James is a licensed architect and New Orleans native with design experience in a wide range of project types, sizes, and locations. Though he began his professional career working on large public and commercial projects, he has always maintained a small practice on the side to fulfill his true passion: collaborating with home and small business owners on more intimate projects to solve their everyday challenges and improve their daily lives at home and at work.

While he enjoys working with clients of all ages, James is particularly enthusiastic about working with the newest generation of home and business owners. Having purchased, designed, and renovated his own home and office space in recent years, he has a comprehensive understanding of the concerns and expectations of younger clients who might feel intimidated or overwhelmed by the design and construction process. He aims to develop an honest and collaborative relationship with every client to address their needs and help make their unique visions a reality.

Prior to founding Van Horn Design, James was a Project Architect at Sizeler Thompson Brown Architects in New Orleans, where he worked on complex, highly detailed hospital renovations and additions in the Southeast Louisiana region. Before that, he spent four years in Denver, CO with Perkins & Will, an award-winning global architecture firm, designing multi-phased sports arena and entertainment facility renovations throughout the United States and Canada. In graduate school he interned with Niles Bolton Associates in Atlanta, specializing in multi-family housing development.

Education
Washington & Lee University, Bachelor of Arts, 2010
Georgia Institute of Technology, Master of Architecture, 2014

Licenses & Affiliations
Licensed Architect, State of Louisiana #9024
Licensed Architect, State of Mississippi #5918
Licensed Architect, State of North Carolina #16584
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, #90756