Craig W. Hartman

On day while exploring the many wonders of the internet, I stumbled across a picture of an extraordinary picture of a beautiful structure. I found out that this incredible feat was The Cathedral of Christ the Light, located in Oakland California. I was so mesmerized by this construction that I wanted to find out who designed this beautiful cathedral. Craig W. Hartman was the genius who designed and developed this magnificent structure. I decided to find out more about him. I soon found out about some of the other amazing buildings that he has designed. "There's SFO's International Terminal; the St. Regis Hotel and Residences in San Francisco" Hartman says to Marin Magazine, listing the projects that he's worked on over his life. He has also worked on "the new U.S. Embassy in Beijing; and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China's building in Guangzhou. Oh, and Beijing's 'Financial Street.'" After seeing these magnificent creations, you could see why I would be so drawn to architecture: the excitement of creating something on paper, and watching it slowly come to life.

As an Architect, Hartman designs and over sees the construction of buildings. Depending on where you live, there are different requirements to become an architect. It varies between countries as well as states. Overall though you usually have to have at least a Bachelor's Degree in Architecture, but some places may require more education. According to the Handbook of Occupational Titles, the average income for architects is around $72,550 a year. The career is also rising at a steady 24%. Some other similar careers include Interior Designers, Construction Managers, Urban and Regional Planners, and Civil Engineers, all of which deal with the construction or redesigning of buildings. Recently, architects have been able to build structures that are taller and much more environmentally friendly. Buildings have also evolved from just boring cube shapes to much more flowing creations such as The Cathedral of Christ the Light.

Hartman was born in Churubusco, Indiana. He attended Wolf Lake High School until he graduated 1968. He then went to Ball State University in Muncie Indiana. He also studied in England for a year at The Architectural Association. After graduating in 1973, Hartman went to work for at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM for short). Today he is now a partner of SOM at their San Francisco Branch where he and his colleagues have designed many buildings in both the United States of America and in China. He has designed many structures for San Francisco like the International Terminal at SFO, San Francisco's airport. In China he worked on the Guangzhou branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. He has also designed a bit of a cross over between the two countries: the U.S. Embassy building in Beijing.

Hartman has taken on many projects in his life. Christ the Light Cathedral in Oakland is just one of the buildings that he has designed. He is also responsible for the remodeling of San Francisco International Airport, a very busy airport that many people use each day. The U.S. Embassy building in Beijing has helped out many American Citizens that run into problems in China. He has also created many other buildings that have helped to beautify the world.

Hartman has inspired me to become an architect. I plan on taking multiple math classes at school like Algebra II, Trigonometry, and Calculus. I will try to get an internship at a local Architecture company. Then I will attend college to earn a Master's Degree in Architecture. I'm thinking about going to the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. I will become an architect like my hero, Craig W. Hartman. I will follow his example to design my life and build myself a future any great Architect would want. I will contribute to designing the future of the world and help to rebuild its past.