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As an architect, teacher, and community activist, Tom Roberts combines professional practice and academic theory with passion to stimulate positive change to our communities. Rooted in the metropolitan Detroit area, Tom is a life long resident of the City of Wyandotte. He has followed in the footsteps of three generations with his commitment and determination to establish relationships and provide guidance to assure his communities' quality of life. His personal dedication has reached beyond the downriver region to include active participation on the Detroit Yacht Club Strategic Planning Committee and the Michigan Historic Preservation Network Board of Directors. The combined experiences have strengthened Tom's ability to raise awareness and advocate for quality architecture, urban design, and historic preservation in his local community, the City of Detroit, and the State of Michigan.

Tom joined Detroit based Schervish Vogel Merz (SVM) in 1988 following his freshman year studying architecture at the University of Detroit. While at SVM Tom was privileged to work on the east riverfront landmarks that included Chene Park & ampitheater and St. Aubin Park & marina. In addition, Tom was as junior designer on the Harmonie Park master plan and adaptive reuse of numerous building in the district. The diverse experience proved extremely beneficial for a young architect to establish a foundation which included urban design, landscape architecture, and interior design. During this time Tom developed an understanding and knowledge of the master architects of Detroit; Albert Kahn, Erro Saarinen, Minoru Yamasaki, and William Kessler. This exposure early in Tom's professional career instilled an endearing appreciation for the past and inspired him to dream about the future.

Following graduation in 1994 Tom joined Hoskins Scott & Partners in Boston, Massachusetts. His experience with HS&P provided a comprehensive understanding of the practice of architecture, while exposing him to the cultural influences of the east coast, the educational institutions of Harvard and MIT, and the architecture of Walter Gropius and HH Richardson. Urban spaces such as Boston City Hall, the Christian Science Center, and Faneuil Hall Market Place provided a context that inspired Tom to discover who he is and what he wanted to do in architecture. The results enabled him to confidently return to the architectural community of Detroit with a vision to make a difference and affect the way people think about the spaces and places that inhabit their lives.

Since returning to Michigan in 1997, Tom has held positions with various Detroit area design firms. Although each firm had their own unique culture, Tom consistently integrated his diverse experiences and design sensibilities to motivate and inspire colleagues and clients to challenge themselves to establish expectations for quality design. Most significantly were the six years with Kessler Associates, later known as  Kessler | Francis | Cardoza Architects. Working directly with Bill Kessler, Ed Francis, and Jim Cardoza, Tom quickly engaged in the balance that existed between modernism and historic preservation and embraced the philosophy that “creativity is more the product of diversity than it is of repetition.” This influence has fortified a design process and reinforced Tom's desire to give back to his community. In 20 years of practicing architecture, Tom's work has married contemporary architecture of our time with the timeless and historic architecture of the past. To further acknowledge Tom's commitment to historic preservation, the State of Michigan Historic Preservation Office certified him as an historic architect in 2007.

Parallel to the practice of architecture is his teaching position at the University of Detroit Mercy as an adjunct professor of design. Tom returned to his alma mater in 1999 with the idea that practice and theory could be integrated. He views teaching as an extension of the office and makes every attempt to expose students to real life projects and experiences while reinforcing the need for creative out of the box thinking that the academic environment fosters. In 2003, Tom's design studio was able to  integrate all three areas of interest: practice | theory | community, when they developed a comprehensive restoration master plan for the Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater, Michigan. Prior to the student involvement, a program had been established under Tom's leadership while working for K|F|C. At the conclusion of the semester, students were provided the  opportunity to exhibit their project within the 120 year old historic opera house. This experience provided students a “stage” to meet with real clients and real residents that were enthusiastic about the possibilities of a real project.  

In the midst of the ups and downs of daily office life, Tom's ability to embrace and juggle the demands of family, teaching, civic and professional activities with equal vigor and optimism is inspiring. The energy in which he engages the assorted life extensions is a sincere desire to participate, contribute and bean active part of all of his diverse communities.

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