Don Eckols is a licensed, registered Architect with over 30 years of providing professional architectural services in all phases of Architectural design. Welcome to my website. It is a challenge to show the full realm of varied work. With that said, presented here is a synopsis of some of my favorites.
Eckols and Associates, AIA had its Austin origin beginning in 1982, while completing my Master of Architecture degree at the University of Texas. Dr. Charles Moore was my thesis advisor for a Telecommunication Community, based on satellite communications for a utopian community of 5000 people located in the Caribbean. I am indebted to his contributions, challenging me and his enormous intellect. The small firm continued, grew, and flourished, while I was teaching design studios at the Scholl of Architecture. We morphed, transformed, and evolved over these many years as the practice of Architecture has gone through tremendous changes and the economic waves, we live in, created opportunities for change. As Don Eckols, Architect, all phases of professional architectural services are provided to include client and project development, programming, site analysis, site test fits, conceptual design, schematic design development, construction drawings, budget preparations, specifications, and construction observation. Soup to nuts. All phases utilize the most current technologies in computer aided design such as Revit, and 3D imagery. I will say, I still like to hand sketch and provide color renderings that convey the essence and spirit of the conceptual parti design. It is a passion.
Project experience ranges from residential and multi family, healthcare, higher education, municipal, historical restorations, hospitality, industrial transit-oriented developments (TOD)and land use planning. Experiences gained through working with large architectural firms, including, most recently with Atkins Global, allowed me to learn, experience and contribute to the ever-evolving practice of delivering architectural projects. Design-build and Private -public partnerships ( P 3) .large and small, are a few. Working with a variety of state, municipal and foreign agencies, boards, city councils, the gambit. Projects include in countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
A continuing and evolving commitment to sustainable and green building principles has remained steadfast. Evidenced in our design and completion of the Ronald McDonald House Charities, Austin Texas. Certified as a LEED Platinum building in 2006, when very few in the world existed. This philosophy of building efficiencies and appropriate high-performance technologies are a baseline, weather the project is a home renovation or a new Courthouse. Through it all, I am still that 16-year-old kid, working for an architectural firm located in my neighborhood, in Beaumont, Texas. I was fortunate to have learned the basics from persons who gave freely the true passion that comes from being a part of creating a tangible work of Art. I have passed my experience on and I continue to live that creative passion today.