“Architects trust me. They know I have architectural training,” he says. “Sometimes, when they’re explaining a project to me, I can point out problems with the design.” He does take on an occasional architectural project, most recently a church in Armenia.
Frank Lupo, a senior associate at FXFowle, says, “Richard understands projects. He does invaluable work in interpreting the project. You may have already formulated details, but he can help you conceptualize.”
If Tenguerian’s portfolio reads like a history book, his studio is one part museum, one part architectural salon. The walls are covered with photographs of him with the likes of Philip Johnson, and posing with his models in Kazakhstan, Dubai, and Singapore (he often delivers them personally).
“If you want to get a sense of who’s doing what in the architectural world, go to Richard’s studio,” advises Lupo. “You’ll probably bump into someone you know, and you can see what Stern, HOK, and KPF are doing in one visit.”