What’s your earliest memory of Kingston?

As a child around the age of seven or eight (this was in the late-60s), I remember travelling on the train from Linstead to downtown on a Christmas shopping outing with my family. For me, it was exciting and scary at the same time seeing so many people, wonderful shops, and interesting things to see and do. At the end of the day, we made our way back to the railway station at the corner of Darling Street and Pechon Street for our journey back home.

What surprised you the most about the city on your recent return?

The city is alive and buzzing! There is a tremendous amount of development that has taken place and is continuing all over the city. There has been immense work done to improve the road infrastructure in the past 20 years and it has made it easier to get around the city despite an astonishing increase in privately owned motor vehicles on the roads.

Were you able to change something about Kingston, what would it be and why?

I would like to see a stronger residential presence downtown for middle-class and young professionals.

You are part of the winning team of the Houses of Parliament and Government Campus Project. What do you think gave you the competitive advantage?

We had a very strong concept which had a profound meaning to each member of our competition design team, all having Jamaican roots. We felt the concept of Out of Many, One People would resonate well with Jamaicans. Thereafter, our challenge was to depict our concept through the design. Most of the people we’ve spoken to during and after the competition have expressed that they appreciate the concept, and that’s the intent – that every Jamaican can relate to the building and the park.

Would your message today to your younger self be any different than it was then?

Every one of us has a different path to success, so, not really. Just, perhaps, to work hard and believe in self in order to accomplish goals. Some of us may do that early in life; others later in life, but we will all get there once we have the drive to succeed.

What has been your most humbling experience as an architect?

I worked on a small fisherman’s village project in the rural community of Las Cuevas on the north coast of Trinidad. The village was a close-knit community not trusting of outsiders coming in and telling them what they must have and what they need. Over several months of working with them, hosting several stakeholder and community meetings and visiting with them socially, we gained their trust and became advocates for them and their community. In the end, we had their full support for the project. The Government stated they would use our approach as a template for development for other fishing communities throughout T&T.

Where’s your happy place?

My happy place is where I lay my hat (home & family).

Nature or nurture?

In the past it used to be nature but as I’ve become older, I’ve begun to believe that nurturing and guiding the youth is very rewarding. I now focus on that in my day-to-day work.

What’s your greatest fear?

Not having a choice.

What architectural site do you recommend most to others?

Visit Barcelona, Spain to see the various works of Antonio Gaudi.

What lesson has been the hardest to learn?

That life and career are never linear progressions. They are a labyrinth of challenges, directional changes, disappointments and determination which will hopefully lead to success.

What food sums you up?

Ackee and salt fish.

What have you never understood?

Why it’s our nature as human beings to take simple things and make them out to be way more complicated than they need to be.

What’s the one talent you yearn for?

I would love to be able to sing well.

What’s the one thing that might surprise people about you?

That I’m shy, and do not like speaking in public, even though I do it all the time!

If you could be remembered for one thing, what would it be?

That, in my own small way, I contributed to the development of my country.