Here's my story
I didn’t set out to become an architecture educator.
I started BYoung Design in 2015 as a custom residential architecture and design firm.
Over time, I started sharing what I was learning… architecture, business, the ARE®, and the very real process of becoming licensed.
(I didn't sugarcoat the realities of licensure!)
What started as a few resources for other candidates eventually became something much bigger.
Somewhere along the way, teaching and supporting aspiring architects became the work I cared most about.
I realized I loved taking complicated topics and making them easier to understand.
Today, BYoung Design is focused on architecture education, ARE® prep, and helping the next generation of architects actually understand what they’re learning instead of just memorizing enough to pass a test.
It started with one architect trying to figure it out, too.
I know what it feels like to work full time, study for the ARE®, build a career, start a family, and wonder if you’re doing it right.
I also know how unnecessarily complicated architecture education can feel.
That’s why I started creating the resources I wished I had when I was studying: visual explanations, practical examples, study tools, coaching, and a community where people can connect in a positive environment.
What began as a side project turned into a full education platform used by architecture candidates across the country.
I'm on a mission...
To make architecture feel understandable and approachable.
Whether you’re studying for the ARE®, working toward licensure, or just trying to understand how buildings work, I want you to leave here knowing a little more than you did before.
The official stuff
I’m a licensed architect in California and Idaho, NCARB certified, and the founder of BYoung Design.
A few pieces of the story:
- Licensed Architect, California and Idaho
- Master of Architecture, NewSchool of Architecture & Design
- BFA in Interior Design + Entrepreneurship, Chico State
- Founder of BYoung Design, 2015
- AIA Young Architect of the Year, 2023
- AIA Award Winner, 2017, 2019, 2022
- Creator, ABC Club and Mind Over ARE (2020-current)
- Architecture Educator, Adjust Professor Chico State 2021, speaker, podcast host, and content creator
But the credential I care about most? Helping someone finally understand the thing that didn’t click before.
FAVE FOOD:
mexican
USED TO BE:
firm owner
HOME BASE:
north idaho
MOST LIKELY TO:
turn a detail into a lesson
CURRENT OBSESSION:
making education fun
FAVE DRINK:
cabernet
CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT:
coffee
FAVE QUESTION:
“but why?”
Where to next?
Study for the ARE
Explore the ABC Club
Visual lessons, practice questions, activities, study tools, and support for every ARE division.
Learn Something
Watch on YouTube
Architecture, the ARE, design, construction, and all the things architects somehow need to know.
Start Free
Grab a free resource
Not sure where to start? Pick up one of my free ARE or architecture resources.
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Becoming an architect is a marathon, not a sprint. We’ll guide you to the finish line one step at a time.
I RESPECT YOUR PRIVACY. NO. SPAM. EVER
