Remembering Guy Teschmacher, AIA

A Guy Teschmacher drawing, "Submarine".
A Guy Teschmacher's drawing, "Bell Telephone"

AIAVT's Annual Guy Teschmacher Memorial Golf Tournament is coming up Sept. 8th. In anticipation of the event, we would like to take a moment to remember Guy. Thank you to John Hemmelgarn and the folks at Black River Design for putting together this remembrance.

Guy Teschmacher, 1939-2012

Guy Teschmacher was born in Chicago on Dec. 7 th 1939. He grew up in Yorktown Heights, NY and achieved a Bachelor of Arts in architecture from Cornell University. He practiced architecture for many years, most of it in Montpelier first as a partner in Forrest Teschmacher and ultimately with Black River Design. Guy died Friday July 20, 2012 in Royalton, VT at age 72.


Guy had many passions in his life, most of all his children. He enjoyed building model airplanes, riding his newly restored 1973 Norton motorcycle, playing RISK into the wee hours with friends, and food. Oh the food, whether it was eating it or baking something savory or sweet. He loved to share food with family and friends. Anyone who knew Guy, knew his banana bread or pecan pie.


His enthusiasm for design was infectious to his coworkers. He was always open to collaborating and never dismissive of an option without talking it through. His unique style of hand sketching will never be forgotten, it was as if his pencil never left the paper and the final product had an engaging softness, but the design intent was always clear.


Sharing his love for architecture, he was a member of the AIA-Vermont board of directors from 2002 to 2010 and president in 2008. He played a significant role in the AIA-Vermont’s CANstruction, a design competition to benefit local food shelves. He also co-chaired the Learning by Design outreach program to bring architecture and design into elementary school classrooms, for which he encouraged many
fellow employees to volunteer.


Guy retired from formal architecture practice as a partner at Black River Design, Architects in 2010. Embracing retirement and his rejuvenated love for golf provided many enjoyable moments for himself and friends while playing a fun round or competing in a club tournament. It was at these tournaments, in which Guy usually played his best golf. His love of golf led him to co-chair the annual AIA-Vermont Golf tournament to benefit the Hanne N. Williams Scholar Recognition Fund, thus bringing two of his passions together. That tournament now bears his name and brings all of us together every year to the benefit of our profession and deserving Vermont architecture students.


All who knew Guy will remember him as a man of integrity, humility, and humor. A loving father and member of the Vermont architectural community, he is sorely missed.