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Millennial women in architecture talk remote work, team structure, and mentorship

The New Mosaic

Millennial women in architecture talk remote work, team structure, and mentorship

The Buckingham, a condo development in Toronto, designed by Kohn Partnership Architects (Norm Li)

As we settle into a (hopefully) post-pandemic world, new trends have surfaced in the architecture industry. Communication is casualized, office hierarchies are diminished, and junior team members are emerging as company faces. AN sat down with three female architects from Toronto-based Kohn Partnership Architects to talk about how millennial women are leading the industry.

Senior associate Katie Kuzan, OAA, joined Kohn in 2012 and is the Manager of BIM resources and a staff mentor. She soon recruited former classmate and fellow senior associate Andrea Nagy, OAA, and her experience in various market sectors to the team. Associate Kathryn Bell, OAA, LEED AP, joined the team four years ago and is an advocate for sustainable design.

AN: What is something you’ve learned about working in the architectural industry that you didn’t learn in school?

Andrea Nagy: Being a talented designer is not enough. We’ve seen that practicing architecture requires that you hone a huge set of skills that you never even thought that you would be using professionally. I think the amount of rigor involved in becoming a good professional has been surprising and sort of rewarding at the same time.

black and white headshot of a woman
Andrea Nagy (Courtesy Kohn Partnership Architects)

What are some challenges you’ve faced as a young professional woman and what strategies have you developed to move past them?

Nagy: I don’t know that this all necessarily has to do with being a female in the profession, but being a young millennial. Trying to build rapport with clients and consultants is something that we make great efforts in on a daily basis. Our profession is no longer male-dominated in the office but that isn’t the case on construction sites or in developers’ offices. Being confident enough to voice your opinions, based on facts and knowledge that you’ve garnered over the years, is something that we strive for each day.

Katie Kuzan: Oftentimes, we go into a boardroom and are the only women at the table, often the only people under 50. Sometimes you feel like you have to prove your seat at the table. But if you come with experience and thoughtful suggestions, and you really know the project, those obstacles can be overcome quite quickly.

Do you think these dynamics, both in your office and within larger consultants and clients and project teams, have changed with remote work?

Kathryn Bell: Because you can talk to them on the phone, digitally, send emails, and instant message people, I’m finding it actually easier to deal with the larger team outside of our office and internally.

Nagy: Working remotely has lifted the veil for clients and consultants. In the past, we would schedule physical meetings with clients, but we wouldn’t take the larger team. But now, clients can observe who’s really working on the projects and that the true makeup of the team is beyond just that older male presence. They’ll see quickly that it’s actually a very energetic, young group of individuals from all kinds of backgrounds.

Kuzan: It’s really opening up the industry’s eyes to the new mosaic that is forming. If they see the names at the digital table, there is a lot of diversity, both ethnic and gendered. With the pandemic, we’ve been able to reach an inclusiveness that highlights all members of the team.

black and white headshot of a young woman
Katie Kuzan (Courtesy Kohn Partnership Architects)

Do you think that working remotely has changed how junior staff access senior staff and their time?

Kuzan: When we were in the office, I got fewer questions because it was a grander gesture to come over and ask a question. Whereas if you’re available digitally through messaging platforms and video conference, I’ve noticed an increase in questions. I think people, especially millennials, find a certain comfort level with digital communication.

Nagy: Remote work has in-formalized communication to a degree that we haven’t seen before. While we may be comfortable with that trend, I have observed resistance in older generations and how office hierarchies were structured. It almost appears like the delineation between worker and boss is narrowing as time goes on.

How has the pandemic and recent economic instability make you feel about your job security as a young woman in the office?

Kuzan: I don’t think gender comes into play in terms of job security just because the industry is as balanced as it’s ever been. It goes back to university programs. 20 years ago, there were not a lot of females in architectural education. Now, it’s easily a 50/50 split, if not more women than men, and that has continued to trickle into the workforce and on into senior management or even ownership.

AN: On that note, what advice would you give young women in architecture about building their careers?

Kuzan: For the first five years of your career, really put your head down and build an excellent foundation for yourself. Work hard, keep your eyes and ears open, absorb as much as you can. Once you have a foundation, you can really take your career in any direction, and that’s when you have the confidence to sit at any table and contribute to a team.

An architect’s job is to never stop learning. The industry is constantly evolving. Architectural standards and market needs are constantly evolving. Whether you’re starting your career or preparing to retire, the day you stop actively learning your career will stagnate. That curiosity is important.

black and white headshot of a young woman
Kathryn Bell (Courtesy Kohn Partnership Architects)

What have been some of the highlights of your careers so far?

Nagy: We had an opportunity to speak with students from our former University of Waterloo and outline what we’ve accomplished since graduating from undergrad. That was a really rewarding experience for me, getting to demonstrate that you can achieve pretty significant things at a fairly young age. All of the hard work and grueling hours do pay off.

Kuzan: When I was just starting out, I was lucky enough to work with somebody who I really looked up to as a mentor. In the last couple of years, as I’ve come into my own as an architect, I’ve been able to return that gift of mentorship to other people on my team.

Bell: It’s also a proud moment when you see your work come to fruition there. I didn’t realize how excited I would be to see the first building that I worked on actually constructed. Nothing prepares you for seeing that there’s something out there that you worked on that’s going to be standing for many years to come.

Kuzan: When you see real people interacting with a building or a space that you helped create, it’s a pretty wild feeling and huge source of pride to see communities moving in and building their lives around these buildings that you help design and build.

AN: What a testament that all of your career highlights were things that benefited other people. Lastly, what are your hopes for architecture as young women move to lead the industry?

Kuzan: I’m excited that the younger generation is bringing transparency and a collaborative way of designing and thinking to the industry. Traditionally, architecture is a pyramid where you have a master architect who holds a lot of knowledge, which doesn’t always get translated down. I find the millennial approach is very inclusive and stresses the knowledge of the team rather than the knowledge of the individual.

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