Rob Belles landed in Rockford after completing his education at the University of Illinois, to take a job in a big firm, Larson & Darby. 30+ years later he is enjoying the freedom of our small firm. Rob does a lot of his own drafting. By not always delegating it, he controls the quality and coordination of your drawing set.   Rob understands the intricacies of design, aesthetics, challenges of building codes, and the importance of energy conservation and air quality.  Rob completed his Bachelors of Arts in Architecture degree at the University of New Mexico where he studied “Green Architecture” before it was “a thing”.. He believes that green architecture is “responsible architecture” and that the green movement has exploited it with one of the only effects being to drive up the cost!

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Rob has an attention to detail that is seldom understood. If you think of a building as a live being with bones, muscles, organs, energy, fuel, and a brain – you can understand that everything is connected to everything else, and must be thought of, talked about and considered in the design process. A discussion about the type of heating system could turn very quickly to something that seems unrelated to you. But to Rob, there was a critical link from the original topic. If you listen, he will teach you the relevance, and ask for your guidance in the decision making process. He never expects to spend your money blindly – without giving you the advice you need to consider the fiscal outcome.

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Rob enjoys our Restaurant – Bar and Gaming project clients! Who would have thought that we would design and help clients open 6 Gaming Facilities During the 2020 Global Pandemic Lock-Down? The projects just kept coming, one than another and another.. In any case Rob has really cracked the code for Gaming Establishment Design in jurisdictions in and around the Northern Illinois area. What it means to you is that we can get you in and through design and plan review pretty quickly and with a cost effective solution!

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Rob has EXPERIENCE designing buildings for indoor agriculture! He gained his experience designing for “Dekalb Genetics” and “Monsanto” many years ago. He has a big picture understanding of how outdoor climate effects the indoor agricultural environment and how the building design must change to accommodate the outdoor climate. Having designed grow facilities in Hawaii, Texas, Rhode Island, and Illinois gives him a vast understanding of desert, tropical or seasonal growing conditions, and architectural challenges. The newly legalized Cannabis industry is of particular interest to Rob, and he is already working with several clients! Reach out if you too would like to benefit from his experience!

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Rob brings the strengths of WISDOM and Sound Judgement, to his workstation every day! Thinking options through and examining them from all sides while not jumping to conclusions.  He is uniquely able to change his mind in light of evidence, and always weighs all evidence fairly. He works with an appreciation for Beauty, while also thinking of Novel and Productive ways to achieve the best results within a clients budget. Rob presents himself in a genuine way treating all people the same according to notions of fairness and justice.