NK at 50: An Interview with Founding Principal Allen Kopelson

As part of NK Architects’ 50th anniversary, we’re talking to a few prominent staff members about the firm’s legacy, and how our founding values of relationships and community are laying the groundwork for a bright future. First up: founding principal Allen Kopelson!

I understand you just climbed Mount Rainier… What was that like?

It was exciting; it was exhausting. Mentally and emotionally it was up and down. The physical part I was prepared for — I’d been conditioning for nine months in preparation, so physically I was fine. The mental and emotional part, I didn’t really think about until I was there. But I’m glad I did it.

The weather was so bad up on top, we never were able to summit. That was an emotional rollercoaster: at 11,000 feet we camped out. You can’t sleep because you’re listening to what’s going on outside and wondering what’s going to happen. Finally, when you get up, you hear you’re probably not going to be able to summit. We made it to 12,000 feet, and the rangers wouldn’t let us go beyond that, because the wind was blowing 40-50 miles an hour with gusts to 80. Nickel-sized balls of frozen rain and snow were pelting us — it was incredible. So we came down.

It was a true bucket list thing. Even though we didn’t make it to the top, the insight I returned with is that anything is achievable if you put your mind to it. At my age everyone told me I was crazy to try to climb Mount Rainier. I think I proved them all wrong. Believe it or not, I’m thinking of doing it again. I’m in the best physical shape of my life, and I now have a better sense of what it means to climb a mountain like that.

Back to NK Architects… What does 50 years in business mean to you?

We started out with a T-square and a door sitting on sawhorses we had propped up as a desk — look where we are now! We’re still here. We committed very early on to doing quality projects as well as serving our clients’ needs. I wish I could say there was one highlight. I just look back at the quality of the projects we’ve produced and the clients that we’ve served, knowing that most of them are repeat clients.

It sounds clichéd and probably is, but the basis of it was surrounding ourselves with quality people. You don’t get to your 50th anniversary without people behind you — people who are now in front of you, you might say, who have gone way beyond where Ray Nadaskay and I thought we would ever be.

To what do you attribute NK Architects’ longevity?

The people we employed, who have become part of our NK family, made a huge difference in our growth, the quality of the work, and the continuation of the company. As the years went by, Ray Nadaskay and I recognized that, in order to make the firm grow, we needed people who were more sophisticated and more capable in business than we were, and that neither of us were proficient with new technology.

The first two managers we hired were Ben Lee and Steve Aluotto: Ben took over the office in terms of the finances, and Steve took over in terms of running it. And we hired capable partners like Paul Drago and Walter Kneis, who were quality designers. We didn’t stand in their way. Sometimes that’s a hard thing for founders or for the people in charge of a company to allow, but we were open-minded — we let them have as much rope as they needed, without interference.

What advice would you give yourself at the beginning of your career?

Realize your limitations. When I started, I went to Ray, who had been my boss at the firm we both left, and I asked him if he had an interest in joining me. It was fortunate I did that, because I knew how to design and prospect for clients, but I knew nothing about running a business or the technicality of putting a building together. I didn’t even have my license! (I had passed my exam, but I hadn’t gone for my interview at the time.)

One thing you never learn in architecture school is how to run a business. Architects are notoriously poor businesspeople, and that’s why most of them don’t survive. There are a lot of good designers, but there aren’t a lot of people who know how to run a business, and I owe that to Ray, and subsequently Ben and Steve: they all knew how to run a business.

What impact has NK Architects had on the community?

I think of the people I’ve mentored who have grown with the firm and turned out to be terrific architects. Looking back, I’d say we set an example for a lot of new firms that saw what we were doing and that have grown and become successful in their own right.

What challenges does the profession face today?

I’m having difficulty relating to remote working: I don’t know how you mentor, or how you get to know the people you’re working with. I’m sure it’s going to work, but — here again, knowing your limitations — I know my limitations, and I have a difficult time with it. I know the younger people will make it work.

What excites you about the future of NK Architects?

I think the firm will go on for another 50 years or more, hopefully. I have a lot of confidence in the younger people, like Dan Topping, Pablo Serrano, Andrew Lewis and others — I am really in awe of these young men and women. There are other young people in the office that I think are extremely talented and capable. With the advancements in technology, I know the profession is going to keep changing and evolving at a very fast pace, and I think the younger people have the ability to succeed.

Any parting thoughts?

There aren’t many architectural firms that have reached 50 years. It’s an incredible accomplishment. If anything, I’m most proud of that. It’s a daunting task, like climbing a mountain. When I climbed Mount Rainier, everyone was saying “you don’t have to go,” but I had put in all the training and effort, and I gave it my best. It’s parallel to life: when I founded this firm, I said I’m going to give it my best, and if it doesn’t work, it’s not the end of the world. I’ll be a contractor or something. Whatever I accomplish, I’ll accomplish.

Another parallel with mountain climbing is knowing when to come down. People ask me, “why do you still work all the time?” I like to be with people, of all ages, to understand what they’re doing, how they’re doing and how their families are doing. To me it’s not work, it’s a joy. I’d miss it. But I think I’m realizing that my time has come. I’ve reached this 50th milestone, and I’m happy I have. I just wish my family were around to see it — that’s one thing I really miss.