Christopher M. Delano, Architect

I grew up in upstate New York outside of Saratoga Springs in a strong, loving family. My father was always building in his shop, and as an engineer his meticulous way of solving problems became a way of life. My mother led me into art, where I enjoyed developing the skills which have enabled me to render creative aspects of the natural world. Because of the influences at home and an eccentric high school art teacher, who helped ignite my excitement for Architecture, I have been in pursuit of the necessary skills of the field ever since.

These have included numerous summer jobs in valuable aspects of construction such as framing houses, theater set building, maintenance/deck hand of the wooden schooner, Harvey Gamage, teaching assistant at the University of Washington, and professional work in several Architect’s offices. Each of these jobs has helped me better understand the reality of how materials go together.

I was educated at Lehigh University for my Bachelor of Arts with a focus in Architecture, and at the University of Washington for my Master of Architecture. My education included, and continues to include on my own, the research and study of all types of buildings: from folk structures, to great cathedrals, to buildings by great Architects. The three pieces I noticed as being at the heart of all Architecture was space, material, and light. My quest ever since, has been to master those things.

As an adult, my interests have led me to several climate regions of our country including Seattle, Baltimore, and Raleigh. I have practiced Architecture in each of these regions and have learned, first hand, the variations of construction that each place has adopted. I currently reside on the shores of Highland Lake in Windham, Maine with my beautiful wife and three kids.

We have lived here since 2002, and I began my practice in 2003 as a sole proprietor in Architecture.

My practice since then has included new construction and renovations of residential projects. My goal with each project is to create space that enhances the client’s enjoyment of the natural world. We do that with a careful understanding of the surrounding site, a careful tracking of the sun through each season, a deep understanding of the owner’s “wish list” for the project, and a strict choreography of the materials of buildings.

Inspiration

Where does inspiration come from…..it comes from all around.

The following disciplines are other mediums for expressing beauty. I call them out below because they relate directly with Architecture and its parallel search for the deeper meaning of its subject.

• Photography: great photographs capture the spirit of their subject, harnessing shadow, composition, texture, luminosity, contrast and focus, to alter a simple scene into something powerful.
• Poetry is the craft of placing words together to articulate beauty or distill the essence of a thought. Every word has a flavor in meaning, tempo, and annunciation. It is the sum of each of these flavors that helps float poetry high above simple prose.
• Craft: There are many people who can put a building together. There are far fewer, however that are true craftsmen. When you witness someone with a passion for shaping the materials of their trade, and an open mindedness for exploring it beyond where they’ve been, it may be time to just take a seat… and watch.
• Painting: The painter, Cezanne is famous for painting the world with emotion, rather than straight realism. He is a master of his craft. Yet, he felt it a better use of his medium to convey the underlying emotion or mood of his subjects. This style of painting calls upon an incredible skill of observation and representation to extract the spirit from his subjects and then to distill that spirit in paint.
• Music: The layering of distinct sounds or rhythms, carefully organized to form a composition, is the process for creating music. When all the layers combine with symphonic results, the resulting music becomes a single piece, far greater in effect than the individual layers. Moreover, the effect of this piece has the power to move our spirit, inserting a mood or flavor into an otherwise bland situation.