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.