Celebrating New Architects: Timothy Cooke

Timothy Cooke recently joined the firm’s ranks of registered architects. Today we celebrate his accomplishments.

Timothy joined PAYETTE in 2013 and initially contributed to a number of programming, planning and concept studies for the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He also worked on a design for a new 1.2M GSF biomedical research high-rise building for Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Over the past year, he has been serving both project management and design roles on the Science and Engineering Complex at Tufts University. Timothy earned his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon and his Master of Science in Architecture Studies from MIT. His graduate thesis on variable density concrete was awarded the prize for top thesis by the faculty of Architecture at MIT. He also won the Marvin E. Goody award, which recognizes research that both advances building technology and links good design and good building. His drawings for the project “Beginnings: Drawing Early Architecture” appeared in an exhibition at MIT in 2013. In addition to his work at PAYETTE, Timothy has served as an adjunct lecturer at Northeastern University, teaching ARCH 5210 Environmental Systems, a required building technology course for undergraduate and graduate architecture students.

What inspires you?
Everyday built forms, the utilitarian stuff that makes up our environment. I find continual inspiration from the Paul Valéry quote: “To see is to forget the name of the thing one sees.”

What is the best part of your job?
The fact that I am required to constantly learn. 

What is the most important thing you’ve learned so far?
To ask for help when I need it.

The sky is the limit: if you could design or redesign anything, what would it be?
The US healthcare system.