We recently connected with Hunter Farrell and have shared our conversation below.

Hunter, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I started learning the skills I use today from a young age. In 4th grade, my art teacher noticed that I had a natural gift for drawing in perspective. I ended up teaching the rest of the class how to do it, which gave me an early taste of explaining ideas visually and helping others grasp concepts—a skill that’s essential in architecture. That experience ignited a love for art, and over time I explored multiple mediums, including photography, pottery, sketching, and painting (though painting never became my strong suit).

Beyond art, I intentionally sought hands-on experiences in other areas. I learned welding, woodworking, electrical work as an apprentice, and practical business skills like networking, marketing, sales, public speaking, graphic design, finance, and accounting. These skills may seem outside the scope of traditional architecture, but they have been invaluable in making me a well-rounded architect. They gave me a deep understanding of how things come together, both in design and in the realities of the business side of the profession.

During college, I had the incredible opportunity to study abroad twice. Those experiences shaped my understanding of how space impacts human behavior, broadening my perspective on design beyond what textbooks or studios could provide. They also made me realize that architecture is about more than aesthetics—it’s about addressing fundamental human needs within a space. After college, I was able to apply everything I learned—both technical skills and life lessons—in my work, contributing to around 600 projects, seven of which are fully my own designs.

Looking back, I think the biggest way I could have sped up my learning process would have been to seek out more mentorship early on. While I did learn a lot on my own and through hands-on work, having a mentor might have helped me avoid certain mistakes and understand industry expectations faster. Also, diving deeper into practical construction knowledge early—like working on-site with contractors—would have bridged the gap between theoretical design and real-world building sooner in my career.

The most essential skills along the way weren’t just technical ones but also soft skills. Communication and public speaking, for example, are critical because architecture isn’t just about designing—it’s about presenting ideas in a way that resonates with clients and contractors. Networking and relationship-building have also been essential since architecture is a collaborative process, and being able to connect with the right people can unlock new opportunities.

Of course, obstacles were inevitable. One of the biggest was having an atypical childhood. This made it difficult to focus on such high goals. Another challenge was transitioning from the academic side of architecture to the realities of practice. The profession requires not only creative thinking but also patience, project management, and navigating complex client relationships—things that aren’t always emphasized in school.

In the end, the variety of experiences and skills I’ve gathered have made me more adaptable and effective. I’ve found that being an architect is not just about knowing how to design but understanding how to communicate, manage, and build, both figuratively and literally. Each project is an opportunity to grow, and I’m still learning every day. I hope to achieve licensure in the next year which will further my growth and widen my opportunities.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have a full time day job at Exact Architects in Kansas City, Mo. This position allows me the flexibility to work for clients on the side. So far I have had a few people reach out asking for design services. This forced me to move forward, faster than I had expected. Since then I have helped a client local to KC expand the square footage of their home to entice buyers by finishing their blank slate basement. We started with a meeting to discuss the needs/wants, timeline, budget, etc. I also took dimensions of the space and 3D modeled the space while on site. The program is an open concept that included a second living room, a serving kitchen/wet bar, dining space, an open office, a bathroom and storage. I was able to design and deliver accurate, code compliant drawings for the permits in a matter of a month. We did have a few minor comments from the city creating one revision to the drawings. After this we delved into the finishes and final touches of the design while construction got underway. After 4 months of construction with a KC local contractor we finished the basement and came in under budget. Since then I have joined an ongoing project in Los Angeles that was starting to stray far from the critical path. This project is a house renovation and a conversion of a garage into an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit). It was designed and permitted by another designer, during construction they found several errors in the drawings and needed some help to achieve the dream. When I joined the project, construction was at a stand still. Within 5 weeks we were able to correct the drawings and plan for construction start. Currently we are deep into framing and narrowing down the final material and fixture selections. We have gained several months back for the timeline and are projected to complete phase 1 early next year. Phase 2 will begin shortly after and should be completed within the same year. I am proud to say that for both of these projects I was able to reduce the standard fees to roughly half. Due to my day job and my drive to learn and design more projects I never charge as much as the average person. I’m just excited to help, learn and grow with my clients.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

Communication is critical in any type of interaction. I stay in constant contact with my clients throughout the process. I make sure they understand that I am a resource for anything they might need. We all have professional goals, and we all have personal engagements. If there is something that I can get off of my clients to smooth the process I am typically happy to do so. A lot of people focus on “under promising and over delivering”, my only concern is promising, and delivering. I do not need the gray area to make everyone feel better, consistency, clarity and honesty are core values of how we operate.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There are so many rewarding aspects that it is hard to pinpoint just one. I feel a huge sense of fulfillment when I complete a set of drawings and 3D renders for a client. There are always nerves when presenting my ideas but I always feel so much better after. While under construction I find great joy in being on-site observing and helping solve unanticipated issues. Additionally there is nothing like seeing a space before, during, and after you have designed something. It fulfills so many childhood dreams for me. As an example I have been working on an Autism Care Center in Kansas City from my job at Exact Architects that is nearing completion. Originally it was a day care that was roughly 30 years old. We transformed the space into a brand new facility to expand the clients business and make sure they were well equipped for the future. They just started painting the walls and it really is starting to feel like a completely different building. It has been a very stressful process due to the weird unique conditions we keep finding in the building. I am looking forward to seeing the relief on our clients face when we finally get to open her business in its new home.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hfarrell32/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfarrell32/

Image Credits

Risa McKinney Photo in Kansas City took my headshot. The images labeled with Exact Architects are from my day job. I created them so there shouldn’t be any issue. The other photography was taken by me. All other renders were created by me for the Basement Renovation project I mentioned previously.