FROM VELLUM TO AI
The Durham office of Little Diversified Architectural Consulting in the city’s Tobacco District is shaped as much by culture as design. Clean lines, nostalgic brick, warm woods, and
sun-kissed collaborative spaces frame an aesthetic that feels both high-performing and welcoming.
Robert Bishop, who has led the Durham office for the past 18 years, retired from Little at the end of the year. The Virginia Tech University graduate joined the firm in 1998 after
six years at a boutique firm and a decade at a large, Virginia-based architecture-engineering firm.
Among his notable projects are the headquarters building for Quintiles (now IQVIA) on Interstate 40 in Durham and the repurposing of the famous Blue Cross Blue Shield building in Chapel Hill. It is now called The Parkline.
Architect Bill Little formed his company in Charlotte in 1964. It now has additional offices in Charleston, South Carolina; Durham; Newport Beach, California; Orlando, Florida and Washington, D.C., and 440 employees.
We sat down with Bishop to discuss his people-first, collaborative approach to design and mentoring and architecture’s impact on the state.
Why architecture? What made you say, “This is it?”
I’m an identical twin. Early on, I realized one of the things we did
not have in common is that I could draw and he could not. At 11, my dad’s friend, who was an architect, invited me into his studio. The walls were full of drawings he’d done. That moment clinched it for me.
He said, “Everyone is going to tell you that you need to be good at art. Really, you just have to have natural curiosity.” That stuck with me. It’s the secret to architecture. It’s the secret to everything, really.
How has that passion evolved over the years?
Here, we do commercial architecture. Over the last 15 years, my passion has taken a more personal dimension. My family owns 160 acres of farmland in the Virginia mountains. We call it “The Land.” I’ve designed and built my own house there, using regenerative design for (positive) environmental impact. We milled all of the lumber ourselves with a portable sawmill. That helps scratch that itch for intimate architecture. Energy-efficient design, solar orientation, radiant heating, and water reuse let me be a good steward of the environment and practice sustainability principles I believe in.
What project or moment are you most proud of?
I am especially proud of our long-term work with [Campbell University]: 11 new buildings, from medical education to a student union. We’ve helped evolve the campus from traditional Georgian architecture to progressive, cutting-edge spaces. We have truly been a big part of transforming that campus, and have built some lasting relationships.
Architecture blends creativity and technical precision. How do you balance the two?
If you were to ask people to describe me, “balance” would be a good word. I’ve always been both a design principal and a technical principal. Architects love to sketch, but we also have to understand how buildings are built. The devil is in the details. It’s never about choosing creativity or technical precision. You need both. I’m also a woodworker, which reinforces how things fit together, quite literally. You don’t see that a lot in architecture.
How have your business responsibilities affected your work?
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by operational duties, but I’m a strategist at heart. First, design excellence trumps all. Second, project-type diversity makes us better. Third, building trusting client relationships is key. We started in Durham in 1999 with five people; today, we have 80 in the Triangle and over 250 nationwide. We’ve added two pillars: mentoring young talent and deep community engagement. Giving back is part of
our identity.
How have architecture firms changed over your career?
Early in my career, there were a lot of small boutique firms. They hardly exist any more. Now we have all these mega-firms. In just the last two years, about 30 architectural firms have merged.
What surprises you most about how architecture has changed?
Technology is the obvious change. I started with vellum (translucent paper) and lead. Now everything is in [Building Information Modeling], and we’re in an AI world, trying to figure out if it’s helping or hurting us. The growing obsession with project-type expertise stymies creativity. Louis Kahn designed Exeter Library as his first library, and it is iconic. Architecture is iterative. You refine, adjust, and improve early in the process. That leads to better buildings.
Are there early values that still guide?
Hard work. That’s the one people overlook now. At 13, my parents put me to work on the family farm. Later, I worked construction to pay my way through college. I saw how hard people work.
What’s the character of North Carolina architecture today?
There isn’t one defining style, and that’s what I love. North Carolina reflects a mix of aesthetics, with architects responding thoughtfully to client needs rather than chasing a singular look.
What challenges or opportunities lie ahead for architects?
Architects are problem solvers. One major challenge is mobility. In college, I read two books about the history of American cities and how transportation shaped everything. We have not gotten any better; in fact, we’ve gotten worse. Architects have to be part of the conversation: collaborate with planners, developers, and civic leaders to find creative solutions for traffic, light rail, air pollution, and reducing dependence on cars.
What advice would you give to emerging architects?
Just be patient. Absorb everything, ask smart questions, work on a variety of tasks, take problem-solving as a challenge, learn to see past obstacles, and never be afraid to ask
for help.
If you had to sum up your career philosophy in a sentence, or two?
Everything happens for a reason. Look for the good in every person and in every circumstance. ■
