John Rogers, Principal Emeritus, RNL

Architecture Firm co-founder says his inspiration for design came from knowing his clients well

By Kimberly MacArthur Graham

Photo by Terry Shapiro

RNL founder John Rogers almost seems surprised when asked something so obvious as what entices him into the office at 83 years of age.

“I like it,” he says. “I like everything about it. I just like architecture.”

With more than half-century in the business, Rogers also knows architecture inside and out. Over the course of his illustrious career, he has witnessed (and created) some watershed moments, even as he disavows any signature style or allegiance to any era. “We try not to get caught up in trends because then it always looks dated,” he adds, speaking for his entire firm.

Rogers says his guiding force has always been his clients.

Though his career is decorated by accolades won for plum projects such as the Colorado History Museum and Supreme Court Building, Rogers prefers to talk about “the privilege” of getting to know clients, ferreting out their personalities, preferences and needs.

He says the architect needs to “figure out what the client really needs since most of the time, they don’t know themselves.” For Rogers, this figuring involves plenty of close listening, and it always occurs on the client’s home turf. He dismisses meetings held at the architect’s office as “stilted,” saying, “You meet at their place; talk about their needs, desires and constraints. I let them talk, and I just listen.”

He’s also gotten good at plucking clues from the interoffice conversation and interaction he witnesses onsite.

Growth Spurt

Rogers first arrived in Denver in 1947 with a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering from Kansas State University and three years overseas with the army in Lentz, Austria. It was during a postwar ski trip to Winter Park that he decided to move to the Mile High City, where he found employment with Mark Musick and Temple Buell.

Though he left again to earn a bachelor’s in architecture from the University of Texas, he returned upon graduation and founded his own firm. Later, in 1984, Rogers earned an MBA at the University of Colorado.

In 1961, Rogers joined forces with Jerry Nagel because they wanted “to create large-scale architecture that would impact people.” Just five years later, through a merger, Rogers Nagel became Rogers Nagel Langhart Architects and Engineers, a growth spurt that enabled the firm to win the larger, more complex and higher-profile commissions on which Rogers thrived.

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RNL has since swelled to more than 200 people among four offices that complete projects worldwide. The multitalented firm provides mechanical and electrical engineering and interior design in addition to architectural services.

In the last couple of years, Rogers has shared life lessons big and small with his hundreds of co-workers via his “Life Lessons Learned,” dubbed “L3.” What began as a sporadic e-mail correspondence eventually blossomed into bound volumes. Some lessons are funny, some, poignant; most, like this one, reflect his fervent belief in service:

Hi,

RNL has a responsibility to our clients to design an appropriate building.

How? We must take whatever time and measures necessary to understand our client’s needs, aspirations, image and values whether or not they understand or stay involved in the design process.

We have so much control of the design process that we must be responsible for our client’s interests.

John

Mirror Images

Pressed to name some of his favorite projects, Rogers hardly differentiates between client and buildings. For him, they are mirror images of one another. Talking of both the people and the project, he reveals great fondness for the Colorado Supreme Court Building and Colorado History Museum, the Mountain Bell (USWest) Building and the now-demolished Rocky Mountain News Building.

With a grin, he recalls Rocky President Bill Fletcher’s reaction to the newly minted facility. Rogers had to work hard to convince Fletcher that the Rocky should have a “people building, not a printing plant.” Three years and tens of millions of dollars later, the project was complete and the two men toured it together.

At the end of the tour, back in Fletcher’s mountain-view office, the newspaperman was silent for some time. Just as Rogers began to worry, Fletcher deadpanned, “Well, John, this turned out damned good.” It soon became clear that Fletcher had not been able to read the drawings or plans and so had put blind faith in RNL to deliver a building that met his requirements. He was not disappointed.

Similarly, Rogers describes the 1974 Colorado State Supreme Court building in terms of people. He recalls that during the design competition, no interaction with the client was allowed. So instead, Rogers bounced ideas off his designated “surrogate client,” Federal Judge Bob McWilliams, former chief justice of the court.

At the same time, he queried other judge and lawyer friends, “What do you really believe about the law?” From their answers, one recurring theme emerged: “People are under the law, not under other people.” Several facets of RNL’s winning building design illustrated this concept, most notably its below-grade library originally planned for the main floor hat opened onto a public plaza.

At Home

Rogers’ dedication to his profession is exceeded only by his zeal for family. While at the University of Texas, he met and later married fellow student Bette Peek, whom he lovingly calls “my greatest critic.” They have raised three sons: Scot, Rob and Richard, of whom middle son Rob has carried on the architectural tradition as principal of New York-based Rogers Marvel Architects.

John Rogers lists the interests and accomplishments of all three sons with pride, and he speaks of them and their mother with clear affection. Bette and John still live in the University Hill neighborhood in the house that he and Rob designed.

Rogers jokes that over the last few years, his role at RNL has diminished from “making decisions to making suggestions, to offering comments, to most recently, as my son said observations.” Still, he relishes the couple of days each week that he spends at the office and his role in marketing and community relations, and he notes, “I still sit on the board.”

He adds, “I wanted to perpetuate the firm.” He and his partners several times turned down lucrative buyout offers and continued to grow by doing the best work and hiring the best people possible even while knowing many of them would leave. “There are people who just want to be on their own,” Rogers says. “They will always leave. We’ve been the incubator for a lot of firms.”

Influences:

Mr. Marshall

“When I was in the 9th grade in the depths of the Great Depression, Mr. Marshall, my shop teacher in Manhattan, Kan., started an elective course called ‘Occupations.’ We read 100 thin, brown-covered pamphlets about everything: bee keeping, pharmacy, medicine, auto mechanics, farming, architecture, engineering, business, etc. In the end, we were required to choose one occupation to write about. I selected architecture and have never looked back.”

Leadership

“In World War II, I led a cannon platoon and served as its forward observer in General Patton’s third army across Germany from Luxemburg to Czechoslovakia. This experience changed my perception of who I was and what I could accomplish. It has served me well throughout my architectural practice and the development of RNL. I learned to be a leader, make decisions, protect my men and survive.”

Education

“Tom Moore was the design partner in the Denver architectural firm of Smith, Hegner and Moore, my first employer. I worked for Tom on the DU Classroom Building on Court Place, now incorporated into the new Webb Building. My responsibility was the stairs and the toilets.

Tom encouraged me to sketch and every month challenged me to return to college for more design education. Eventually, I listened and enrolled at the University of Texas in Austin, where I received my architectural degree in 1951.”

Private Practice

Mark Musick and Temple Buell were associated architects for the State Services Building on the corner of Colfax and Sherman, and I was the designer for the project. Each Tuesday at 11:00 a.m., “Sandy” Buell, as he was known to friends, would come by my desk to offer criticism and suggestions. His presence, success and stature demonstrated to me the opportunities in private practice.”

Best Critic

“When we were in school together at the University of Texas, before she became Mrs. John B. Rogers, Bette Peek was my special critic. After reviewing a design, she would comment: “Well, that’s just not good enough,” but would seldom make a suggestion. That was my job. Ever since I started in private practice, she has continued to be my best critic.”

Partnership

“Jerry Nagel became my partner in 1961 when we were selected for a major remodel and addition to the Colorado National Bank. The bank had received 17 schemes from a California architect for its expansion, none of which were satisfactory. The bank decided to hire a Denver architect, so Jerry and I told them we would be partners if selected.”

RNL

“The firm has grown from one person (me) to 200 and developed in stature and recognition over the last 50 years, leading to many important projects, design awards and other achievements. The principals and talented staff have continued with the goal Jerry and I set forth to be good enough and big enough to compete successfully for major architectural opportunities and we have.

Over the last 20 years, I have worked to achieve a successful transition of the firm in both ownership and leadership. I believe you should earn your own way out while you are still responsible for the firm. After working in all stages of architectural practice, my forte has become marketing and management. Two years ago, my title changed from principal to principal emeritus. I am now privileged to continue to enjoy limited participation in the firm.”

John Rogers, FAIA Honors and Awards

• Election to the College of Fellows, for Excellence in Design and Public Service, American Institute of Architects, 1979
• Architect of the Year, AIA Colorado, 1991
• Silver Medal, AIA Western Mountain Region, 1994
• Alumnus Fellow, Kansas State University
• Distinguished Service Award, Board of Regents, University of Colorado
• Has served on design juries in New Mexico, Montana, Michigan and Kansa

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