INTERVIEWS WITH NEW MEMBERS: SEP 2023

WHAT’S YOUR NAME?

Christoper Nelson

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO CHOOSE THE FIELD OF ARCHITECTURE?

At first, architecture was the academic focus while I pursued playing football in college.  I learned quickly that I was really interested in the creative side of architecture.  It led to the love of creative and technical balance that was naturally part of my personal interests.

WHAT TYPE OF WORK ARE YOU MOST INTERESTED IN?

I am interested in highly designed energy efficient architecture of all types.

WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES SINCE OBTAINING YOUR ARCHITECTURE DEGREE?

My biggest challenge since obtaining my degree has been finding the proper work/life balance.  It took a while but I feel like I’ve made progress.

WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL?

I loved the opportunity to discover my creative side, the opportunity to push myself and learning something at every moment.

ANY CRITICISMS OF THE ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION EXPERIENCE?

I think the political nature of school can become a distraction from the opportunity to learn.  I also sought a design focused master’s program that filled in the for the lack of technical education that I didn’t feel satisfied from my undergraduate architecture school.

WHAT ARE YOUR PROFESSIONAL GOALS?

My goals include becoming Passive House certified, designing energy efficient urban buildings/spaces, get into small scale development and develop my art practice.

WHO DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE ARCHITECTS?

Some of my favorite firms/architects include Morphosis, Olson Kundig, Coop Himmelblau, Herzog and de Meuron and Marcel Breuer.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE BUILDING OR CITY?

New York City (easily) and the original Whitney Museum.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GET OUT OF YOUR AIA BROOKLYN CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP?

I would like to connect with the AIA Brooklyn community, attend events and get more involved.

WHAT’S YOUR NAME?

Patricia Semmler

Founder, Pem Studio NYC (pemstudionyc.com)

Co-Founder, Space to the People (spacetothepeople.com)

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO CHOOSE THE FIELD OF ARCHITECTURE?

When I was a teenager, I had this obsession of moving furniture around every few weeks and a friend suggested architecture school. I wanted to be a painter or a mathematician. And a violinist or a librarian… so architecture!

WHAT TYPE OF WORK ARE YOU MOST INTERESTED IN?

Work that improves the life of every living being, humans, plants, animals… Sustainable architecture, retro-fitting existing buildings, space stations, lunar habitats, cradle-to-cradle buildings, closed loop buildings. Ideally, absolute positive impact architecture.

WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES SINCE OBTAINING YOUR ARCHITECTURE DEGREE?

Motherhood. The profession and society in general have to evolve in order that professional life and motherhood coexist in harmony and enrich each other.

WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL?

The creativity.

ANY CRITICISMS OF THE ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION EXPERIENCE?

It could be closer to the reality of the profession. At the same time, it is nice to have some time to dream and carry these dreams into the real world.

WHAT ARE YOUR PROFESSIONAL GOALS?

I have just started my own firm, so I want to get projects :)). When I dream: I would like to build affordable housing, find a solution to homelessness, city towers that could go off-grid, build a space station, collaborate on mega green infrastructures spanning cities. Build!

WHO DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE ARCHITECTS?

Lina Bo Bardi.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE BUILDING OR CITY?

The SESC Pompéia Factory and the Ladeira de Misericordia, both by Lina Bo Bardi!

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GET OUT OF YOUR AIA BROOKLYN CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP?

I hope to get involved! Advocate to improve the profession and our footprint on the planet.

WHAT’S YOUR NAME?

Yitzy Shine

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO CHOOSE THE FIELD OF ARCHITECTURE?

This is a great question! I’ve always known that I wanted to choose a field where I could affect others in a positive way. Research shows that we spend 90% of our time indoors! I can’t think of a better way of affecting other people’s lives than through the use of design, in a place that they spend most often.

WHAT TYPE OF WORK ARE YOU MOST INTERESTED IN?

I really enjoy residential design. I love to get down to the details and build a relationship with my clients. With residential, you can ensure that the people you design for are the people using the space. Being able to positively affect a small family that I get to know personally can mean more to me than designing a huge commercial building that will get used by occupants I don’t know or have a relationship with.

WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES SINCE OBTAINING YOUR ARCHITECTURE DEGREE?

Since earning my degree, I have partnered up with past co-workers to start a design firm, named Base. The biggest challenge has also been a blessing. Not only did I have to learn drafting, zoning, and code, I also had to learn how to run a business. Being able to balance new responsibilities that an average recent graduate wouldn’t have, put me in a position where I needed to learn rapidly. This was hard, yet fruitful. 

WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL?

Like most, I have a love-hate relationship with school. There were easy days and hard days. The one thing I loved about my particular school (NYIT) is that Studio was not focused on merely graphics, but functionality of design, adherence to code, and dealing with clients (AKA the professor). Studio also pushed learning how to talk and work with others. As I see now, in the workforce, this is an incredibly important skill that I was lucky enough to practice in school. 

ANY CRITICISMS OF THE ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION EXPERIENCE?

I think most would agree that there is a disconnect between Studio and a Workplace. We need to be placing a lot more emphasis on learning about how to run a business, as well as classes devoted to divisions of the AREs. Now that you can take your AREs after 3rd year of school, the curriculum should encourage licensure at an earlier point. This gives students a lot more flexibility for their career, after they graduate. I personally took 3 AREs while in school and felt 10 steps ahead. Because of this, I didn’t feel the need to take on an entry-level internship at a large, corporate firm. I was able to handle my career my way.

WHAT ARE YOUR PROFESSIONAL GOALS?

My goal is to keep learning. I believe architects will never be masters of their craft, because their craft is forever adapting to the environment around them. I aim to always be flexible to new ideas and technologies, and to get licensed within the next couple of years. 

WHO DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE ARCHITECTS?

This might be cliche, but Frank Lloyd Wright will always have a place in my heart. I appreciate newer architects, such as Bjarke Ingels Group and Studio Gang, who talk about design as an effect on people, instead of just buildings.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE BUILDING OR CITY?

This is a hard one! Recently, it’s been the Gilder Center at AMNH. The shotcrete building provides a much-needed assist to the circulation issue at the museum. Standing inside of it, the building feels so light and heavy at the same time. Being able to balance the two is extremely difficult, so this was very well executed. 

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GET OUT OF YOUR AIA BROOKLYN CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP?

I hope to connect to my fellow members! I would love to build a relationship with others around me and I look forward to seeing you at the next event!