6 | Richard Wittschiebe Hand
to have greater creative autonomy and flex-
ibility with her time schedule, Richard part-
ed ways with large firm and established her
own. Hers was among the earliest of woman-
owned architectural firms in Georgia, but
Richard says her professional plansweremore
focused on going into medicine. Her archi-
tectural work was viewed as a means to pay
for her studies in pre-med, and she had actu-
ally been accepted into medical school when
she decided to evoke what has been said to
be a woman’s prerogative – she changed her
mind. Richard says the reverse of course was
largely prompted by her joy of interacting
with clients, solving complex challenges and
using her creative talents to bring concepts
into life, in measures that often exceeded cli-
ent expectations. She found someone of like
perspective in Janice Wittschiebe, and both
became familiar with one another through
their participation in an organization com-
prised by women who worked in the trade.
Their relationship, however, blossomed af-
ter they both found themselves on a team
ASHRAE, exterior at twilight (Fred Gerlich, Photographer)
