August 31, 2010
Robert Blakeslee is curious.
He believes this curiosity has helped him to get where he is today – and today he is in a great place.
A 1973 interior design graduate, Blakeslee actually came to UF with the intention of pursing a degree in architecture, but when he transferred to interior design he soon found that it suited him.
He has always been grateful to UF, and since graduating he has been involved with the college in numerous ways.
Around 1980, he convinced his Chicago employer to donate a truckload of furniture to the architecture school. In the mid ‘80s he moved from the Midwest to Florida and became active with guest lecturing and student critiques, and this transitioned into his involvement with the advisory board in the ‘90s.
“I think I was one of the first chairmen, and was chairman for maybe two or three years and have served on the board ever since,” Blakeslee said.
He’s lectured about once a year, and even helped teach a section of a lighting course when one of the professors was busy with research and writing. He’s been actively involved in fundraising for the school, and in 2000 was named Distinguished Alumnus for the department of interior design.
Meg Portillo, interior design department chair, said that Blakeslee showed passion for UF from the very first time she met him.
“I met Rob for the first time in 2004 and it was clear to me then that he was passionate about the interior design program and very committed to connecting with students and also kept very strong ties with faculty,” Portillo said.
She recalls when Jerry Nielson, longstanding chair of the interior design department, retired, and how Blakeslee helped a group of alumni and friends set up an endowment in Nielson’s name, even flying him in for the awards ceremony.
While he enjoys any involvement with the college, Blakeslee’s favorite time is spent on student critiques.
“It always gives me an opportunity to verbalize the things I only get to think about at work,” Blakeslee said. “Interacting with the younger students and understanding younger cultures helps you to communicate and embrace new ideas.”
Blakeslee is studio director for Baker Barrios Architects, Inc., in Orlando, and this willingness to embrace new ideas recently helped them to receive the National Eagle Award, an award given by the Association of Builders and Contractors to recognize outstanding quality and innovation in construction projects.
The firm competed for and won the commission for the Hensel Phelps Construction Company and was tasked to make it a green project and to achieve a LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Councel.
This was just one of the challenges of the project.
“It was interesting because these are concrete contractors,” Blakeslee said. “And when it comes to concrete there are people who love it and people like me who struggle to appreciate its use in interiors. And here I had a contractor who does concrete for a living and I really did have to embrace their love of concrete if I was to make the job successful.”
Blakeslee did. And he enjoyed working with the contractors. The centerpiece of the project is a two story sculpted concrete wall made of rough form work and hand polished recesses.
“For most clients, construction is always a challenge because they often don’t understand the process,” Blakeslee said. “But when you’re dealing with a contractor as a client, anything is possible.”
The project was submitted to the Association of Builders and Contractors, and won the Eagle Award for Best Commercial Project in Central Florida. It was automatically submitted to the national competition, where it went up against 90 other projects and won first place once more, as well as winning their first-ever Green Futures Award.
Blakeslee was thrilled – especially since it was the first national award the firm had won – but he has other ways of measuring true success.
“It’s interesting because, in retrospect, the measure of success is getting up every day and applying your trade,” he said.
But Portillo said that Blakeslee is a success in many different ways, and brings his diverse background to the students.
“His professionalism and the life stories he shares are very inspirational to students, and he always has very sage advice,” Portillo said.
Blakeslee’s most important piece of advice, however, is simple.
“If you’re curious and are excited about design and you can keep that part of your life, you’ll be a great success,” Blakeslee said. “I think part of the reason I’ve been successful is that I’m still enthusiastic about it.”
He is still enthusiastic about UF, as well.
“I’ve always felt that UF gave me a pretty unique education and I always felt a real connection there,” he said. “It was the place I learned how to think for myself. My time in Gainesville was well spent.”
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