John Mahon is an architect and delivery team leader for Bray’s special projects team. Formerly a partner at BHMM in the Quad Cities before the firm merged with Bray, John continues to work in and expand this market. His day-to-day tasks include work on adaptive reuse, religious, K-12, and city government projects.
John knew he wanted to be an architect by the time he finished high school. He had an affinity for art and design, as well as a brain for math, but when he asked his teachers for career guidance their advice was to consider engineering. That didn’t resonate with John, so he started exploring architecture as a potential career path on his own. He quickly found that it was a fit.
He went on to receive a Bachelor of Architecture from Iowa State University and since then has enjoyed nearly a 30-year career in the profession.
Each day at Bray is different for John, and he appreciates that he gets to do a little bit of everything. One day he might be interviewing for potential work, and the next he is designing and planning for various project types and seeing those designs through construction.
When asked about what inspires him, he noted that his interests are always evolving. “Right now, I’ve been very interested in Scandinavian modern design,” he said. “I appreciate the honesty of materials that characterizes this style – the natural wood and stone, natural light, and ample fresh air.”
John does his best to incorporate some of these design principles into current projects, but he is quick to note that one must not fall prey to trends and fads. “I think that’s a strength of Bray,” he said. “We’re often told that our buildings still look good years into the future. We take care not to date the building before it is done.”
Outside of work, John enjoys cycling and playing drums. Although he’s not in a band anymore, he still enjoys playing percussion for fun. John is also an avid home brewer. He has an IPA brewing right now, and he just wrapped up a vanilla porter – a perfect companion for the upcoming winter season.
