Virginia Tech Magazine Features Kevin Smith
07.26.2007

Thirty years ago, Kevin Smith (M.Arch '98) would have been among the many architects, T-square in hand, toiling at a drafting table and dreaming of being the next Frank Lloyd Wright. But Smith became an architect in the 1990s, just as computer imaging was emerging as both canvas and paintbrush. And his gift for transforming ideas and technical blueprints into virtual buildings full of light and color has brought him incredible success. "The computer allowed me to express my design ideas more fluidly ... . I was never confident in my hand-drawing abilities; I felt restricted," Smith admits. "If Michelangelo had had a digital canvas available to him, I believe he would have taken advantage of the technology."

Smith, who received 13 job offers upon completion of his graduate degree, returned to Florida and settled in with the renowned firm Spillis Candela DMJM. He eventually headed up the advanced technologies division, gaining extensive animation and 3D-renderinskills. He also met his two future business partners.

Recognizing that computer technology was the future of architecture, Smith, along with Eddie Leon and Johann Beckford, founded Spine 3D, originally a freelance operation, in Miami.

After a few years of producing all of the work themselves, they realized that a large-enough team of computer artists could tap into the booming real estate market that was beginning to rock South Florida.

The plan worked. In less than three years, Spine3D grew from a home-based business pulling in a few thousand dollars to a vibrant visualization studio with 23 employees. Architecturally trained project managers oversee the work of more than 250 artists around the world who keep Spine3D’s projects humming along 24 hours a day.

Smith's work is sought by some of the nation's most prestigious architecture firms, such as Arquitectonica, and by leading development companies, including The Related Group. Before the land is even cleared, Smith and his partners have brought to life such projects as Las Ramblas, an 11-building mega-project in Las Vegas that counts actor George Clooney and condo king Jorge Perez as major investors.

"Thanks to a shared vision among my partners and myself, we have created a company that has the competition on edge. Yes, there are other studios such as ours, but we are not only delivering high-quality work, we do it cost-effectively," Smith says. "I'm having a great time doing what I love."