Chuck Newman
Founder/CEO/Licensed Architect/ NCARB/REFP
Having founded Newman Architecture more than 25 years ago, Chuck Newman has over 30 years of experience as a licensed architect. It was in his early days, fresh out of college, when his youthful inspiration was fueled by a real-world education.
“You leave architecture school excited and ready to do great things,” Chuck says. “But it didn’t take long for me to realize just how much I didn’t know.” He recalls walking into a boiler room for the first time and being afraid he might cause irreparable damage to the building if he were to brush up against the unlabeled switches on the wall. “I remember asking the head custodian what some of those switches did, and found that he didn’t know either,” Chuck says. “I also remember being struck by buildings with a nicely-designed exterior but an interior that lacked any of the same excitement or color.”
With those experiences in mind, Chuck started Newman Architecture in 1982 to offer high quality design services for the common man—as well as for the person or organization experienced in construction. “My first employee was an interior designer,” he says. “We shared a passion for designing exciting spaces, both inside and out. It was our belief that exciting spaces could also be affordable.”
The firm quickly distinguished its approach by concentrating on the design of dynamic, “user friendly” buildings that were easy to operate and maintain. “In my opinion, there was no reason why a building’s maintenance person should have to be called to turn on the heat after hours,” he says. “I knew that by automating some building systems, we could develop buildings that our clients could comfortably manage. We even trained maintenance staff on how their new building systems worked.”
Since its humble beginnings, Newman Architecture has completed many exciting projects, developed a reputation for successfully completing very difficult projects, and built many lasting friendships. “When asked which project is my favorite, I always say it is the next one,” says Chuck. “There is nothing more exciting than helping clients turn their idea into a great reality.” After Newman completed the original Warrenville Public Library in 1987, the library’s director sent the firm a letter that stated, “Reality matches the dream in this case.” According to Chuck, “That is what architecture is all about.”
