I received my Bachelor’s & Master’s degree in in four and half years, when it should have been a seven year program. Afterwards, I also received Bachelor and Master’s degree in political science. I started my architecture degree at 26 years of age, and fell in love with architecture. I was inspired to pursue my degrees in Architecture by Dr. Fisher, the College Dean of Kansas state university Architecture department, he said that I was the only person who had finished my under graduate and graduate degree at the same time. In the mean time I had TA’s job and Dean’s Honor scholarship, my degree in political science was not wasted, as the study of human behavior really had a very important effect on my design.
My mother inherited her drawing talent, when she was young she mastered the art of silk embroidery. She used to embroider silk for family members and relatives. She didn’t even need patterns, she would look at the fabric, the flowers, birds singing in the trees and this would inspire her to select the color of thread needed to achieve her design.
When I began to study architecture, I knew I had inherited my mother’s gift. When I look at a lot, a house, a building, the exterior or interior designs all start to come up in my mind. In my vision, the feeling when I walk through the house, the way the light comes in from the windows, all of this vision comes into my mind. I start to sketch my drawing right away in 3D to show to my client.
In the beginning, I won a couple of delineation awards from AIA of Dallas.
I quickly received my license, and started to build my first 4,500 square foot home in Las Colinas. With my design in hand, I was able to persuade the banker to loan me $400,000.00 to build my first home. I’ve worked as a general contractor, learned every step, every corner, how to control building cost’s, prepare the schedule associated with weather, coordinated with workers, matched the theme colors, and more. I sold that home before the scheduled finished date, and my design received winner of “House of the Month in Las Colinas”, and the owner of the house latterly became the investor of my other houses.
In 1986, I started the BTL & Associates Architect firm, for the past 28 years I’ve designed, design built, advised, and refined my experience. I’ve designed everything from English Tudor, Rich French, French Country, Colonial Traditional, New England Style, Mediterranean, Spanish Colonial, Italian Tuscan, Hill Country Traditional, Modern, Cap Cod, Georgian Plantation and so much more. Combined with my Chinese landscape painting literacy to bring in the serene, home sweet home feeling that you and your family will appreciate for years to come.
My philosophy is: The home’s I design should be timeless, that is my responsibility to my clients.
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