Sanders went on to oversee assessment, design, re-evaluation, stabilization, and, finally, complete restoration of the U.S. Capitol Dome over the course of the next 20 years. His expertise and leadership provided steadfast guidance for the project through the tenure of several Architects of the Capitol, presidential administrations, and sessions of Congress. As he worked to determine the best repair techniques for the thin yet massive cast iron, the historic float glass windows, and the layers of lead-based paint, he brought emerging professionals from Hoffmann Architects with him and provided mentorship and meaningful real-world experience on a high-profile project. Junior designers under his tutelage have since become senior architects and owners of the firm in their own right, carrying on the work he taught them and, now, leading in his stead.
The Capitol Dome project went on to win several prestigious design and preservation awards, as have a number of Sanders’ other projects. As a sought-after building enclosure consultant, he has also collaborated on the project teams for award-winning projects, from restoration to new construction. His expert testimony and litigation support have been instrumental in providing valuable documentation for cases related to standard of care and construction failure. In 1998, Hoffmann Architects recognized Sanders’ contributions by appointing him as director of the Connecticut office, a post he held until 2017, when Larry Keenan, AIA, PE took over the position. In his twenty years overseeing the Connecticut technical staff, Sanders built strong bonds with his colleagues, especially those emerging professionals in the firm who came to him for guidance, support, and education.
Over the course of a thirty-year career at Hoffmann Architects, Sanders has worked on some of the most noteworthy landmarks on the eastern seaboard. Along with the U.S. Capitol Dome, he worked on the U.S. Botanic Garden, the Capitol West Terrace, and the Air Force Academy Chapel. Headquarters buildings for MasterCard, UBS, General Electric, Hartford Insurance, Random House, IBM, and Nine West, along with Xerox Document University and the former Southern New England Telephone headquarters, were among his corporate clients. Academic institutions, including his alma matter, Yale, as well as the University of Connecticut, Southern Connecticut State University, Quinnipiac University, Fairfield University, Vassar College, the University of Pennsylvania, and dozens of private and public K-12 schools, from Choate Rosemary Hall to all 16 Fairfield Public Schools, are but some of his many educational facility projects. He is known for his consultation on the new Oklahoma State Capitol Dome, his building envelope rehabilitation of the Modernist landmark First Presbyterian Church in Stamford, and his investigation of the Chrysler Building facade and spire, which launched the NYC Landmarks Conservancy Lucy G. Moses Award-winning restoration project.
Sanders wrote his first technical article for the Hoffmann Architects JOURNAL in 1993, on glazed brick deterioration, and followed with nine more JOURNAL articles, on topics from historic copper roofing, marble, brick, and terra cotta to EIFS and sealant joints. His work has appeared in a wide range of industry publications, including The Construction Specifier, Papyrus, The Aggregate, Building Operating Management, Buildings, High-Profile, and Construction Canada. He is past president of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, served three terms as president for the Construction Specifications Institute Housatonic Chapter, and spent more than 15 years as representative to the Industry Practice Committee for the Connecticut Building Congress. He is also a longstanding member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
