We had a vision for our business to be more than just design .
To
see Morgan Hill through the eyes of Charles Weston and Lesley Miles is to see something special , whether you look at the city ’ s past , present or future .
That is because Weston and Miles are architects and entrepreneurs whose vision of Morgan Hill ’ s unique qualities has helped to transform some of our most iconic and historic properties into vital and productive landmarks of our city .
It ’ s impossible to tell their story without weaving personal , career and community involvement into one unified thread , because that is how these two people live their lives .
Partners for the Environment
Weston ’ s early years in Hollywood included a stint as a child actor with roles in “ Leave it to Beaver ” and “ My Three Sons .” By high school , he ’ d become immersed in nature and the environment and his passion for running . Weston headed to Los Angeles City College , was drafted and served in Vietnam , and then attended California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo where he studied architecture and structural engineering .
Miles grew up in Sebastopol , where she developed an early interest in gardening and horticulture . She also attended Cal Poly , and met Weston during a summer college break when they were both serving as crew leaders for the Youth Conservation Corps . They began dating while working on a Waldorf school planning and design project at a South
Valley ranch on Willow Springs Road . The project had been initiated by the ranch owner and Weston ’ s architecture professor . Weston focused on architecture , and Miles on landscape design – and they would talk for hours about the integration of the two disciplines .
“ The project never moved into development ,” laughed Miles , “ but Charles and I loved the ranch and decided to stay there for a while . We launched our careers , fell in love , got married and had our first daughter while living at the ranch . Charles began doing architectural design for large public works projects from San Jose to San Luis Obispo . I started my landscape design business and tended to the gardens and the goats at the ranch . Every week I took herbs , tomatoes and lettuce to the local farmer ’ s market .”
“
We had a vision for our business to be more than just design .
”
Looking back on that time , Weston added , “ Those were the days before computer-aided design , when architects still drafted by hand . One morning I was looking through the house for some architectural drawings I ’ d prepared for a big meeting . As it turned out , my daughter , who was a toddler at the time , had torn up my drawings . Lesley and I knew it was time for us to get an office .”
Partners in Architecture
In 1985 , Weston and Miles rented an office space in downtown Morgan Hill . Weston decided to round out his credential as a professional architect by obtaining a contractor ’ s license , and in 1986 they launched Weston Miles Architects . Miles received her architect ’ s license in 1996 . Over the next 29 years , the firm took on a variety of large school district and public works projects . They hired designers from as far away as Spain and Great Britain as well as local experts who shared their interest in environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient design and construction techniques .
“ We took our business beyond just design ,” said Weston . “ We wanted projects that allowed us to manage things from end to end .”
An early project rebuilding a school in San Jose ’ s Oak Grove School District was pivotal for the firm , leading to projects in more than 15 school districts over the years . The firm joined the Collaborative for High Performance Schools ( CHPS ), and devoted itself to designing and building schools that provide a healthy , comfortable and well-lit environment for students on campus while also being energy and resource-efficient .
Among the firm ’ s commercial projects in downtown Morgan Hill was the historic Skeels Building at Monterey and Third Streets . Established in 1925 as a hotel and restaurant , its most famous guests may have been Swedish Crown Prince Gustav Adolph and his wife , who visited the following year to dedicate the 106-acre Sveadal resort in Uvas Canyon .
F A L L 2 0 1 4 M O R G A N H I L L T O D A Y
43