Architect and Associate Scott Clarke, AIA, recently celebrated the milestone of working 20 years at PIVOT Architecture.
Twenty years on, Scott is still fascinated by architecture and its limitless capacity for exploration. “My professional life has been filled with diversity of project scale, program, and clients,” Scott said.
“From tiny remodels at one end of the spectrum, to design coordination for the 52-acre EWEB Roosevelt Operations Center, each project has brought its own lessons, and each has been treated with the same care and sense of responsibility. Our objective is consistent: Each project is a responsible use of resources, supports the projects’ users, and leaves the world a slightly more beautiful place.”
“Time and again, Scott has been an incredibly important part of PIVOT’s success over the years,” said Principal Kelley Howell. “He’s been instrumental in many of PIVOT’s key projects, is a mentor to up-and-coming staff, and maintains a strong connection to the University of Oregon.”
Recently, Scott helped launch the PIVOT Fellowship, a summer program for UO architecture students prior to their final year of study. More than an internship, the fellowship aims to foster original thought about pressing issues of the design profession, culminating in the presentation of a project on the subject. Scott also regularly teaches architecture courses at the UO and is part of the Round Table Club of Eugene, a Town and Gown organization.
“More recently, I’ve been heavily involved in PIVOT’s transit projects,” Scott said. “I find that this facet of our practice is a wonderful challenge, and greatly appreciate that these projects intrinsically support the equity, sustainability, and character of the communities they serve. They are essential components in transforming our cities into places where mobility is available to all while enhancing environmental quality.
“For designers, these projects require attention over an unparalleled spectrum of issues: We engage in urban design concepts with projects that extend for miles, and then sweat the details of transit platforms and shelters that can resemble product design more than typical architectural projects. This extreme scope of concern suits me well. It gets to the aspirations of our profession. We seek an understanding of the world that accepts that everything is part of an interrelated system. Our work is affected by, and in turn affects, everything around it.”
Thank you, Scott, for your unwavering dedication to the craft of architecture. The projects you have worked on, the clients you interact with, and colleagues who are lucky enough to work by your side, who are fortunate to have experienced the positive influence you have brought to each of us. We look forward to many more years together.