The Practice of the Future: an Interview with Vivian Lee
Vivian Lee, FAIA, LEED AP, is the New York Studio Executive Director at Woods Bagot. With 30 years of experience, she has led award-winning projects in Europe, Asia, and the US. In 2020, Lee was elevated to the College of Fellows by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). She is on the Board of Directors for the AIA New York Chapter and is Co-Chair of the AIANY Women in Architecture Committee, where she mentors young architects and celebrates women in leadership roles. Lee received her Bachelor in Architecture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Summa Cum Laude Master in Architecture from Syracuse University in Florence, Italy.
Lee’s approach to architecture is predicated on empathy, the environment, and beauty.
Q. What attracted you to architecture as a profession?
A. I grew up in Paraguay, South America, and I was in third grade when our teacher gave us a homework assignment about the sun’s orientation. I drew up a floor plan and I was thinking I wanted the living room to capture the afternoon sun, and I wanted all the bedrooms to be allocated on the east and be exposed to the morning sun. I don't even remember how I knew to draw a floor plan, because I wasn't exposed to any kind of technical drawings. When I turned in my homework, I remember my teacher saying: “Oh this is fantastic. You should consider studying ‘arquitectura,’ or architecture in Spanish.” Growing up in Paraguay, being able to capture how the dwellings or homes can benefit from natural resources around us, is what attracted me to architecture.
Architecture is so powerful in the way it provides spaces that really nurture people: how we think, how we work, how we live, and at the same time the beauty, the aesthetics, and even the technical aspect of it all. I do a lot of mentoring to students, and I always say that in architecture we need to use both sides of the brain: the left side and the right side. And they need to work harmoniously.
Q. What does it take to become a leader in the industry?
A. First and foremost it takes passion and dedication. To become a leader in this industry I think you really need to care about the people that you work with, the people you design for, and have a passion for beauty. A dedication to what makes our lives better. A leader needs to be someone who has empathy. But at the same time, someone who recognizes the impact one can make by engaging the talent of everyone around you to produce the best solutions.
Q. What were/are your biggest challenges?
A. I think probably the past two years have been the most challenging for me, as I moved from Richard Meier & Partners, a 35-40 people firm, to Woods Bagot, a global firm of 1,000+ people. And I literally started my new job at Woods Bagot in February 2020, just before the pandemic. Having to take on a new role and working remotely with my new colleagues was hard. As a leader, I was faced with a problem that was unprecedented: How to deal with a pandemic? How do we work remotely? How do we overcome the whole industry slowing and still having to provide the jobs…? Because there was no script. At the same time, I'm grateful to have amazing colleagues. Everyone was supportive. In the end, it all just reflected on how resilient and creative architects are.
Q. You were central to the development of the Newark SoMA Master Plan, Teachers Village Charter Schools, and Workforce Housing in Newark. What was your approach?
A. I started working on SoMA Master Plan back in 2008. I was still a principal at Richard Meier & Partners. I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do something that can be transformative and have an impact on the economic growth of a city and to revive it and build a new community. Projects like this don’t come every day. Our client, RBH Group, had a vision that they wanted to accomplish with the SoMA Master Plan for 79 parcels expanding over 23 acres of land, with 15 million square feet of development capacity. When our team started the SoMA Master Plan, we really thought that Newark could become a powerhouse, a metropolis that will one day rival New York. We started looking into history. In the 1800s Newark was an industrial capital. It was very vibrant; it was bustling with commerce. There's so much we can still do, but it has to be sensible design. It has to be design that’s not just about building glass towers for the 1% - it has to be a design that builds a viable community. So, after we did the SoMA Master Plan, we started Phase 1 of the Teachers Village and Workforce Housing, and three charter schools. We combined retail space on the ground floor to support local businesses with the housing for teachers. It was such an extraordinary program. The RBH group is now taking the model of the Teachers Village and rolling it out to different cities. I think the Workforce Housing model is perfect and we should think about living closer to where we work so we don't have to drive. We should encourage people to take public transportation to reduce carbon emissions. We need to start thinking about how we can live more sustainably. At the same time, having the Charter Schools as an education factor brings the families and you start growing the next generation. I just thought that this kind of a program and vision for Newark was unique and fantastic. It can really be a catalyst for future developments in Newark. I applaud Ron Beit and his initiative to bring in world-class architects such as Richard Meier & Partners, and really democratize design. A good design should not only be for those who can afford it. A good design has so much power and it can really build a community.
Q. What are some recent projects you've been working on at Woods Bagot?
A. I am starting a project in Stockton, CA. It's similar to SoMA in terms of the program. It has workforce housing and senior housing, and there's also a retail component. It is located along the waterfront where we aim to revitalize the whole district of downtown Stockton and bring people into the new development. It's going to be my first ground-up project since starting at Woods Bagot. I have other projects going on, but not that kind of scale.
Q. What kind of projects are you most passionate about? And why?
A. I'm passionate about good design, and I really enjoy working in the education sector. I find it extremely rewarding designing schools, having an opportunity to contribute to future generations. My brother is a public-school teacher and I have so much respect for him. I see what he does with his students and how he is changing their lives and guiding them on their future path. I feel almost obligated as an architect to provide a space that can enhance his teaching. I worked for the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, which is a school for dance, theater, writing, etc. They invited us to their holiday recital and at the end of the show, the students got up to the stage, pointed at us, and thanked us for designing their future school. I got very emotional and started tearing up. You usually don’t have this kind of personal connection on other projects.
Q. How do you see the role of designers in shaping the future?
A. I think with climate change and with the pandemic, architecture really needs to focus on the environment and wellbeing, if it didn’t already. We should be designing responsibly for the planet’s health and human health. Just two days ago I was watching a movie by David Attenborough, a wonderful documentary about these past two years and how the planet has revived. As architects we should think about how much the buildings that we design contribute to carbon emissions. If we all do our jobs the way we should, we can deliver for the planet’s health and for future generations. At the same time, we have to design for the mental, physical, and emotional health of humans who occupy the spaces we design.
Q. What led you to join the Advisory Board of Hillier College of Architecture and Design?
A. I was having a conversation with Kenneth Colao of the CNY Group, who has been a member of the Advisory Board. Both of us have our day job, but at the same time, we have a passion for contributing to a greater good beyond that, something that elevates the people in our industry. I've been the co-chair for Women in Architecture at the AIA New York chapter for the last four and a half years. I'm really dedicated to promoting, elevating, and advancing women in our field. Ken is very passionate about diversity and inclusion, and he thought it would be great if I brought my voice and ideas to the board.
Q. What are your thoughts on architectural education today?
A. The students and academia should really think about how we can embrace technology and research. When I started practicing, we were still using trace paper and lead pencils. Coming up with different iterations of a design was much slower, and now with technology, you can churn out 100 versions of different schemes by running a computer script. Technology is really a tool to help us ideate more efficiently. I think architects are not doing enough research, and I think without research we get stuck. I also see a desperate need to teach the future generation of architects about the practice of architecture and the business aspect of it. We need to be able to know how to go out there and get jobs and figure out how to be profitable. Besides using our creative side, we also need to use the left side of our brains – the analytical, business side. We have to make sure that our clients understand what we deliver, and the value we bring to every project. There needs to be a conscious effort to elevate our profession to new levels and that starts with education. If we educate responsible, wise, and creative architects, that is going to help our profession down the road.
Q. Any advice that you would like to share?
A. One piece of advice I have for architects is to have people in mind while designing, because space evokes feelings and emotions. If you are in a space that is dark and has bad ventilation, you do not feel well, and you are unhappy. This is sort of a side effect of being in a bad design. When we design it should be about the following questions: Who's going to use it? Are we providing elements that will affect people's sense of sight, emotions, and touch? As human beings, we react to our senses. I think it is important that we put people first. Our ultimate job is to provide spaces and places for people to live, to play, and to work. That's what architects are for!