I had the good fortune of growing up in the South Pacific, a lush, tropical landscape dotted with simple, honest, authentic structures. It’s interesting the way our memories are connected with a sense of place formed by the natural and built landscapes around us. Many of my childhood memories are rooted in experiences of simple structures: concrete block houses, Quonset huts, chicken coops. Even today I’m moved by their simplicity. Beautiful in form, like a Richard Serra or Donald Judd sculpture, these structures are the most basic expressions of shelter.

While they emerged in different eras and were shaped by different philosophies and guiding principles, modern and classical architectural styles are nonetheless complementary and, when applied properly, can be combined to create timeless, one-of-a-kind structures. It’s a philosophy that has long guided the work of Daniel Kahan, a principal at Smith and Moore Architects Inc.