We had the good fortune of connecting with Ursula Emery McClure and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ursula, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk is the driver of my career. It allows me to attempt things that are unfamiliar, resolve difficult questions, and try for things that often seem out of range. I would not even be in the DFW area if I had not taken risks. I believe that those who can, should take risks. If they do, they can help others. It is too easy to be complacent but that makes me feel useless. I had a job for life but in 2019 I left that job because I was not making a contribution any more. I needed difficulty and uncomfortableness to push me to expand my abilities and keep me an active contributor to the greater community. As a creative, risk keeps me nimble, flexible, and humane. It does not come without suffering and anxiety but I am able to take risks for those that can not. I guess my risk taking is driven by my decision to be an active participant in society.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am a professional architect, a researcher, and an educator. Owning an Architecture firm and teaching/researching in a university full time is demanding but I would not be who I am without both. This is what excites me. Students make me smarter, teaching for the state makes me connected, and designing and researching how architecture contributes to the greater good wakes me up every morning. I got to where I am because I work hard and the people I collaborate with challenge me every step of the way. I am lucky that I started my business in a warm and welcoming community rich with unique culture and in need of active voices that developed responsible and resourceful design Investigations for a challenging environment. Like any endeavor none of this was easy or without challenges but we have acknowledged that being vested in the health and welfare of a community is critical to being a successful designer. Our entire firm is made up of people who design and teach design. This allows us to have the greatest influence. We cherish the fact that not only can we make good design but that we can enable others to make good design.. This is what makes our business different; we practice design and we teach design. This allows for the greatest influence in the design profession. It is also our biggest challenge. It is not easy teaching all day and practicing architecture at night but it is a choice we made and we work on it every day. We are good schedulers and we have to have a tight schedule. We have to stick to it and be very honest with our clients about our obligations. It makes us very practical and very diligent. These are the lessons we have learned.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

There are so many things in the DFW complex I am challenged with this question. Currently I live in Fort Worth so I will start with that.
1. The Arts District. The Kimbell, The Modern, The Botanical Gardens, The Zoo. Having high tea at the Kimbell.
2. South of Main. Fantastic food and drink and western wear.
3. Magnolia Avenue, Again restaurants.
4. Cowtown
5. Fort Worth Water Gardens
6. Drinks at the Thompson’s Bookstore

Arlington
1. Texas Rangers Baseball game
2. Amira’s Mediterranean food
3. Candlelite inn

Dallas
1. Nasher Art Museum
2. Deep Ellum
3. White Rock Lake
4. Katy Trail and Santa Fe Trail.
5. Murals on Bridges over Trinity River
6. pocket Parks of Downtown Dallas
7. Drinks at the Statler Hotel

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would not be who I am without my partner/husband Michael McClure. We met in graduate school and we have been partners ever since. He allows me to pursue all my interests and he collaborates with me on all my actions. I also would not be the person I am without my daughter Ada who I try to set an example for every day. She demands of me that I hold the utmost respect for community, civility, and contributions to the greater good. She also encourages me to be an advocate for those who have less of a voice and that is my responsibility. I can only hope that what I try to do allows her to do what she wants to do. I hope one day as they say your children are a reflection of the values you’ve taught them that she exceeds all my actions. Finally, I come from a big family that although we now live far apart from each other, they have always been supportive and it is because of them that I believe I can go anywhere and do anything.

Website: Www.emerymcclure.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/emerymcclurearchitecture?utm_medium=copy_link

Linkedin: Ursula Emery McClure

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emerymcclure.architecture/

Image Credits
Headshot-Carly Viator Architecture_James Osborne IV

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.