A Master at Capturing Space… One Church at a Time
by Francine Carb, President
Meet Rick Lown, RA, NCARB, Master Planning and Preconstruction Services at Horst Construction, and our client.
“In 7th grade, all the students were required to take woodshop, metal shop, and drafting. In drafting class, we had an assignment to design our dream house and project it as a 3-D image. Game over…I was beyond fascinated. From that moment on, I was determined to follow my dream and become an architect. The idea and act of ‘capturing space’ is what keeps me energized and engaged every day.”
Rick has over 29 years of experience in design and construction. Having been involved in the planning, expansion, and renovations of over 150 religious institutions, his specialty is Master Planning and Design-Build projects.
Rick’s journey was filled with challenges and rewards. He was the only one in his family to go to college and was accepted to Lehigh University. When he was just about to graduate, Pennsylvania changed the rules to become a Registered Architect; he would now need a master’s degree or specific Architecture Degree in order to practice the profession. He attended Drexel University’s night school, driving from his job in Lancaster to Philadelphia and back—for 6 years! He sat for the intense 12 hour-a-day, 4 day exam, and passed it. In those days, becoming an architect was similar to preparing to become an MD, including 3-4 years as an apprentice. Even back at Lehigh, the curriculum was designed to weed out those less serious about the profession.
At Horst Construction, Rick’s job—and passion—is bringing a church’s vision to reality. He works intently with building committees to listen to their vision, evaluate their programming needs, and create schematic sketches that offer options to consider, while keeping with the original goals of the committee. Rick began developing his own Master Planning methodology back in 1998 and continues to develop this journey—keeping it current and modern. As one of his clients, Fellowship Church states, “It felt like we had found the missing piece—a company whose desire was not just to complete a project for us, but also to work by our side as our partner throughout the journey.”
As a member of the Marketing and Business Development team at Horst, Rick aims to make a connection with his clients early on—creating an atmosphere of teamwork, partnership and trust. According to Rick,
“Our partnership with Markitects keeps Horst engaged and focused on what is most important and effective for the company. They help us vet and develop the best ideas into actionable plans. I appreciate Francine and her team—they always bring us back to strategy, goals, and ROI. More than a sounding board, they have our best interests at heart, and help us execute in line with our objectives.”
Learn more about Markitects’ partnership with Horst Construction.
