Jennifer Shea has recently joined our team as our new associate! Jennifer brings 12 years of prior experience to our design team, including advanced Revit modeling, rendering and construction detailing. She currently works as project architect on our Multi-Family and Historic Renovation projects. Read her full bio here.

We recently sat down with Jennifer to gain some insight into what makes her tick! Read our Q&A below to get to know Jennifer and discover her insights on architecture, design and more. And please join us in giving a warm welcome to our newest team member!

Why architecture?

Architecture is something that we all have the opportunity to experience in our daily lives. So we, as architects, have the potential to impact a wide variety of building users and affect people’s actions, behaviors and emotions. This allows one to feel a personal connection to the architecture.

Who’s your favorite architect? Favorite structure?

I don’t favor a particular architect as I think there is a lot we can learn from many architects, past and present. I do, however, enjoy Scandinavian architecture and the inherent ability of its designers to truly design with nature.

Name 3 things a great design requires.

• All great designs require a strong connection to the site. The structure needs to be fully integrated into the landscape in order to take advantage of what the site offers.
• A project team that is wholly in sync, including the owner. The architect and owner need to engage in a dialogue that allows each to understand the needs, desires, abilities and process of the project. The engineers need to understand the vision and must be able to think outside the box as necessary. Not all projects are simple boxes and, therefore, require some creative thinking in order to achieve the end product that the owner will enjoy.
• Thoughtful detailing. Details are the final touch to the overall concept and provide added meaning to the design. The design may be wonderful, but the details can make it a masterpiece.

What’s your favorite thing about the job?

We tend to spend months, sometimes years, designing and building projects. At the end of the process, it is rewarding to know that we’ve brought the owner’s vision to life.

What do you use for inspiration when working on a new design?

We can draw inspiration from the built and natural environments around us, as well as from human interactions. All of these are connected when it comes to implementing a successful design.

What advice would you give to aspiring architects?

You must love what you are doing. This profession doesn’t necessarily provide instant gratification since it could take years from initial concept to built structure with many hurdles along the way. It is important to learn that hard work and patience will be rewarded when you and the owner can experience the new structure.