MWA Fall 2023 Mixer, September 21, 2023 @ Rimadesio New York

Last week we had the pleasure of stepping away from our computers and gathering for an evening of sharing stories, hugs, wine, and advice at our Fall Mixer!

Anik, Nancy and I are grateful to have been joined in person by so many of our community from NYC and from afar since transitioning to a virtual format in March 2020 due to the pandemic. Our community has grown so much in five years to expand throughout the country and beyond. This Fall Mixer was an evening to gather mentors and mentees that have grown with us over these five years and toast to the ‘old girl’s network’ you are all helping us to build.

Special thanks to the mentors that joined us:

Barbara Spandorf

Elizabeth Graziolo

Nadia Jarrett

Nalina Moses

Karin Payson

Kathy Chia

Nina Kinoti-Metz

In Cho

Nina Gotlieb

Special thanks to Shannon Donohue who flew from Atlanta, GA to be with us!

Our deepest gratitude to the team at Rimadesio New York for hosting us in their gorgeous showroom as well as to Jinhee Shin and Sumin Chwang for helping us host and photograph the event!

Check out the photos!

As 2022 comes to a close, what better time to celebrate what we’ve accomplished and consider what we will build in 2023?

In 2022, with your engagement, mentorship, and allyship, we wrapped our third season of programming, kicked off our fourth season, we mentored and #brokethebias with AIANY WIA, we taught, we started business ventures, and we changed career paths.

Here is a snapshot of what the MWA community has been up to this year.

Looking forward to what we will do together in 2023.

Would you like to know how to get in touch with mentors, what architects are looking for in an intern, what career paths you can take, how to follow your interests or anything else?

Ask us here! We can turn it into a new discussion that’s open to our network so you get the full benefit of hearing from your peers and mentors.

Position Summary

Supports SHVO portfolio from acquisition through construction in various design-related capacities (design, research, project management, administration).

Reports to: Managing Director, Design & Development

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Management

• Diligent daily filing of incoming and outgoing files and materials

• Organization and tracking of project correspondence and communications

• Scheduling and coordinating internal and external meetings

• Strategic project management aligned to secure critical path milestones

 Research 

• Create and maintain Design & Development databases

• Research design trends, market standards, and finishes

• Stay abreast of competitive design landscape for product, marketing, and public relations opportunities

• Detailed benchmarking of international and national comparables (residential, hospitality, commercial, and retail assets)

• Maintain influential knowledge of real estate, design, culture, and media trends

Design 

• Prepare feasibility analysis and due diligence presentations

• Prepare historical research on existing buildings

• Prepare conceptual design presentations

• Define RFP and scope of work requirements for consultant professionals

• Conceptualize, draft, and critique floorplans

• Prepare detailed floorplan reviews, annotated comments

• Assist with the review of shop drawings and approvals

• Maintain sample library

• Prepare punch lists

• Strategic partnerships outreach

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of programming and functional adjacencies

• Sophisticated interior design sensibility

• Strong attention to detail

• Meticulous organization

• Impeccable project management skills

• Willingness to initiate tasks and perform duties with little supervision

• Exceptional, polished presentation

• Articulate, measured, assertive

• Sophisticated written and editorial skills

• Creative strategist with precise execution

• Strong leadership and logistical sensibility

• Strong technology capacity and interest

• Refined, elegant graphic design sensibility

• Motivated independent with collaborative initiative

• Highly organized and comfortable working on multiple parallel accelerated tracks

• Committed accountability, keen availability

• Exquisite design acumen; international exposure

• Sophisticated appreciation of design, culture

• Entrepreneurial savvy

• Commitment to execute timely delivery

Technical

• Expert proficiency in MS Office (Excel in particular)

• Emphatic graphic design interest and expert proficiency in Adobe CS Suite (Acrobat, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop)

• Expert proficiency in drawing software (AutoCAD/SketchUp, etc.)

 Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (Major or Concentration in Architecture/ Interior Design);

• Masters degree in Architecture, Interior Design or Real Estate Development

• Three years minimum design experience

• Luxury residential, hospitality, and/or retail experience preferred

Interest

• Please email resume, cover email elaborating interest and selected work samples (PDF, maximum 5MB). Candidates should be immediately available and eligible to work locally.

Apply for this position via the original Archinect Job Posting.

We could all use some inspiration right now. Here are five articles that have kept us feeling inspired in these times.

1. Esther Sperber: If My Firm Survives, We Will Pay It Forward

2. Mia Scharphie: Hold on to Your North Star

3. Ming Thompson: Architecture Might Lose a Generation of Women In the Coronavirus Era

4. Suzanne Stephens: Women Take Charge at SOM

5. Krista Reeder of Gensler on Color Speaks Project

We hope you enjoy these articles as much as we have!

Also, if you missed our final seminar of the Fall 2019/Spring 2020 season, here are some of the resources that were shared - compliments of Mia Scharphie of the the Build Yourself Network.

Facebook groups and ways to network online:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/architectsandallies

https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersinarchitecture

https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenarchitectscollective/

Networking Webinar

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Vu1HtCJmL62QNvAOCrRflzSLjVBev3uJ/view?usp=sharing

Stay connected! We hope you’ll join our virtual summer mixers in celebration of the mentors and mentees of the Fall 2019/ Spring 2020 season on June 30 and August 5. Register here.