What’s old is new again. Or it can be if you do it right.

From the time he was a child more interested in drawing the geometric lines of manmade objects than the trees and flowers the other kids were coloring, Dan Wiitanen has had an appreciation for the classics.

A small motif tucked into a modern presentation. A classic architectural flair weaved among contemporary elements. Designs that were rooted in the past uniquely enhancing a brand new project.

With over 20 years of experience at Somerville and an ever-watchful eye to time-honored design concepts, Dan can seamlessly adapt the past to the present. His projects include sprawling technical college campuses with increasingly varied instructional offerings that require unique features. Dan considers architects like himself to be problem solvers, envisioning not only what a facility will look like but how it will be used, merging efficiency with practicality and adding flair to function. Not design for the sake of design, but concepts that best serve the needs of the client. Dan sees himself as the advocate for the client and finds his greatest honor to be their decision to return to him with their next upgrade or build.

To Dan, the greatest gift architects can receive is to see their vision become a reality in use by the people who need it. And he’s filing it all away – work that someday others will look to as the classics.