Please join me in congratulating RANDY SYPHUS on his recent licensure as a Professional Architect in the State of Idaho! This has been a very challenging process, especially given his many leadership, family, and church commitments outside of work. We’re very excited for Randy…and we’re anxious to see his ink on some Idaho projects in the near future! Join Randy on LinkedIn.
Congratulations once again, Randy!
Randy Syphus is a Project Manager that has been with Tait 10 years this September. Tait has a reputation for long-term employees, and employees feeling and acting like family. Here is a little history about Randy and his attachment to the Tait team:
Randy graduated from the University of Idaho in 1995 with a degree in architecture. He then went to work as an intern for an architecture firm in Pocatello, Idaho. Randy worked for two firms there before accepting a position at the Albertsons corporate office in 1999 in Boise. Randy moved to the City of Boise and was a PM for Albertsons, hiring architects for many projects. During his tenure with Albertsons, Randy got to know Doug Gibson, a peer to his supervisor. Doug moved on from Albertsons, and was instrumental to getting the Boise office up and running for Tait. When the opportunity came in 2002, Doug snatched Randy up and he’s been with Tait ever since.
Architects must be licensed before they can practice as an architect or call themselves an architect. There are three main steps in becoming an architect: education, internship, and examination.
No single examination can test for competency in all aspects of architecture, which is why the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) is not the only requirement to become a licensed architect. The ARE concentrates on those services that most affect the public health, safety, and welfare. The ARE has been developed with specific concern for its fidelity to the practice of architecture… – NCARB ARE Overview
The testing procedure to become a licensed architect has changed over time – the time that Randy was testing. It used to be 9 tests and has since been reduced to 7, consolidating the content of those tests – meaning Randy had to Re-Test on material he had already taken and passed. Now we really know he knows his stuff!
Randy is a member of the American Institute of Architects, AIA which automatically lends credibility to the firm he works for. Randy is also NCARB Certified, the National Council of Architecture Registration Board. That’s the testing and certification arm of the architectural association, and it means a licensed architect can seek reciprocity in other states without passing other tests, they vouch for you as an individual to practice architecture and support that. There is great value to having the NCARB Certificate. Randy will be stamping and certifying drawings in Idaho and will be seeking reciprocity in a few other states.
When asked for an example project he enjoyed at Tait, Randy replied, “The project that is the most unique from what we typically do (commercial big box grocery stores) is the expansion of the WinCo Headquarters in Boise. They are a family owned grocery chain that started out years ago under a differnt banner, and have rapidly expanded over the last few years. WinCo quickly gained market share and needed to double the size of their headquarters. It was exciting and challenging because it was different. There were a lot more concerns about the working environment for corporate employees, and we quickly adapted to that.”
What does Randy like about architecture? “I am a left-brainer and I really enjoy the details. I enjoy making sure that the graphic representation is buildable. That what we put on a piece of paper, tells the contractor exactly what to do to build correctly – take a 2D picture and build a 3D object out of it. I don’t do the drafting, I am quality control and if I need to sketch details, I do that. I do a lot of red lining, making corrections to drawings so that the drawings are a high quality when they leave the office.
The drawings are our product, and I am the last one to look at it before it goes out on the street – to the permitting agency, the contractor or whatever. Now my stamp and certification will be on there. “The buck stops here.”
Wax philosophical: “The three cornerstones of architecture are… we are creating an environment that includes Firmness (structural soundness) Commodity (fits the function of people that use that space – whether home, business, hotel, whatever) the 3rd one – the more esoteric one that people may think is silly – is Delight (it is aesthetically pleasing, makes you feel comfortable). If you walk into a room that is 8′ wide, 10′ long, 15′ high, it’s like a cave, and people are uncomfortable. But if the room is 15′ wide, 20′ long and 7′ tall, then it is even worse, and makes people feel like they are being pushed down. So, in architecture, we deal with not only the structural concerns for the safety and welfare of the occupants, but also with making the space a pleasing and comfortable space. Our designs should not only fit the function, they should also feel secure – structurally sound – and they should give the person a reason to enjoy that space. Some may misjudge the practice of architecture, or the design of architects as just an expensive way to “make a statement” or to “add fluff” and thereby justifying additional or exorbitant cost. In fact, there is much about architectural design that is affective, and which almost subconsciously impacts our senses. These are the less “measureable” aspects of architectural design that bring value.
Why should a potential client consider hiring Tait for their design project? Simply, Tait offers such a broad range of professional services, and can point to certifications and recommendations from nationally recognized professional organizations to add prestige and clout to any project. The professionals and support staff at Tait can offer a full range of design services to any client.
Here’s your chance to get to know Randy Outside of Work: I am married, have 5 children, 5 grandchildren a sixth on the way. I was a young grandpa, and I have truly enjoyed it. I don’t feel like a grandpa, but I am. I’m one of 8 children, and my wife is one of 7 so we are used to big families. We both grew up in Idaho. I have a degree in Spanish translation from Brigham Young University and degree in Architecture from the University of Idaho. I Served in the ARMY for four years. I was in the Intellegence Corps and served as a Spanish Voice Interceptor. My wife and I both speak spanish. I was a missionary for LDS Church for 2 years in Honduras and Belize. My wife was also a missionary for the LDS Church in Peru. We both grew up in Idaho, and even went to the same high school but we never dated back then.
I like to read. I don’t really read novels; I like to read essays, news and political articles, as well as religious and philosophical writings. Also, I like to read about architecture and keep up on that. I exercise and am pretty active and I go to the gym every day. I usually run 3x a week, bike, or do some stairs the other two days. I am not training, I just like to keep in shape, keep active. I am also very active in my church, and usually have weekly obligations related to that.