Russ was raised in Upstate New York. If things had turned out differently, he might have grown leathery drifting the high plains and low mountains, but this rugged individualist was stricken at an early age by an incurable enthusiasm for architecture and design. In Los Angeles, Russ has found a sanitarium where he can make a living on sunshine, film noir and a steady diet of architectural history, theory and practice. Russ earned his Bachelor’s in architecture at the University of Buffalo and his M. Arch. at UCLA, and has been with the office since 2007. His predilections include exploring the desert, single malts, vintage wristwatches, kayaking, and book learnin’. He wishes he was a better photographer and had learned to play the piano.