DECEMBER 2023 THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AMERICA - SOUTH 6 | Richard Wittschiebe Hand to have greater creative autonomy and flexibility with her time schedule, Richard parted ways with large firm and established her own. Hers was among the earliest of womanowned architectural firms in Georgia, but Richard says her professional plansweremore focused on going into medicine. Her architectural work was viewed as a means to pay for her studies in pre-med, and she had actually been accepted into medical school when she decided to evoke what has been said to be a woman’s prerogative – she changed her mind. Richard says the reverse of course was largely prompted by her joy of interacting with clients, solving complex challenges and using her creative talents to bring concepts into life, in measures that often exceeded client expectations. She found someone of like perspective in Janice Wittschiebe, and both became familiar with one another through their participation in an organization comprised by women who worked in the trade. Their relationship, however, blossomed after they both found themselves on a team ASHRAE, exterior at twilight (Fred Gerlich, Photographer) Richard Wittschiebe Hand | 7 tasked with preparations involving Atlanta’s 1996 staging of the Summer Olympics. Long before the leaping of any long jump or the hurdling of any hurdle, architects, builders, engineers and planners met to strategize the development of infrastructure necessary for the event. Richard and Wittschiebe were tasked with ascertaining and identifying all aspects of building codes and zoning regulations that could potentially impact development of needed sports facilities and playing fields – an Olympic-sized undertaking. Wittschiebe explains, “Our job was finding out where there might be any roadblocks to development. We did all the preliminary work which provided the jump-start for the work done by the design team.” Yet, as Richard says, this work turned out to be serendipitous for both. They quickly discovered that the skills and approach to duties not only gelled, but complemented the respective strengths of each. They ultimately decided to form a partnership and have never looked back. GSU Piedmont Dining Hall, counter seating area (Fred Gerlich, Photographer)
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