He studied Architecture at the Bauhaus University Weimar, the American University of Beirut and the Southern California Institute of Architecture [SCIArc] in Los Angeles, where he graduated with distinction in 2005 and holds a Bachelor of Architecture. He also received the Best Thesis Award 2005 for a project investigating future trends, developments and architectural concepts for a neo-nomadic society embedded within the present built environment. During his stay in Los Angeles he also worked on a variety of extracurricular projects, among them the DVD title menu design for the Derrida movie (www.derridathemovie.com), and a contribution for NASA's Golden Record 2002.
Since 2005, Richard has been working as an architect in Dubai. Initially he worked for Dubai Properties on a large scale development called Mudon, before becoming part of the dxb.lab team in early 2006. At dxb.lab his work has ranged from Private Villas and Office Buildings to a Hotel Resort Island in Nakheel's The World off the shore of Dubai. A highlight was the design for Biennale Park Pavilion #2 on Saadiyat Island, invited by the Guggenheim Foundation and the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) in Abu Dhabi.
In late 2007 Richard joined the newly founded "Architectural Association aaUAE" and has since been working actively on the Board of Directors to promote its cause and help establish a well integrated organization that provides a cultural program for the design community in the UAE, such as lectures, discussions and exhibitions.
His latest project is the creation of a pedagogical initiative called "pr0gress", bringing an international educational component to the architecture scene in the UAE. Right now "pr0gress" offers information and a basis for students to visit and study the "UAE 21st century city prototype" and aims to develop a local studio program into a new institute for urban studies. Since 2007 "pr0gress" has collaborated with students from universities such as Princeton, SCIArc, UCLA, TU Berlin et al.