ARCHITECTURAL JOURNEY

I was born in Santa Monica 1961 and relocated to the South Bay area of Los Angeles when my mother and her new husband (Treman) moved to Manhattan Beach in 1969. It was a quiet beach town back then and I was a quiet boy adapting to a new life. There was a house a couple blocks up from ours with an Asian flair that caught my interest, scooped eaves and beautiful landscaping; I remember writing and drawing about it as part of a school report.

When I arrived at Mira Costa High School in 1975 one of my elective choices was a sampling of the industrial arts; a quarter each of drafting, electronics, and auto shop, with the final quarter my choice. I found I was gifted and spent the following three years learning and growing in an open trussed classroom filled with light and music and an inspiring teacher. Selected to represent our school at an architectural competition sponsored by El Camino College I won first place as both a Junior and Senior.

Employment with a local building designer just prior to graduation in 1979 began a lengthy path of invaluable apprenticeships. I enrolled in the El Camino College Architecture program and continued to work. Key to my development and learning how to think like an architect was my time with Patrick J. Killen, A.I.A. (1953-2015) as his right-hand man. Pat was very creative and thought outside the box as they say, a priceless education for me.

1984, young and bold, I struck out on my own offering my drafting services to several local architects and gradually built my own clientele. Ultimately my path led back to Pat Killen’s downtown L.A. firm Architrave where he and his partner encouraged me to become licensed. Initiating the extensive registration process with the State required work experience led to licensure in July of 1994 (California Architects Board #C25170).

What began as a small drafting and design service (Robert Treman Design & Planning) became a full service practice (RTArchitecture). Specializing in custom residential architecture I’ve accumulated an extensive portfolio with a diversity of styles and scope of work. The same degree of passion and detail is applied to remodeling or rehabilitation as to a unique custom home. Each and every project is a collaboration between the client and myself and is truly an honor.