We’ve celebrated so many talented people throughout the course of 2021, and these individuals are no different. We’re so excited to wrap up this year by highlighting three of MWA’s team members Cassidy Beckley, Chris Remedios, and Cara Mitchell. Both Chris and Cara work in the housing studios, designing mixed-use, multi-family, and affordable apartments in the Pacific Northwest and Bay Area. With technological and artistic talent, they have contributed high-quality renderings and plans for numerous housing projects. As the Marketing Coordinator, Cassidy wears many hats, balancing proposals, website, and social media content with creative projects such as the quarterly newsletter. They are all integral to the fabric of MWA and we are so happy to wish them a happy one-year anniversary!
Cassidy
What projects are you working on right now?
I am fully immersed in holiday planning for the season! This is such a joyful part of my job. I get to concentrate on making everyone at our firm feel appreciated: selecting gift-box items, learning what people have accomplished this year and sharing it firmwide, and creating special ways to say thank-you to our clients and teams.
What is your favorite project type? Why?
As Marketing Coordinator, my job is to make our staff seen. It’s tricky to choose one project because ALL my projects are public recognitions of the incredible things we do at MWA. But, my favorite project ought to be our internal newsletter, as this is a place to dive deep into our company culture, and it is a cumulation of all my talents. I get to write articles, play with layout, add some of my sketches, and talk to people about what is most important to them, then share that firmwide.
How have the responsibilities and expectations of your job changed in the last few years?
Whew! I was initially hired with a priority on social media. Now, I’d say social media takes up 5% of my time. I write content for our website, create layouts for our collateral, help organize internal events, and put together proposals. I am part of an incredible marketing team, and we all rely on each other to share responsibilities, which quickly expanded my daily tasks, capabilities, and understanding of the industry.
“Cassidy has been such an amazing addition to our marketing team and the firm as a whole. She’s super sharp, willing to take on any challenge, and a fantastic communicator and collaborator. If you didn’t know it, you’d think she’s worked here for years! She also has a great eye for graphics, and has brought a lot of design ideas to the team, which makes it really fun to work with her on projects. And beyond her valued skills, she has this eagerness and positivity about her that are really infectious. She’s an inspiration to the team, and we’re extremely lucky to have Cassidy here at MWA!”
– Allison Plass
How do you maintain work/life balance?
MWA is great at encouraging people not to work more than 40 hours a week. My schedule is regularly 8:30 – 5:30, and I can reliably make plans to fill my evenings. When I have a project that I can work on from my laptop, I will sit outside (weather permitting) with my pup and work from my patio or the park. A change in scenery gives me a mental break even though I am still working.
During COVID, how have you been maintaining your sanity?
I have been spending an absurd amount of my free time reading books! I’ve read 32 books since the start of the pandemic, which is above my previous yearly average by about 30.
My husband, dog, and I love to spend our days by the water and have found several new spots. Being by the water has always given me a sense of freedom that I can’t find anywhere else.
What is your next career goal that you would like to tackle?
The hardest thing about working from home is making connections. My next career goal is to broaden my network with other marketing professionals and expand MWA’s relationships with other firms in the industry.
When you started your career, why did you choose marketing?
When I was growing up, my mom would always take me to the grocery store with her. Without a doubt, I would spend the entire time in the section with notebooks and journals. The idea of taking an empty page and filling it with anything I could imagine was thrilling. I would spend all my time drawing, painting, writing songs, poems, or simply writing about my day. I would get lost in it. I still do! I got a degree in Graphic Communication and learned how to use Adobe, which brought me infinitely more opportunities to fill a page.
While in college, I had an interior design internship, and I learned how to use SketchUp. After college, I got a job at a design firm creating residential house plans in Revit. I loved how spaces could impact people’s moods! But, I missed the thrill of an empty page. When MWA gave me the opportunity to bring my two interests together in marketing, I knew I had found my perfect fit.
Chris
What projects are you working on right now?
7th & Campbell, Maudelle Miller Shirek
What project phase is your favorite? Why?
Design & Construction Administration. All phases are important, but if you are skilled/lucky enough to do both of these on the same project, it doesn’t get much better than that. In our compartmentalized profession, I believe this doesn’t happen very often, especially in firms our size or larger. Getting to be able to design AND build the project is very satisfying.
“Chris is such an important and integral part of the design team in the SF housing group. It’s hard to believe he’s only been back at MWA for one year. His great mentorship and enthusiasm make him a cornerstone of the team. We all enjoy working with him and look forward to what he will bring MWA in the coming year!”
– Bradley Sugarman
How have the responsibilities and expectations of your job changed in the last few years?
Long strange trip…Coming back to MWA after 20 years hired, and working remotely is definitely weird, but it works! Excited to be a part of SF Housing Studio, the future is bright…
How do you maintain work/life balance?
Lots of sleep, yoga, get out of the house as much as possible so as not to drive my wife crazy.
What do you hope to do more of in the next few years?
Save the world…fall back is to design/build lots of affordable housing.
When you started your career, why did you want to become an architect?
I loved model building and drawing…and I hated calculus, had to find a career that did NOT include that.
Is there a particular architect’s work that inspires you? Why?
Too many to select one: Kahn, FLW, Bucky, David Baker, MVRDV, Renzo Piano, Herzog & de Meuron. Why? Consistent, great body of work over many years…
Cara
What projects are you working on right now?
165th and Burnside, 122nd and Powell, West Powell Apartments, and Mercy Housing NW
What project phase is your favorite? Why?
Design Development because it involves both large-scale and small-scale design decisions. It’s also when the initial design ideas start to take shape and become more and more realistic. It’s very exciting.
How have the responsibilities and expectations of your job changed in the last few years?
Well, I got licensed and that comes with a lot more responsibilities than I’ve had in the past. I think I’ve figured out some helpful communication techniques though e.g., weekly team BIM updates/tutorials and email filters/notifications.
“What a whirlwind, it’s been a quick and eventful first year. We are glad to have had Cara join the Housing team from afar and even more glad she is back in Portland. Her commitment to bringing us up to speed with Revit and her continual outreach with the rest of the team is appreciated. Looking forward to more Fluffy Fridays (with Tally), sketchy hours and affordable housing designs. Cheers!”
– Erik Peterson
How do you maintain work/life balance?
I keep close track of my hours so I know exactly when I can take a break and when I need to buckle down. Communicating how long things take and being realistic with my time is an invaluable tool for keeping a healthy work/life balance too.
During COVID, how have you been maintaining your sanity?
I’ve been working out more than ever before (post-college). That helps me feel energized. I also make a lot of art and crafts to keep my creative brain active.
What do you hope to do more of in the next few years?
I hope to take on a training role for BIM and rendering software. I am also interested in learning more about project management.
What is your next career goal that you would like to tackle?
I want to get LEED accredited.
When you started your career, why did you want to become an architect?
I wanted to become an architect because I loved art and 3d design as a kid. I was very interested in how spaces can evoke various feelings like whimsy, comfort, and security. I also assumed architects make a bigger impact on society than art, which is still up for debate.
Is there a particular architect’s work that inspires you? Why?
I will always choose Maya Lin as my favorite architect. Her design concepts are always SO POWERFUL but also discrete. She’s also very intelligent and thoughtful on sustainability issues.