David Schwarz Highlight

David Schwarz

Architect

It's being exacting in your principles and sticking to them-even when it's hard-that makes it possible to have real success.

About David

When he was six years old, he tried to mix the red and white gravel on the terrace of another home.
His mother said, "an architect lives here, and if you want mixed gravel, you have to become an architect someday too."
The day he finished his three-year architecture apprenticeship, he quit and started his own company-"it was foolish."
After completing a few jobs, he was running low on cash, prospects; thought he'd have to give up his firm, get a "real" job.
Went out to get drunk and "mourn the passing of [his] architecture practice"; ran into a friend and her boyfriend.
The boyfriend coincidentally needed to hire an architect and hired him that night.
For his first ten years, he was cautious and uncompromising; told his staff "one bad building could end this practice."
Once he established his firm as an unflinchingly solid practice, he started getting bigger opportunities where he could take more risks.