Principal
Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects
Reese Rowland has been around construction, in some fashion or another, his entire life. With both parents in the industry, it was natural for him to chase a similar dream.
“I spent time in the summers with my dad going to jobsites where he was a representative for a brick company,” Rowland said. “My mom worked for a small construction company as a bookkeeper and office manager. I loved seeing the process of building.”
As one of those lucky people who always knew what he wanted to do with his life, Rowland recognized early on his skills as a three-dimensional thinker. Peers and teachers complimented his keen drawing abilities too. Solidifying his path was the sense of wonder he had for the craft — and the art — of creating physical spaces, a sense he has kept with him ever since.
“I had such an interest in every city I visited,” he said. “ I have always been fascinated by buildings.”
As the young architect embarked on his career in Little Rock, he aimed to improve his design skills by learning from the best. He made a list of his favorite buildings around the state and sought out the creative minds behind them. As it turned out, most of them had originated at Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects. He joined the firm in 1996, back when there were only 20 employees.
Early on, Rowland was given the opportunity to tackle significant design projects that now serve as landmarks in the capital city, such as the Little Rock Regional Chamber and the Acxiom River Market Tower — which he later redesigned for Simmons Bank. From there, he designed the Heifer International Headquarters and Education Center, as well as several projects for the Central Arkansas Library System and two headquarters for Bank OZK.
“The success of early projects allowed me to become a principal in the firm at age 34,” he said.
So far, Rowland has been awarded more than 60 national, regional and state design awards and is one of only 3,000 or so architects in the country elected to the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows. Turning a client’s hopes and dreams into reality, telling their story in stone and steel, is no mean feat — much less on a finite budget. An innovator’s spirit combined with a fierce love of his home state inspires him to improve the place that raised him with every project.
“I desire my reputation among clients to be that of a strong collaborator and a partner in distilling their vision into physical yet personal narratives,” he said. “I’ve always had a philosophy of allowing natural light to enliven space and spirit while reducing our dependence on generated energy.”
If there is anything more important than literal buildings, it has been building his family. Rowland counts his two sons, Preston and Pierce, as his greatest achievement, and while his work will certainly outlive him, so will his legacy as a father and community figure.
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