Allan Shope

The love of woodworking, that led him to turn sugar bowls for his mother in elementary school, matured under the guidance of master woodworkers in college. Since then, Allan has continued to broaden his knowledge and skills, culminating most recently in the black walnut furniture and cabinetry that he built for his new home.

The love of nature, that induced him to walk the Appalachian Trail before his teens, blossomed into his becoming a falconer and conservationist in adulthood. Among his endeavors to protect nature, Allan was President of the Board of the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater and a Trustee of the Dutchess Land Conservancy, and is currently a Trustee of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.

The love of architecture, perhaps inescapable for a man whose father, grandfather, and great grandfather were architects, drew him to earn his degree from the Rhode Island School of Design, become a registered architect, and, at age 25, launch Shope Reno Wharton Associates. As a founding partner of Shope Reno Wharton, Allan designed houses, academic buildings, museums and environmental education centers for 25 years. Allan left Shope Reno Wharton in 2006 to start a new architectural office, Allan Shope Architect, dedicated to sustainable architecture.  The new smaller practice enables Allan to focus fully on every project that comes into his office, and to make every design a labor of love informed by his deep appreciation for craft, nature and architecture.