Scarlett Breeding of Alt Breeding Schwarz Architects has over 25 years experience in the architecture and interior design fields. From a young age, she seemed destined for success. Breeding was president of the student body in her high school, president of her college dormitory, president of the Chamber of Commerce for Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, and named the first female Business Leader of the Year in Annapolis, Maryland. And now, of course, she is president of her own company.
In addition to her strong design skills and intuition, she is well known for her special abilities and effectiveness in project facilitation and construction management.As a project manager she has consistently exceeded her clients’ expectations in achieving project goals within budget and on schedule.
What got you started in architecture? I graduated from the University of North Carolina with an MA in Interior Design. While I was there, a colleague and I started a design company, and we bought 52 acres on a prospected lake for a planned community called Lorien. Our first house won two design awards. It was during this time that I really fell in love with the process of interior design and architecture. I also fell in love with my business partner and future husband, Jon Alt.
What do you love most about your job? I love the details. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe said “God is in the details.” The soul of architecture is in the details: bringing the compositions, the roof lines, doors, windows and masses all together to create a beautiful home for a client. I love working with all the people involved on a project; for me that is what makes every project that much richer.
If you could change one thing about your industry what would it be? The regulations. The inconsistency of how regulations are interpreted. It is especially true here in the Chesapeake Bay region in the critical area; they can get in the way of innovative and creative design.
What accomplishment of yours makes you the most proud? I really think three things. First, I am proud to have a creative and adventurous daughter, Megan. Second, I learned to ski when I was over 40. And third, I built a business that has been regionally recognized by the projects we create and the service we deliver.
After whom do you model your career? I think I got my core values from my mother. She was very spiritual and believed in hard work, dedication, accountability, and determination.
Who in your life was most instrumental in helping you get started with your career? My husband and business partner, Jon Alt. He always forced me to think out of the box and look for real meaning in the work. He taught me never to accept “okay,” but to do the best we can do on each project.
What was the biggest challenge you had to face to get to where you are today? How have you overcome that challenge? When I started, the biggest challenge was being a female in what was a predominately male profession. What I learned was if I respected the contractors I worked with, then they wanted to do their very best job for me.
What did you want to be when you were six? When my older sister, Annette, graduated from Radford College in Virginia, I participated in a “little sister” program at the age of six by marching along side of her at graduation. It made a big impression on me, and I decided I wanted to be the president of that college. I wanted to be a leader and give out the diplomas.
If you could do anything other than what you are doing, what would it be? I love to garden. When spring comes I have to find my spade and dig in the dirt; it is a biological part of who I am. I love it so much that I have a garden room where I grow 30 different varieties of orchids even in the winter.
What advice can you offer someone wanting to get started in your field? You have to love it and have passion for it. You have to be willing to work 10 to 12 hour days and love your clients. You have to understand that implementation takes a lot longer than the creative idea. It can take two weeks to decide on a concept for a house, but it can take four or five years implementing those plans. So, be patient and persevere.
Contact:
Alt Breeding Schwarz: absarchitects.com or 410-268-1213
