What did you learn about yourself in studying architecture?
I learned about myself on the job—in practicing more than studying architecture. Every project is a new lesson and has allowed me to learn another specialty, another skill or way of interacting with people.
Because of the projects that we do, I’ve been very fortunate to travel around the world. You get exposed to brilliant minds—amazing consultants, artists, and craftsmen. They all have contributed to my growth and who I am. I have a flair for working with people and am good at resolving conflicts.
Having lived and worked around the world—including the United States, India, and now Singapore—I have a unique perspective in terms of understanding people. Architecture is all about people, and my exposure to different cultures, and workstyles helps me to connect with people everywhere.
Can you walk me through your career steps chronologically?
My first year of architecture school, I started working in a young architect’s one-room office. I learned drafting and printing. After I graduated, I worked in a 30-person firm, the Office of Michael Rosenfeld, in the suburbs of Boston. They did residential projects and schools. They were nice sized projects, not very big but something that could be controlled from a design and quality point of view. Michael was very generous in terms of educating me, exposing me to clients and people, and teaching me the importance of well-designed buildings.
I worked there for seven or eight years, and then I worked for a couple of years at Shepley Bulfinch, a healthcare firm. I was impressed to see so many women as project managers.
Then I got a job offer from Safdie Architects. They had an amazing project, the Institute of Peace in Washington, DC, and I thought, “Wow, that would be a great project to work on,” because Bush has just declared war on Iraq. If there was going to be a war, I might as well work on a project about peace. I never worked on that project; instead I started working on Marina Bay Sands. And here I am in Singapore.