At Haas, we value innovation and creativity. How have you demonstrate these qualities in your professional or personal life?
As a designer, I am required to be creative and constantly look for ways to apply my innovative drive. An example of such innovation is the green store proposal I initiated at Thompson. While designing store concepts for Coffeeland, I was disappointed to learn how much material and energy Coffeeland wasted due to inefficient design. I had studied environment-friendly architecture as an undergraduate, so I took the initiative to conduct a research study outlining cost enhancement techniques that Coffeeland could adapt to positively impact both the environment and its bottom line.
After one year of working diligently in my spare time, the independent study gained significant recognition, and Coffeeland awarded Thompson with a contract to develop a “green” store design based on my recommendations. Because this was a non-traditional project, I determined it was necessary to take very innovative approaches to inspiring the design team. Therefore, I organized outings to nearby sustainability projects and facilitated a conversation wherein criticism was freely given in a constructive manner. I followed up on these discussions by encouraging all members of the team, regardless of tenure, to draw conceptual sketches of the new store. The team thus exchanged ideas visually as well as verbally, and in this collaborative environment I was able to oversee the creation of the first Green Starbucks store in the nation, which is now being implemented in over 100 locations.
Looking back, I realize how important “thinking out of the box” is, not only in proposing solutions to problems, but also in motivating a team. Accordingly, a creative spirit is one of my greatest strengths and something I well emphatically contribute to the Berkeley community.