Calvin decided to move out of Kisatchie Forest and attend Tulane University for his M.Arch (‘17). While at Tulane, he was an active member of Alpha Rho Chi and held multiple positions in the fraternity. After graduating in 2017 and entering a saturated workforce, he worked at a firm steeped with historical renovations and adaptive reuse projects until Covid hit. Post pandemic, he and two colleagues, Calla Bardwell and Mark Heck, started the firm studio^RISE. He and the firm now focus on work with nonprofits, housing initiatives and small scale commercial projects.

Why did you choose architecture as a profession?

Growing up I had a lot of artists and creatives in the family; I also loved building and being in and just generally around my Grandpa’s woodshop. However, it really didn’t click until I entered an art contest and won with a pen and ink drawing of a historic home back in Natchitoches. I really started looking into architecture as a profession then. I already loved design, art, buildings and the critical thinking architecture required. I met with a couple of architects who warned me, “you won’t get rich being an architect, but you’ll really enjoy it if that’s what you want to do.” That didn’t deter me, and here I am!

Do you have a special routine/habit you may do to get creative juices flowing?

Most of the time I like to scroll and browse projects online. I’ll throw in a keyword or two on Instagram or Pinterest and while I’m looking, I’ll doodle or sketch in my sketchbook. After that I try to imagine myself interacting with space or design.

What type of projects do you like to take on?

I have an affinity for smaller boutique projects like cafes, small retail and smaller education projects. I really love adaptive reuse projects though. Taking the old and historic and bringing them to a modern era while keeping its bones intact brings me a lot of joy.

Best project, most unique/favorite project?

Despite being a particularly small site and program, the Bywater Accessory is an office favorite for sure. They’re some of our favorite clients, shoutout Leah and Dave! They’re the set of clients that architects dream of getting, ones that care about design and understand the overall theme. They let us go wild with design. I felt like we both kept pulling each other back from time to time. Plus, they loved the outcome and so did we.

What is the strangest thing that ever happened on a job?

By far having a project where the foundation came back and required a +/1700’-0” continuous pour grade beam that was 7’-0” x 9’-0”. Thankfully on a redesign, we got it down significantly with piles and ditched the continuous pour aspect.

What is your most satisfying professional accomplishment?

One of the first projects I was left completely in charge of was also doing State Tax Credits. It was taking an old warehouse and turning it into a restaurant; it finished early, on budget and SHPO took the project and my tax credit application as a teaching tool on the proper way to document and submit for review.

What is the greatest personal or professional obstacle you've overcome?A personal obstacle was burnout and losing my passion for architecture. At one point during the pandemic, I truly wondered if I wanted to be an architect. I feel like after reassessing and moving personally and professionally in a direction I wanted, and saying no to certain projects and clients, I’ve really turned that around.

Are you currently or were recently involved in any community outreach projects?

Our office actually made a collective choice to always work towards community improvement and because of that, we offer special terms to nonprofit organizations. Because of this stance, we’ve partnered with lots of organizations that we believe do great work. Currently we’re working with People’s Housing Plus, Hotel Hope Family Housing, Neighborhood Coalition, Early Partners, NORA, Agenda for Children, and a multitude of other Early Education Centers on providing affordable housing and education facilities.

What do you do after a hard day at work to unwind?

If it’s been a particularly difficult day, I break out a bottle of whiskey and sip on a two finger pour. But most days it’s a bit of lounging with music, podcasts or books. Sometimes I’ll take a bike ride or walk around Bayou St. John.

If you could have any other job what would it be?

It’s probably a cliche at this point, but a woodworker and furniture designer. I grew up in my grandpa woodshop right next to the bayou back home, the smell of sawdust and his doodles as he figured out a design will always stick with me.

If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Probably my grandpa. One of my favorite humans to ever walk the Earth. I’d just like to catch up and show him where I’m at in life. Ask some questions I never got to ask before.

What is a great piece of advice you have personally received? Did you have occasion to put it to use?

“Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it, even yourself.” I use it all the time, especially when I was testing for licensure. I hate taking tests and just had this written on a sticky note at my desk.

Do you have a business/creative role model? If so, who is it and why?

I don’t know if it counts as a role model, but every sketchbook I start, I write on the inside cover a quote from Buckminster Fuller. “When I’m working on a problem, I never think about beauty. But when I’m finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it’s wrong.”

What other leadership roles do you hold in the community and/or what volunteer efforts do you support?

Outside of AIA Louisiana and my position as the Young Architects Representative, I just finished serving as the District 1 Representative for FPC’s Selection Board, I mentor through Tulane’s Alumni program, and participate in the EDI Committee for AIA NOLA and the Emerging Professionals Committee for AIA LA. I’ve also recently served as the EDI Director for AIA New Orleans, Associate Director for AIA Louisiana and have Co-Chaired the AIA New Orleans Small Firm Exchange. I’ve also volunteered for the Mardi Gras First Aid tents through the New Orleans Medical Reserve Corp and for Early Partners’ Volunteer Day of Service.

What is your favorite way to spend your time?

I really just love creating. Most of the time, if it’s not me researching revit workflows, rendering softwares or watching and practicing my own sketching / watercoloring, I’m cooking or looking for a hole in the wall food spot.