Larry E. Boerder

Larry E. Boerder I come from several generations of architect/artisans who originally came from Germany in 1912. My Grandfather had a interior design and architectural firm starting in Dallas in the 1930's . Later my father had a successful architectural practice also in Dallas that designed many types of buildings and residences. My parents were quite successful at steering me away from a career in music but ultimately unsuccessful in convincing me to pursue medicine. I suppose I was genetically pre-disposed towards architecture being naturally inclined towards it from the youngest age. This is me working at my father's office at age 9. With his help I drew my first set of house plans at age 16. The house, built in Wolfe City, Texas in 1969 is still standing. Later I attended the University of Texas at Austin graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor of Architecture. In 1979 I became a Registered Architect in the state of Texas. My schooling was in mainstream modernism with which, I must admit, I had little affinity. In spite of this, I was able to graduate at the top of my class I suppose because I could draw well. It was about this time that the whole architectural community became disenfranchised with modern architecture. I eagerly embraced what soon became known as post-modernism and soon became a lover of traditionalism and classicism. The selection of firms to which I sought to apprentice myself all had some of the basic tenets to which I aspired. Eventually I had the opportunity to design my own projects and becoming tired of the moonlighting grind opened my one-person firm. Having no real schooling in the proper application of the rules of traditional design, I began to seek the help of books, which today constitute the bulk of my architectural library. The Town of Highland Park, Texas and University Park, Texas became my laboratory for experimentation in design. With no mentor to speak of at the time, I could quickly learn from mistakes. I began to develop my three principles of design: scale, proportion, and detail. No matter the architectural style with which I was working I tried to aspire to the best of these in that order. First, employ proper scale of the structure as a whole for the related environment and for the intended function. Secondly apply good proportions to the elements within the whole and only lastly utilize the correct details as they relate to the style.