John Nordquist, Builder

His Education: Formal: Bachelor's degree in English Literature, University of Oregon, 1981. Informal: the trenches.

His Journey: Rewarding, successful years as an outdoor leader, high school English teacher, and journalist followed by a leap of faith into designing and building in 1993.

His Edge: Still swings a hammer.

His Influences: The Not-So-Big concepts and books of Sara Susanka. His grandfather, a Swedish carpenter, and his father, a teacher, who taught that work done well is its own reward.

On Building: Start with a solid foundation and a good framework.

On Design: 1) The land comes first: design with a sense of place. 2) Use restraint and seek the cleanest line. 3) Remember: it's easier to design concepts than construct things from scaffolds.

Best Jobsite Dog: Kuma, the white bear. Hurt project, 2007.

Lucky Break: 1996. Keith and Barbara Jensen trust him to build their home, though Keith is Norwegian and John a Swede.

Family: Wife, Lora; children, Evan and Katie.

Other Passions: Rivers and mountains.