I remember my first time standing inside a Frank Lloyd Wright home. It was during my first architecture studio, a summer intensive designed for students, like myself, arriving without a design background. Before the visit, our professor introduced us to some of the techniques Wright employed in his work, among them his use of compression and release. Standing outside, compressed beneath the low roof of the carport, I stepped through the front door and into an immediate release created by the living room floor dropping away as the ceiling lifted overhead. I walked through that room, washed in light from its clerestory windows, and took the deepest breath, exhaling in a way that felt possible only in a space that had been designed to let you breathe.
That moment has stayed with me. Not because of the house itself, though it was beautifully designed, but because of what it revealed. Thoughtful design, the kind capable of making a modest house feel expansive, can profoundly shape how a space feels, how we move through it, and how we experience it. A single architectural decision, made with intention, can foster healing, contribute to someone's sense of joy, and shape the peace they feel within a space. That idea has never left me.
My path to architecture began unexpectedly, shaped by undergraduate degrees in political science and sociology rather than in design. Sociology taught me to see the people within a space: how they move through it, how they occupy it, and how it shapes what they feel while they're there. Political science taught me to see the systems surrounding that same space: the governmental will that determines whether a community's needs are ever meaningfully addressed. Both lenses have remained with me since, informing the design decisions I bring to every project.
My interest in how design shapes a person's experience has deepened into a more exacting question: why does so much of the built environment fail to serve the communities most in need of that consideration? That question draws me toward research alongside practice, not as a separate pursuit, but as its natural extension. Both steering me toward an emerging specialization in health equity within the built environment.
Jazzmin has a relentless passion for architecture, design and learning! She strives to do everything the right way, knows what she doesn't know and will not hesitate to seek the correct resources needed to solve problems for her co-workers, leaders and clients. As her Project Manager I have heard directly from clients and our partner general contractors, she is a pleasure to work with. I look forward to seeing her continue to grow and am sure she will have a wonderful career.
I had the pleasure of working with Jazzmin over the past 3 years. Although Jazzmin and I worked in different regions, I was fortunate enough to be able to connect with her through multiple projects and pursuits. Jazzmin is a super supportive team member and is extremely collaborative. She often went above and beyond the call of duty to support our efforts; most recently flying across the country, outside of her project duties, to help us win work. As a talented designer and someone who has all of the intangibles needed in a great leader, Jazzmin will make a great addition to your team!
I welcome the opportunity to continue this conversation, whether it's about a specific project, a shared research interest, or the broader work of making our built environment more equitable. You can reach me through the links below.