A clear vision for development

Houston is growing. The Houston-Galveston Area Council estimates that the city's metro-area population will hit 7.6 million by the year 2025, up from its current 5.9 million, as reported on the official City of Houston website.

How will the city accommodate all these people?

Unlike the Houston of yesteryear, when development occurred without consideration for sustainability, quality or even aesthetics, the dynamic has changed. Today, there are some wise people pondering the issues surrounding intelligent urban growth. Chief among them is David Robinson.

Robinson is principal architect and owner of the firm Robinson Architecture Workshop. This Ivy League professional received his bachelor's from Yale University and earned his master's in architecture at Rice University, right here in his beloved Houston.

Active in public issues, Robinson has dedicated a significant amount of time to serving the community: He was president of the Super Neighborhood Alliance and the Park Civic Association, and he is a former member of the Houston Planning Commission (and the first architect appointed in more than 35 years).

Notably, this dedicated Houstonian also served as the chairman of Houston's Urban Design Committee and founded the Ten Years to Clarity program, a nonprofit think tank dedicated to the city's future.

"The mission of Ten Years to Clarity is to provide a forum for creative visions for Houston in the next decade," Robinson said. "We are trying to explore how development, environmental responsibility, housing and transportation projects will contribute to a sustainable future.

"The goal is to ensure that Houston continues to grow as a high-quality place to live and that this city serves as a reference for other developing communities," the architect said.

Name: David Robinson

Age: 45

Occupation: Principal architect and owner of Robinson Architecture Workshop.

Community Connection: He served as chairman of Houston's Urban Design Committee and founded the Ten Years to Clarity program, a nonprofit think tank dedicated to the city's future development.

Fast Fact: David's favorite thing about Houston is the diversity of its culture and people.