“I’ve drawn lines for so long that I know exactly how long they’re supposed to be,” says architect Jeremy Corkern. Even though this might seem to be a violation of the laws of geometry, in that a line is infinite in length, the New Orleans–based Corkern speaks a very real truth about how he works. Unlike most architects who create their proposed residential designs using sophisticated computer-aided design (CAD) systems, Corkern begins every idea with a sharpened pencil in hand. He then takes out one of his favorite olive-green notepads and begins rendering on paper the shape of the house he has in his imagination. With no erasures or hesitations, he sketches out the dramatic pitches of rooflines, projecting dormers, chimneys and multipaned windows, even the position of trees on the land.

“For me, there is both a physical and mental connection between the hand and brain,” he states. “The best houses are designed by hand because when you’re physically thinking about a space, you are rendering it line by line instead of clicking on a mouse. Hand and eye are intertwined.”

Corkern admits to being a drawer his entire life, even as a boy growing up in the small Mississippi town of Brookhaven. Speaking of his home locale, he describes it as “an old railroad town, built on timber and oil and gas as part of its economy.” He adds: “Since its founding in the 1840s, Brookhaven has had an architectural style that can still be seen on the streets. It has great housing stock, and when I was growing up there, I was able to see some really wonderful architectural works, both in the existing old stock and in the newer houses. It was where I learned to appreciate architecture and to want to be an architect.”

To read the complete story or to see all photos, visit the MILIEU Newsstand to purchase this issue in print or visit Zinio.com to purchase this issue in digital format.

WRITTEN BY DAVID MASELLO

This story appeared in the Winter 2026 issue of MILIEU.