Meet WSA’s Newest Team Member
A new duck has joined the WSA Quack Squad
A new duck has joined the WSA Quack Squad. Ben Moody joins WSA as a Design Specialist. He comes to Columbus from Gallipolis, Ohio, and is a recent graduate of The Ohio State University’s Knowlton School of Architecture.
As an intern in Columbus and New York City, Ben worked with different types of residential spaces, and even a Harley Davidson shop.
“I knew I had an interest in architecture when I would find myself drawing buildings and houses in the neighborhood,” Ben said. “It made sense that that led to experience in residential architecture, but I’m excited to expand repertoire.”
When Ben’s not in the studio, you might see him on his bike, taking in the architecture around Columbus.
As a designer, Ben is drawn to the big idea. Having a red thread that runs through the architecture and design of an environment is a creative challenge that drew him to the field.
“I think the impact of architecture is the hypothetical, theoretical, and abstract all coming to life,” Ben said. “It’s those big ideas coming together that can really impact people and communities.”
“As far as inspiration, I have always liked architects who have been able infuse ideas that carry through. Like Frank Lloyd Wright using the fireplace as a central point, or Frank Gehry using crazy shapes to impact the experience of cities.”
Ben isn’t a stranger to WSA. Having taken a class at Ohio State instructed by WSA’s President, Tim Hawk, he had an idea of how things would go in the studio. On top of that, Ben joined the Ohio State AIA Student chapter in a tour of the WSA Columbus studio last spring, so he already knew his way around.
“I could tell the WSA was a fun place to work. But most importantly I connected with the work.”
In his role, Ben gets to work with those big ideas that drew him to the role. Ben works on design teams in close collaboration with clients, a part of the job he’s found rewarding.
“The client collaboration is something you don’t completely get in school. What I’ve enjoyed about our process is that the collaboration is contributing the design, not compromising it.”
Ben is currently working on a community project where he and the design team are working closely with stakeholders to develop a comprehensive solution – in other words, a big idea.
WSA Design Specialist Tianna St. James is a member of the
Therefore, as architects and adjacent design professionals, we must continue to celebrate & empower the creative diverse minds that we have in our local communities through design. One major step towards accomplishing this is by serving a population of diverse students and design professionals, all of whom are underrepresented in architecture and design. Through our Project Pipeline programs, such as the Design Summer Camp, we will continue to help foster the next generation of design professionals, change makers, civic leaders, and respected voices. We have, and always will, continue to advocate for inclusiveness, diversity, fellowship, equity, and excellence in design.
A memorable part of this year’s Design Summer Camp was witnessing the ‘aha’ moments for many students as they connected the beauty in their design ideas to their community and its functional needs of the built environment. They began to understand that we, as architects and designers, should not just be designing to design – every design choice impacts how people navigate throughout spaces, how we see, touch, smell and hear within those spaces. They held creative dialogues with their team members and our volunteers on how they could make their spaces inclusive to all. Watching as they prioritize the community members’ needs and how they began to learn the importance of diversity and inclusion was rewarding to witness. Plus, they created some amazing projects, models, and design ideas – that was the cherry on top!
This camp was heavily influenced by mine and many other minorities’ educational experiences. It was extremely important to my team and I that the students were exposed to diverse architects, engineers, and adjacent design professionals from various ethnicities and backgrounds.
It was exciting and inspiring to watch how the students connected with our staff throughout the various stages of camp. There is power in educational experiences of course, but it is also just as powerful for our youth to simply be kids in a new environment – one that brings another sense of joy. Learning in these types of camps is very important, but also being able to provide a safe space for students to be themselves, to live and laugh in joy—especially in a world that doesn’t always respect or value them All of the students come from different backgrounds, races, ethnicities and experiences and they each deserve to feel heard, to explore their ideas, and to simply be a kid.
The team received so much amazing and positive feedback from parents, students, guests, and leading design professionals. Many parents said their children felt valued and heard. They also shared that they had a lot of fun and wished the camp was longer so they could continue working on their projects.
Project Pipeline understands the importance of being an advocate towards building up and diversifying the pipeline in architecture and design starting with our youth. I want everyone to know there is a nationally known platform that they can connect and engage with you on a professional level, but also on a human experience level. Understanding that if students from underrepresented communities are interested – even the slightest bit – in pursuing architecture, engineering, interior design, or any adjacent design profession, WE will be a resource within an organization that is here for them.