unco [ˈəŋ-kō] • adjective
1.a. strange, unknown
1.b. uncanny, weird
2. extraordinary
or, for the Australians
1. awkward, clumsy
2. clumsy person
Uncotecture was founded in 2016 by B. Tate Selby, AIA in Austin, Texas as a free-flowing vehicle for deeper, hands-on exploration into architectural concepts that have been evolving over a 20-year career.
Mr. Selby earned his Master of Architecture from Texas Tech University in 1999 under the close mentorship with Ian MacBurnie and headed west to San Francisco where he worked at Hilliard-Lau Architects (now Hilliard Architects). Hilliard immediately introduced Tate to the full range of architectural documentation from design, to drawings, to specifications on a variety of projects including residential, multi-family housing, and municipal work.
Tate left San Francisco in 2001 to embark on a 3-month long solo exploration of Europe where he could place his hands directly on the realm of historic architecture he loved to study at University. After returning to the states, he moved to the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and began a seven-year stint at Sterling Barnett Little Architects, during which he specialized in Healthcare architecture and became an Associate while fulfilling Project Architect duties on several medium to large projects.
Eyeing a move to Austin from Dallas, Mr. Selby moved over to Brinkley Sargent Architects (Now Brinkley Sargent Wiginton) and where he used his expertise in large institutional projects to begin doing a variety of small to large municipal projects including Recreation Centers, Courthouses, Jails, Municipal Office buildings and Police and Fire Training Campuses.
Despite an unwavering love to solve complex puzzles such as those presented by institutional and municipal work, Mr. Selby wished to have a closer, more holistic relationship with the architecture he created, but as well as the owners and contractors where he believes better design stems from a better understanding of the entire whole from each fastener to each personality.
Holistic Design: Buildings are for a plethora of uses, but ultimately to serve some human need. The reality is that beyond the most basic need of shelter, architecture is a luxury, but to obtain a higher level of human enlightenment and feeling, architecture can play an unmistakable role. The concept of luxury should not be considered expensive, it’s worth to see design beyond cost. Each person is different, and for many, the most inspirational spaces have more to do with emotion than money. In that way, a deserted, dilapidated shed in West Texas may have a more powerful effect on experience than a brand-new McMansion. It is this pursuit of humanity through understanding and creativity that Uncotecture thrives for in its designs.
Uniqueness: Society has learned the benefits of efficiency in mass production and those abilities have moved society forward to the point that now, not only do people want something, but they want their something to be unique. Industrial Design has started catering to this need with the ability to plug in a variety of features on the things we buy. Architecture inherently wants to be unique and that uniqueness can go beyond off the shelf. Uncotecture strives to include the personal uniqueness to a project that will set it apart from the rest and hold a personal connection to the user.
Function: Uncotecture is a believer in the general theory of modernist form follows function, but not in the resulting cold aesthetic brought on by a misunderstanding of what function means. Function does not require all walls to be smooth and white. Minimalism may be a style, but the stylistic form of a word does not always do justice to its meaning, the building is a vessel for function, not a slave to it.
Regional Respect: The world is a unique place; the culture of place is equally unique. Beauty should be derived from place, and that encompasses all things, from local culture to local building materials. A building most certainly should derive beauty from uniqueness, but to do so by shouting like a petulant child is as simple and short-lived as childhood itself. Truly great architecture settles into its surroundings as a long-term beacon of culture.
Sustainability and Quality: There is a lot of talk about sustainability, but sustainability goes beyond public relations consumerism. The Uncotecture philosophy of sustainability positions itself with the idea that renovation and adaptive reuse are the ultimate form of sustainability. If a building must be built, then it should be built to last with the idea that it will be renovated or re-adapted later in its own life to become a treasure rather than a disposable cast-a-way. Quality materials should be used, and the beauty and uniqueness of reclaimed materials also play a role in threading together the history and humanity of place.
Architectural Services: Uncotecture is a full-service architectural firm and can help bring your vision to fruition from planning and programming to design concept through construction. Whether your project is small or large, each project receives complete and full attention.
Consulting Services: In addition to architectural services, Uncotecture provides consulting services for other architecture firms, bringing our vast experience to fill in needs on a contracting basis. Consulting Services include:
- Quality Control Reviews: A commonly under-appreciated aspect of project development is quality control review of drawings and specifications; during the design development and construction document phases as well as prior to permit/bidding submittal. Uncotecture provides a fresh set of eyes on your documents and provides comprehensive review of architectural drawings, code compliance and coordination with consultants.
- BIM Development Standards: Part of the Uncotecture philosophy is related to efficiency for architectural development. One of the most over-looked aspects of an architecture firm is it’s BIM standards. Specializing in Revit, Uncotecture can help firms develop a BIM philosophy and system tailored to their own specific processes to illustrate and put into place a more comprehensive and time-saving style of document development.
- BIM Training: In addition to developing BIM standards, we also offer hands-on training of staff as well as firm-specific training videos that can continue to help train staff long after Uncotecture has completed its initial training.
