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About
John "Jay" Emerson Washington has more than three decades of experience in architectural planning, design, engineering and construction. This includes 20 years as an in-house corporate architect for several Fortune 500 companies in the electronics , biopharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. In 2007, Jay opened his own firm, JOHN EMERSON WASHINGTON | Architect, committed to offering unparalleled design services to residential and commercial clients.
The New Jersey native developed his professional interest as a child. His first 'commission', at age 9, was the design of a patio/garden addition to his childhood home. He earned a Master of Architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an undergraduate degree in architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. He also completed coursework at the California College of the Arts, Harvard University, Ventura College and most recently at the University of Oxford where he studied the English Arts & Crafts movement in manor house and garden design.
Mission
My clients seek to live, work and play in environments that are aesthetically pleasing, safe, cost-effective, sustainable and functional. My mission is to help them achieve these goals while remaining true to their values.
Once I am hired, the first major step is to completely understand my client's requirements, goals and budget. After careful research and analysis of every aspect of the job, I then provide iterative design sketches culminating in a final design that is thoughtful, imaginative and technically appropriate.
While I am a modern design enthusiast, my priority is meeting my client's needs and tastes. I am open to working in a variety of styles because my love of designing transcends any particular style.
Vision and Values
Open, two-way communication is critical to the design process. I seek to achieve this by closely listening to my client's wishes and striving to communicate how challenges are resolved by features of my design. This process gives clients a more thorough understanding of the project's strengths and unique solutions. My passion for detail and dedication to craft is a distinguishing factor in all that I do. Each project should be a journey of discovery, enlightenment and joy - for both my client and me.