ABSTRACT
Cecilia Hernandez Nichols and Robert Nichols tied the knot in 2002, two years after they began practicing together in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. Cecilia Hernandez Nichols is a graduate of the Department of Architecture at U. C. Berkeley, and Robert Nichols is from the 'A' School at the University of Virginia. Cecilia a former partner with Miami-based uber-minimalist Rene Gonzalez, while Robert worked for cradle-to-cradle thought leader William McDonough. As they work together through the firm's projects, they'll find themselves sketching together as well. And once they set up their architecture firm in Charlottesville, VA, one became the chief designer, while the other looks after all the details. Their process usually evolves, from the initial parti, to an overlay from Robert, drafted on a computer with accurate dimensions. Cecilia serves as the firm's primary designer critiquing what happens in the office, and how things should look with materials and finishes.
