Profession: Architect
City: London (UK) / Toronto (Canada)
Country: Canada

What inspired you to want a life in Architecture and the creative industries?:
In all honesty, as a kid, I liked the idea of being able to point at a building and say ‘I designed that’, a very naive perception of architecture, but it’s what started me down this career path. As I’ve gone through the process and evolved in my career, I’m less interested in being able to say ‘I designed that’ and more interested in saying I helped create a meaningful, accessible, sustainable building.

Who inspired you in finding your path to Architecture/Film and the creative industries?:
My mom! As a young person, she would often take me to interesting buildings, and we talked about design and the history of art. She also comes from a creative background and is probably the most creatively influential person in my life. She encouraged me to draw and see the world as a creative problem that I could help solve.

How you unlock obstacles and overcome bias in your work?:
I am a Dyslexic ADHD woman, so there have been a few obstacles both within education and the workplace, and most are down to a lack of understanding.
Early on in my career, I learnt two things;
1. You have to advocate for yourself & 2. You have to be the change you want to see
These ethics have given me opportunities I didn’t think were possible. Talking to people about how the world is different for me has helped them understand, learn, and accommodate me. It has enabled me to have input on more inclusive design. It has provided me with the opportunity to teach in higher education and has helped bring more inclusivity to the built environment.

What improvements do you feel are required to promote effective change in the academic and working environment?:
As designers, the biggest tool we have is Empathy (it is a word that has followed me through my life)
Within both our professional world and the world of teaching architectural education, there is great importance in being empathic.
Whether it’s to the client or end user, the site and its context or the wider planet, good design comes from a place of consideration and awareness.
When teaching the next generation of architects, it is vital that we equip them with the tools of empathic design to help them advocate for change within our built world.