ABOUT MATT LERO

My mom is an artist, and my dad is very practical at building things, so I grew up taking things apart, building things, doing art, being exposed to art. I wondered what the outlet to that would be, so I applied to engineering school. When I immersed myself in engineering, I realized it wasn’t for me. I realized I was drawn to the aesthetics and concepts of art, but I wanted to have something concrete as a result. So, I changed my path dramatically and applied to architecture school. Out of school, I did a lot of municipal work—like dorms and facilities. The first time I walked through a building I helped create, I knew this was it. There’s nothing like the feeling of being in a space you’ve helped create.

What I like about residential architecture is that it’s one-on-one; it’s very much person-centered architecture. You can take someone from A to B in the design process, and maybe B is something they never thought of. I appreciate that connection and that process.

Architecture is a big part of my life, but I think that balance is important. I consider myself a bit of an outdoors sort of person and enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking and cycling. Art and photography have been a passion to varying degrees for as long as I can remember.