Empathy as a designing core value
Hi Architect-US crew,
In this blog post, I want to dive deep into one of the biggest discoveries I have made since working at Wheeler & Kearns Architects in Chicago.
As soon as I hear from the Architect-US team that I was going to have an interview with them, I started to search and read about this office, its work, and its mission. I had some previous experience doing other internships at different offices, but none can compare to this one. Even though their focus wasn’t mainly residential, I never came upon an office that had non-profit projects as one of their pillars.
When I first started my internship here in Chicago, I was introduced to this hybrid way of working. Combining very high-end housing with the need of giving back to the community. This balance has been without any doubt the most fulfilling experience I have ever had since I came to the US. The care and empathy that are shown in any of these non-profit projects have totally blown my mind. On top of that, it has given a deeper meaning to what an architect is able to do and give back.
I have been lucky enough to start working on one of these projects, and the level of awareness when designing is something I have never experienced before. I can´t stress enough how grateful I feel for being able to be part of such a team and exposed to so many learning experiences. The moment when you see that what you design in your Revit model transcends the screen and actually makes an impact in other people’s lives is just unmatched.
Despite being aware during college that design helps people, this is the first time that I have experienced it first-hand. As a result, I feel a whole new level of purpose in my career that I wouldn’t have without this experience.
