Lucas Gray

University of Oregon:
M. Architecture | 2008

McGill University:
B.Sc. Architecture | 2004

2008 Glenn Murcutt Master Class

Portfolio

Experience

Trained in architecture, I have worked with clients around the world to create modern and sustainable spaces that are rooted in the specifics of place and the local culture.

I bring an international perspective to each project. I have lived and worked in Cities including Montreal, Bangkok, Shanghai, Eugene, Berlin, Portland, New York, Seattle, and Vancouver. Collaborating with diverse teams I’ve worked on community engagement and planning projects in rural japan to large scale developments in Russia and China as well as projects both small and large throughout the USA and Canada. Making an impact on an international scale and taking lessons learned from each place to make future projects better is what I’m passionate about.

Designing places for people, and integrating nature into the built environment defines my design values. I aim to distill design ideas into simple forms that respond to site and context - emphasising materiality, craft, and detail while blurring the boundaries between interior and exterior.

Education

I earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from McGill University and a Master’s of Architecture degree from the University of Oregon. I also attended the Glenn Murcutt International Masters Class in 2008.

Volunteering + Teaching

I have served my community through volunteer work on the Alberta Main Street Design Committee, as a leader within the American Institute of Architects, and as a volunteer with Architecture for Humanity. Side projects include creating the blog Talkitect.com and writing the newsletter, A Better Built Environment (please subscribe!). I have also served as an adjunct professor at Portland State University, teaching architectural drawing, and as a guest design critic at the University of Oregon. I love working with students and young architects and designers to mentor them as they embark on their careers.

Artwork

Along with residential design work I also pursue a range of art including drawing, installations, and photography.

My drawings explore light, depth, and geometric forms through abstract cross hatching layers. Each series of drawings differs in their focus - some being free form while others experiment with geometric shapes, color, or positive vs negative space. The individual drawings can stand alone or be displayed together, combining many smaller works to develop a larger composition.

For public art installation work, I explore ideas of public space and human interaction. Each project responds to the context, both physical and cultural, while aiming to provide new views and experiences to the environments in which I work. Whether it is framing unique views of landscapes or transforming cities to be more pedestrian friendly, my public art is decidedly human focused. Installations range from street seats (parklets) to sculptures and public art installations.

The world is wide and has so much to teach us. Photography provides an opportunity to focus on intimate details of each place. Tectonics, materiality, textures, and colors can vary from building to building within a city, or country to country. My photographs zoom in on the details, or are framed to abstract the environment and reveal patterns and textures of objects, buildings, and landscapes.

My artwork has been displayed from Berlin to Portland. A series of my drawings, titled “Lines,” is part of the permanent collection at Portland Community College. My installations have been featured at temporary festivals and as permanent public art. 

I currently split time between Vancouver, Bainbridge Island, Portland, and New York City. I also spend as much time in Japan as possible for work and pleasure.