Alison Jelden
2/17/13
Turning Point
Higher
Education Leads to Promising Career
Holding
a razor sharp pencil between his fingers, touching a weightless tissue paper to
outline a design, and shading in detail to create balance is all too familiar
for Nir Pearlson. Pearlson grew up in
Kibbutz, Israel, a collective community that is based on agriculture, where his
mother is an art teacher and taught him how to be crafty. At a young age, the
passion of creating art influenced Pearlson to learn carpentry, plumbing, and
construction. Learning basic construction skills was the foundation to be an
architect, but attending University of
Oregon was his life changing decision to be an architect of sustainable
buildings.
Pearlson
graduated from the University of Oregon in ’95 with a bachelor’s degree in
architecture. “Going to the University of Oregon was influential because there
is a very strong focus at the architectural school on sustainability…it’s just
built into the education and program…the lecture series challenge us in the way
we build, how we occupy buildings, and how buildings have an environmental
impact. It’s important to pay attention, to be sensitive, and to improve
things,” said Pearlson. Even after college, its still Pearlson’s goal to change
his design technique to create a more efficient building.
Pearlson
started his own company 10 years ago, Nir Pearlson Architect, Inc. The focus
for his company is to practice sustainable features, but within the clients desire.
The company does not exclusively design green buildings. Pearlson said, “I
really want to work with a whole range of people, companies, and individuals. So
I don’t want to limit it. I want to be open to helping everybody, but I would
really love to be in a place where we are making a difference.”
Throughout
the years of design, the most energy efficient building he has designed is the
Hummingbird Wholesale store. He converted an old warehouse into a mix use
building. It has offices, food production, and restaurant, which are all highly
sustainable. “I’m very, very proud of this one,” he explained. This building constructs
the future for Nir Pearlson Architect, Inc. “The ultimate goal is to be in a
place where we can define every project as a green building,” said Pearlson. He
hopes to give back to the community by building energy efficient buildings,
especially for the University of Oregon, since that’s where it all started.
