Cash Maldique

One of Cash Maidique's earliest memories is building a castle out of blocks, and creating a garage in that castle that had secret compartments for his toy cars. He spent much of his childhood making - and breaking - things. Thankfully, he's become a much better designer since the time he disassembled his sister's bike and couldn't put it back together again.

Cash earned a Bachelors in Architecture from Cornell University. Following his studies, he interned at Spillis Candela DMJM (now part of AE Comm) in Coral Gables, Florida, shortly thereafter becoming the first in his graduating class to obtain an architecture license. In 1998, he launched Maidique Design, mainly concentrating on residential architecture for builders and developers.

He also designed his own houses, first in Miami and later Norwalk, Connecticut. The experience of "being your own client, and the limitations of budgets," as he puts it, established a belief that hands-on is the best way to learn about architecture. In 2009, he moved into an office in Greenwich, CT with Chuck Wheelock.

Who is your favourite designer or architect?

Louis Kahn, because of the way he manipulated light.

If you weren't a designer, what would you be?

A rock star or an auto mechanic

Do you have any hidden talents and if so, what are they?

I know all of the 50 states and capitols, and all of the US presidents, in case I ever get called up to be on Jeopardy!