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September 2008
Integrated
Architecture's newest interior designer, Kyle Baker, is
a world class marathon runner and an award winning sustainable
designer. A spring graduate of Kendall College of Art &
Design, Kyle earned top honors in the 2008 Emerging Green
Builder's Design Competition, sponsored by the Michigan
Chapter of the U. S. Green Building council. Kyle's design,
titled "Left Coast" was a LEED Platinum renovation
of Grand Rapids Public School's Brookside Elementary building.
Named
Michigan Runner of the Year in 2002 and 2003 Kyle admits
that his competitive nature influenced his class assignments.
"Every project was a contest where I wanted to win
and beat everyone else," Kyle said. "There is
no way that I'd do anything halfway, it's going to be the
best I can do. Today, at IA, I continue to push to meet
the client's needs and take them where they haven't been
before."
"Kyle's
focused approach complements both our award-winning design
team and our sustainable efforts. He's a great addition
to IA," said Paul Dickinson, AIA, Integrated Architecture
President.
A cutting-edge
designer, Kyle describes his style as "modern, but
not a cold modern. I like clean graphic lines and combining
new things with old." Which is exactly what he did
after earning his first degree in business from Michigan
State University in 1999 when he took his four-time All
American status and began running professionally. Focusing
his speed on long distance, he was the second U.S. citizen
to finish the 2002 Chicago Marathon. His time for that race
is still ranked among the top ten for a debut marathon.
An Olympic
hopeful in '04 and '08, Kyle's career was plagued by injuries.
He was in 5th place in the '04 Olympic trials when slowed
by an injury. The '08 trials were more of long shot. "I
had to run in '08 because I didn't want to pass up the opportunity,"
Kyle admitted. "You just never know when it is going
to be your race."
While
he's not running right now, Kyle's marathon experience has
affected his approach to design. "Running teaches you
a lot about yourself, because it's all about goals, focus
and sacrifice. I apply those principles to my life and whether
it's a marathon or a design, it pretty much comes down to
being ready to go on the day when it counts," Kyle
said.
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