How did you get started in the AEC Industry?
It started with a technical drawing class I took in middle school. I loved the artistic process of putting pencil to paper and how architectural drawings can translate lofty thoughts & ideas from your head into tangible, occupiable spaces. I continued to take art & architecture classes throughout middle school & high school, leading me to apply to architecture schools for college. It was important for me to continue my education and earn an Architectural License.
What drew me to architecture was its unique combination of art and math, allowing for both creativity and structure to coexist. Playing with Lego and K’nex as a child gave me problem-solving skills, laying the groundwork for my future in the industry. During my time as an intern at Perkins Eastman, specializing in corporate interiors, I gained an appreciation for the complexity of designing offices that appear simple.
Designing, for me, is like solving a puzzle. I find joy in pulling the pieces together to create beautiful & innovative solutions to problems our clients might not have even been able to see or understand themselves. My children also inspire me, motivating me to create sustainable, timeless, and functional spaces that minimize our impact on the Earth's limited resources. I'm particularly drawn to fractals and the patterns they represent, which serve as a constant source of inspiration in my design process.
I have often found myself as the sole woman at the table in construction meetings or on construction sites. It’s important to both listen and actively contribute when you are given the opportunity to build both credibility & a relationship with the team. Being a young leader has required me to assert my knowledge and capabilities in a field where experience often dictates credibility.
To women entering the industry, I offer this advice: never stop learning, expand your network, seek mentorship opportunities, and actively support other women in their professional journeys.
Some of my favorite projects include Macmillan and Wiley. Both projects presented unique challenges and opportunities for growth; one was a large project with a universal plan that required built in flexibility and the other involved navigating complex organizational structures to design unique identities under an overarching, cohesive umbrella. I particularly cherish the collaborative process and attention to detail that these projects brought to the table, pushing me to question conventional design norms and explore new possibilities.
