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If you are able to change any work-related policy in the architecture field, what would that be? I really don’t like the architectas-workaholic ethos, which starts in school. I am a well-rounded person, I like to play sports, I like movies and books, but I have not been able to do nearly as much of that as I wish because of the culture of single-focus. I guess that is not really a policy, more of a culture thing.
Once you start taking ownership of things and really caring about them, that’s when you get noticed.
What positive/negative qualities do you see in emerging professionals today? I see young designers being fearless, being confident which is really good. I worry about the “screen-view” limitations on designers now with very few young designers ever taking out paper and pen. I believe in a brain-hand connection and the kind of thinking and overview that can be had on paper, where you can see the whole plan in front of you at once. I myself am drawing less than I used to as well, and it is something I want to get back to. Luckily, our office uses the tool of physical models for all our projects and that allows for some of that same creative thinking.
What challenges do emerging professionals face from your perspective? External challenges of a changing future with climate change and economic uncertainty. Our profession gets hit hard with low economic periods and one has to foresee that and position themselves in a way that might minimize their chance of losing their job. Internal challenges of finding a project type that is meaningful to them and figuring out how to take ownership of even the smallest part of a design. Once you start taking ownership of things and really caring about them, that’s when you get noticed.