Andrew is passionate about understanding the human context of all design problems and enjoys the process that uncovers those connections. That discovery process allows him, as the designer, to get out of the way and gives the client the tools to craft a vision they believe in. “It’s then my job to ensure the project stays true to that vision,” Andrew says.
Having practiced architecture since 2009, Andrew currently specializes in healthcare. He’s most satisfied with the projects that have had a significant impact on disadvantaged or underrepresented populations. “I’ve been able to design projects that are literally life changing for these communities, even if it’s in small ways. From the economic impact they have, to the healthcare they will now be able to provide, to design that inspires and gives hope,” he says. “A few years ago, I worked with the Navajo Nation to develop a large outpatient campus in the desert of New Mexico. The small community there was excited about finally having local access to healthcare, the jobs it would create, and the supporting infrastructure it would bring. But I remember meeting with one elder, and she told me the design needed to be amazing. Her reason was that she wanted her young granddaughter to see it, be inspired to go to medical school and then return to serve her community in that same building. That is the power of design and why I love what I do.”
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Andrew enjoys mentoring staff to help them think about design differently. It isn’t all about space, but about the people who will occupy it. He uses empathy to understand what they’ve been through and what they bring with them. “That’s how we as designers can address the individual and collective history of our clients and their communities and then help craft a future that is unique to them,” he says.
It’s also important that we take that same approach with our peers in the office by using empathy to leverage our inherent diversity and apply those unique backgrounds and contexts to create meaningful space.