John's wide range of experience has given him a unique understanding of many of the problems we face in the built environment today. John has traveled and lived extensively in South and Central America and in Europe. He has played the roles of carpenter, general contractor, Architect, Developer, and Chairman of the Planning Commission. His work has led him from small projects where he controlled and built every detail, to the larger problems of affordable housing and town making. This fusion between large and small, between design and construction, between architecture and planning has been at the core of his professional life.

John's experience as a developer and general contractor enables him to evaluate a project from a financial point of view and make informed decisions during the design process. He works closely with clients to create building programs and fine-tune development strategies.

John is a co-founder of the Affordable Housing Alliance (AHA), a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide affordable home-ownership opportunities for Boulder residents. AHA recently developed 14 units in the Holiday Neighborhood in North Boulder.

John graduated Cum Laude from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and went on to the University of Colorado for his Masters Degree in Architecture. He is a licensed Architect in Colorado and is NCARB certified. John served five years on the City of Boulder Planning Board and has taught architecture and housing policy at the University of Colorado.

Professional Associations and Activities:

Previous:
City of Boulder Planning Board - Member & Chair
City of Boulder Landmarks Board - Member
Chamberlain Historic District Guidelines Steering Committee - Member
Whittier Historic District Design Guidelines Steering Committee - Member
Whittier Historic Neighborhood Association Steering Committee - Member
Pearl Street Corridor Planning Committee - Member

Tom and John met at the Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Colorado, and in 1975, formed the partnership of Wolff Lyon Architects combining their complementary talents. Their work has focused on traditional neighborhood design, affordable housing and mixed-use development. Tom and John have been Architect, Contractor and occasionally Developer on a variety of projects over the years.

Tom oversees the design and documentation processes of the firm as well as fully illustrating designs with distinctive color renderings. His strong background in studio art is revealed in his imaginative and often playful designs. Tom has the ability to quickly sketch possible solutions to a problem so they can be evaluated by the client and other members of the design team.

Tom is a member of the Stapleton Design Review Committee along with his partner John. In that capacity, he has impact on many of the decisions relative to the residential component of the development.

Tom was a founding member of the Affordable Housing Alliance (AHA), a non-profit organization established in 1991 dedicated to providing affordable home-ownership opportunities in Boulder. AHA recently developed 14 units at the Holiday Neighborhood in North Boulder.

Tom holds a Master's Degree in Architecture from the University of Colorado. He is a licensed Architect in the states of Colorado and New Hampshire, and is NCARB certified. Tom is also a licensed general contractor and a skilled carpenter. His work has won many awards and has been featured in numerous national publications.

Professional Associations and Activities:

Previous:
Pearl Street Corridor Planning Committee - Member
Collage Children's Museum - Design Consultant
University of Colorado College of Architecture - Visiting Lecturer & Juror
Pedestrian Conference - Sponsor

Korkut joined the firm in 2001 and became a Principal in 2007. He is an urban architect with a broad knowledge of development codes and regulation cultures, a subject he explored extensively through his doctorate studies. He is also an Assistant Professor Adjunct and has been teaching at the University of Colorado since 1997.

He received his Bachelor and Master degrees in Architecture at Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey, and his Ph.D. in Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has published several articles on design review and local land use planning, and won prizes in architectural competitions including first prize in the national competition (in Turkey) titled "Small House," second prize in the architectural competition for a mixed-use downtown complex in Kusadasi, fifth prize in the architectural competition for the Opera House and Performing Arts Center in Ankara, and fourth prize in the urban design competition for preparing a preservation master plan for Citadel District in Ankara. In 2007, Korkut received the American Institute of Architects' Colorado North Chapter Mentor of the Year Award.

Korkut, also a poet, received second prize in the 2006 Baltimore Review Poetry Competition. His poetry has been published in journals including: Penumbra, Rhino, Peralta, Colere, Writer’s Journal, Water - Stone Review, Bayou, and White Pelican Review.

Current Professional Associations and Activities:
Planning Institute of Colorado, Board of Directors - Member
Congress for the New Urbanism - Member
Congress for the New Urbanism - Chair of the Colorado Chapter Organizing Committee
University of Colorado College of Architecture and Planning - Assistant Professor Adjunct

Jim received his Bachelor of Architecture from Auburn University and brings to Wolff Lyon a depth of experiences and talents in the Architecture and Construction fields. After graduation he spent time developing his carpentry skills then migrated north to New York City. Life in New York provided a range experiences in international and domestic work on large-scale residential buildings as well as high-end single family projects. While in New York he worked in the offices of Architect Paul Rudolph and the Design/Build office of Peter Gluck. He has focused on both Residential Design work as well as Construction and Construction Administration. A transfer to Chicago led to oversight of the Construction of large high-end residences. At the close of those projects Jim joined an Architectural firm in downtown Chicago specializing in large multi-family and mixed-use projects. Since joining Wolff Lyon in 2001, he has been responsible for guiding large scale projects through the process from the early phases of the design to the completion of construction.

Scott graduated with special honors from the University of Colorado in Boulder with a degree in Environmental Design. He continued his education at the University of Colorado at Denver where he received his Master of Architecture degree. Scott was born in Highland Park, Michigan and has lived in Colorado for 14 years. He is the proud father of identical twin girls on which he spends a majority of his time when he is not practicing architecture. He also makes a really mean cup of coffee that intimidates most of us humble folk around the office.

Ronnie received his bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies with a focus in Communication from Ithaca College. A research project in Botswana, coupled with his education and passion for nature led him to Utah to work for the U.S.G.S. This first trip to the West was the catalyst that would ultimately bring the New Yorker back to the Rockies. Ronnie synthesized his Environmental Studies degree, minor in Math, and aptitude for the arts to resurrect his childhood desire to become an architect. Returning to New York, he received his Masters in Architecture from Syracuse University and studied abroad once more, in the architecturally and culturally rich country of Italy. After exploring his family's Italian roots, he took a summer internship with Wolff Lyon Architects. The firm's talented staff and outstanding work sealed his fate as a fellow employee. Upon graduation, Ronnie returned to his awaiting position as a member of the team.

Troy came to Wolff Lyon in May 2005 following a rather serpentine journey. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance (1988) from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, he worked as an accountant for five years before setting his career and his newly acquired pilot’s license aside to embark on what would become a 6,200-mile bicycle tour to the Arctic Circle and Alaska. That trip served up some pain and some epiphanies… one of which was that accounting just wasn’t “it,” so when he returned to Minnesota, he decided to reach back to his roots (his dad was a carpenter and he recollects pounding nails before riding a bike) and found a job in a woodshop making custom cabinet doors and a bit of his own furniture on the side. In 1999, Troy married Leslie, convinced her to share his dream of “living in the mountains,” and they made their way to Boulder. Troy continued his woodworking at Avalon Acoustics as a cabinetmaker for their high-end audio speakers. In the fall of 2000, he decided to return to school to try to synthesize his love of working with his hands as well as the challenges of cognitive problem-solving… architecture was the solution, and he studied it at the University of Colorado at Denver. In December 2003, Troy graduated from the College of Architecture and Planning and received the Alpha Rho Chi Medal for academic excellence and leadership. After graduating, he took a job with Christopher Carvell Architects in Denver where he practiced for 14 months before jumping at the chance to shorten his commute and continue his career in his own community. Troy spends his time outside Wolff Lyon trail running, mountain biking, skiing and spending time with Leslie, their son, Riley and the canine family matriarch, Sadie.

Associate

Coming Soon.

Unsure as to whether she wanted to become a “starving artist” or not, Karen decided to switch her college studies from Art to her other interest, Sociology. Thus, she graduated from the University of Delaware in 1991 with a major in Sociology and minor concentrations in Art, Italian, and Women’s Studies. In 1993, Karen moved from Maryland to Colorado after visiting Boulder during a month-long road trip across the country. (Maybe there is truth to Chief Niwot’s curse??). After working in administrative positions for several public organizations, including the City of Boulder and the Boulder Chamber of Commerce, Karen finally resurrected her creative side by joining Wolff Lyon Architects in 2001 as their Graphic Designer. When she’s not producing marketing materials for Wolff Lyon, Karen can be found with her husband and baby boy, mountain biking, and snowboarding!

Lisa joined Wolff Lyon Architects in 2006 to share the Graphic Designer/Office Manager position with Karen. She has a Degree in Fine Art and over 8 years of experience working as a Graphic Designer. Her winding path to Wolff Lyon began after college when the glamour of production welding wore off – her childhood knack for doodling on the computer translated into executive-level corporate jobs in the realms of publishing, venture capital, and management consulting. With her creative conscience gaining momentum and her 401K statements burning a hole in her imagination, she cashed out of Corporate America and headed for the mountains above Boulder where she founded a cooperative Contemporary Art Gallery and Bakery for Dogs. Nowadays Lisa enjoys learning about Urban Planning and Design from the talented group at Wolff-Lyon-Onaran. Lisa’s 3-day work-week affords her time to pursue creative endeavors and play and play (and play) with her 3-year-old son and their dog, Boo Radley.

Terry graduated from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota with a major in Business Administration and a minor in Political Science. He also received an MBA from the University of Minnesota. His background includes controller of Dayton Hudson Properties (a division of Dayton Hudson Corporation a.k.a., Target Corporation), a large real estate entity that managed and developed regional shopping centers and peripheral properties in the Midwest. Terry was a licensed CPA for over 25 years with experience in entrepreneurial, professional and corporate environments. Terry and his wife moved from Minnesota to Boulder in January 2002 and enjoy Colorado's outdoor active lifestyle and being closer to a new granddaughter.

Holly was born and raised in West Virginia, though Boulder and the surrounding area has been “home” for 25 years. In 2002, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Colorado, and she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Communication. Within the Wolff Lyon realm, Holly keeps tabs on the bookkeeping, and she assists with property management. She says she loves her job for two main reasons: all of her bright and witty colleagues with whom to share comic material and the schedule flexibility it affords her. Outside these walls, Holly enjoys biking, hiking, and hanging out with her daughter, Jordan.

Coming Soon.