ABOUT US

History of REA Architecture

Rand Eardley was born in 1956 in Salt Lake City, Utah and always had an interest in building and architecture. At a very early age he had a passion for drawing and art. Rand probably got his interest in building and construction from his father, a structural engineer.

Rand’s family move to Idaho in the early 60’s, where he began elementary school, and then to Billings, Montana in 1965. Rand loved Montana and the outdoors and spent as much time hiking and backpacking as possible. Throughout his high school years Rand took every drafting class offered and graduated from Billings West High School in 1974 with honors.

Having been granted a scholarship, Rand studied architecture at Montana State University in Bozeman.

Returning to Salt Lake City in 1977, Rand began working for an architectural drafting service designing homes and in 1980 went to work for a Salt Lake City architectural firm.

In May of 1988, Rand with two other architects decided to leave the Salt Lake City firm where they had been working and venture out on their own. They found an office in Park City, Utah and 15.15 Architects was created. Within the first year, 15.15 Architects had outgrown their small office and moved to a larger suite where they could continue to expand their staff and broaden their portfolio. Projects ranged from small residential remodels to a Deer Valley Hotel to an art exhibit in Yokohama, Japan.

By the fall of 1994, the business philosophies of Rand and partners varied enough that they agreed to dissolve 15.15 Architects and reestablish businesses separately. Rand moved his business to Salt Lake City and created REA Architecture, Inc.

REA Architecture began working on Federal projects in 2004 with the renovation of the Medical Clinic at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. REA continues their involvement in Government projects and has completed projects across the United States, South Korea and Japan. The majority of REA’s federal work involves renovation of medical facilities and U.S. Military Installations which include Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Fort Eustis, Virginia; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Benning, Georgia; Travis Air Force Base, California; Fort Lewis, Washington, Fort Irwin, California. REA’s federal portfolio also includes projects in Zions National Park, Glacier National Park, Grand Teton National Park.

In addition to the federal work, REA remains in commercial and residential projects. These projects range from garage additions to manufacturing facilities to single-family residences.

Last summer, Rand married Kristi Ann Klauck in Avalon, California. Kristi has become an integral part of REA and has taken over the role of managing the office, working with clients, editing specifications and helping with design and construction drawings.

 
REA and its staff have always been a proponent of testing and using technology to move the business forward. REA became one of the first architectural firms in Utah to utilize AutoDesk's REVIT, a 3D computer modeling program to design projects and produce construction drawings, and REVIT is leading the way in 3-dimensional architectural design and drafting. This tool allows designers at REA to explore multiple design scenarios in a medium that is easy for clients to understand, thereby providing the owner with the best possible finished product.