Architecture Beyond
I am Brandon Aaron Gibbs, AIA, NOMA—a licensed architect, researcher, educator, media producer, and advocate working across architecture, technology, and public engagement.
My story begins with my parents, who met while attending Howard University. My mother came from Mississippi, and my father came from the U.S. Virgin Islands. They raised me in Memphis, Tennessee, where I developed an early love for music, creativity, architecture, and design.
As a youth member of several orchestras including the Memphis Youth Symphony, I traveled nationally and internationally and experienced cities, cultures, and remarkable spaces beyond my hometown. Those experiences showed me how buildings and public places can express identity, history, and possibility. They helped inspire my decision to pursue architecture.
I studied architecture at Pratt Institute as a recipient of the Pratt Institute Presidential Scholarship. I later earned my Master of Architecture from the Architectural Association Design Research Laboratory in London. Over more than 15 years, I have contributed to sports and entertainment venues, healthcare facilities, churches, community spaces, commercial developments, and residential projects across Tennessee, New York, the American South, and beyond.
My work has expanded into research, education, entrepreneurship, and media. Through MotionFORM, I explore design, sustainability, computational methods, and emerging technology. I also founded Iamthestudio to help architects and designers strengthen their creative and technical skills.
Selected accomplishments include:
- LICENSED ARCHITECT IN TENNESSEE
- CO-CHAIR OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, NOMA NASHVILLE
- PRATT INSTITUTE PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
- BISHOP G. E. PATTERSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
- AUDIENCE AWARD RECIPIENT, QUICKFLICK LONDON
- WORK FEATURED BY PRATT INSTITUTE AND AIGA MOBILE
- PANEL SPEAKER WITH MUSIC CITY NSBE
- SPEAKER AT PODCAMP NASHVILLE AND BARCAMP NASHVILLE
- SHORTLISTED AS A PROSPECTIVE TEDX MOBILE SPEAKER
- ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING THROUGH THE NASHVILLE ENTREPRENEUR CENTER AND NASHVILLE BUSINESS INCUBATION CENTER
Through Architecture Beyond, I bring together professional experience, independent research, and storytelling to make architecture more accessible and relevant. As “The Architect in Your Corner,” I explore how design affects our communities, industries, opportunities, and everyday lives.
Architecture Beyond
Paul R. Williams: Elegance, Leadership, and Lasting Impact in American Architecture // Saturday Studio AB Ep 38
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Architecture Beyond | Saturday Studio
Welcome to the first installment of Saturday Studio, a new Architecture Beyond series where we study architectural legends and translate their thinking into principles you can apply today.
This episode features Paul R. Williams — often called “Hollywood’s Architect.” Over a five-decade career, Williams designed more than 2,000 projects, shaped the visual identity of Los Angeles, contributed to civic institutions including St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and became the first Black architect admitted to the AIA College of Fellows before ultimately receiving the AIA Gold Medal.
But this episode is not simply a biography.
It is a study in:
- Proportion and compositional discipline
- Firm leadership and collaborative practice
- Professional composure in an exclusionary industry
- The long-term development of architectural craft
🎙 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- The historical context of Williams’ career and key milestones
- How he built and sustained a national architectural practice
- The structural and proportional logic behind his Mediterranean residential work
- What emerging architects can learn from his commitment to excellence
- Why understanding architectural lineage strengthens contemporary BIM and computational design workflows
We also break down one of his signature balcony compositions and model it using modern tools — demonstrating that timeless principles remain foundational in today’s digital environment.
📖 Companion Blog Post
For expanded historical details, key project dates, additional references, and modeling notes:
👉 Read the full companion article here:
https://www.iamthestudio.com/saturdaystudio_paul-r-williams/
Architecture Beyond is where architects, designers, and creative thinkers share the stories shaping life and impact beyond the studio. Since launching, we’ve released dozens of inspiring episodes and grown into a global community of listeners who care about architecture’s role in the world.
We’d love to hear from you—what topics inspire you most, or who you’d like to see as a guest. If you’re interested in sharing your own story on the show, visit Iamthestudio.com and click ArchBeyond in the menu. Join the conversation and help us continue building a platform that elevates architects everywhere.
Sponsored by iamthestudio architecture software courses (site here).
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