Richard K. Begay Jr

Richard K. Begay Jr AIA, a partner with SPS+ Architects and team lead for the firm's Native and Multifamily sectors, is an artist, designer and visionary. He has practiced in Arizona since receiving his professional Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Arizona’s School of Architecture. With over two decades of design leadership and mentoring, Richard has emerged as a leader in Native American design—weaving contemporary aesthetics with traditional inspiration. His design approach, rooted on culturally site-responsive design, explores the boundary between people and place, stating Indigenous design naturally includes the spiritual, the human cultural aspect and a revered connection to the natural world—where living in balance with nature exist. This intrinsic teaching places us in harmony with the natural world. He explains, “Children are taught early fundamentals of the overarching philosophy on the interconnectedness of people and place, both of which are inextricably linked.”

As a child growing up on the Navajo Nation, Richard would stay at his paternal grandmother’s place where playing in earth, on earth and with the earth seemed to be a norm. Children assisted with many tasks, such as caring for sheep and horses and gathering plants for grandmother’s rug dyes, and participated with ceremonial celebrations. At times, they fabricated archaic-looking weapons made from juniper branches. In some notion, design was occurring yet unnoticeable—other than the randomness of simply playing. Who knew tactile exploration became a foundation for learning? An example of their juvenile creativity, says Begay: “We gather tree sap from ponderosa, pinyon and juniper, mix it into the size of a baseball and place at the end of stick. We then ignite it up to see and hear all those small fire drops. A magnificent display of colors from red, green to blues, yellow and greens.”