Ben Waechter is a Eugene, Oregon native and grandson of the late architect Heinrich Waechter who immigrated to the US from Germany in 1941. As an architect, city planner and educator, Heinrich Waechter contributed much to Eugene and other cities across the country. His early career in Germany during the Bauhaus movement (under the mentorship of Bruno Taut) allowed him to contribute uniquely as an innovator and modernist.
Ben Waechter continues this tradition of innovation and rigorous design. After graduating from the University of Oregon School of Architecture in 1995, Ben joined Allied Works Architecture in Portland, Oregon where he worked on a variety of projects including the notable Wieden and Kennedy Headquarters. In 1999 he moved to Italy and worked for world renowned architect Renzo Piano. At the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Ben worked on the High Museum of Art and the Atlanta College of Art projects. In 2003, after returning to Portland and AWA, Ben worked on the Seattle Art Museum Expansion. Ben is a recipient of the Ion Lewis Fellowship which allowed him to travel to Switzerland for several months in 2005. During this time Ben was able to immerse himself in Swiss modernism, meet with leading Swiss architects and take technical tours of their buildings -- all of which helped crystalize his approach to design. In 2008 Ben completed his first solo project, the Z-Haus, which won a 2010 Portland AIA design award and was published in Urban Land Magazine, DWELL Magazine and was on the cover of Oregon Home Magazine. The projects that have followed continue to gain similar recognition. Ben maintains a practice in NE Portland and has experience in commercial, residential and cultural projects.
Ben enjoys sharing outdoor pursuits with his wife and two children. These pursuits take advantage of the world class natural amenities we have here in the Northwest and include skiing, river running, and windsurfing. Ben is also an avid runner.
Ben Waechter is a registered architect in Oregon and a member of the American Institute of Architects. He is also a member of NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Board) allowing for streamlined reciprocity in other states.