Interviews with Vicky Chan

I have been working as an architect for the last 15 years with experiences in urban planning, landscape, architecture, interior, product and art. I worked for Stantec, Woods Bagot and SOM before founding Avoid Obvious Architects. I grew up in Hong Kong but studied in New York. The dual culture allows me to serve clients with a different mind sets.

I was good with math and art as a kid. Architecture seems to be a good combination of the two subjects I like. Helping people in need has always been my passion. I have taught over 5000 children for free in 15 years. Architecture and good design is generally helping people in need and to improve the quality of their live, work and play.

We look at science, history and things that have never been done before. We tried to make sure that our work is responsible in terms of sustainability. Being able to combine solid carbon calculation and environmental assessment with our design is a must for us. We look at history to make sure our building are in line with the adjacent context and heritage. Without that, we are losing the foundation of how people relate to the environment. We also need to be the first of everything we do. Knowing what others people have done helps us to avoid the common mistakes or common solutions. We innovate solutions to be original.

I feel like a magician. Being able to pull together all facets of the problem and come up with one holistic solution is not easy. Sometimes it is hard work and sometimes it is luck. We also feel magical to see the result of our design process. It often surprised ourselves as well.

Having a dual culture makes me see the world a bit different. Eastern and Western thinking are very different in terms of how they approach a problem. Knowing how to think the other way makes me more flexible and more willing to accept different solutions.

We continue to expand into urban planning and project with huge social impact. We hope to increase the quality of life for people who are less fortunate and with less resources. Our dream project is to do a school in post-war Syria.

Try new things and be humble. I never think any suggestions are stupid and I tried as many suggestions and new things as I can before I picked one path I like to pursue. Many people are so fixed in terms of what they want to do and how they will achieve it. I see too many failed example. I know what I want to do and become. As long as the path in front of me doesn't deviate too much from that goal, i will still do and try new things to make sure I gain the new experiences along the way. It is kind of boring to be an expert in one field. I would rather be a generalist who are interested in all aspects of life.

I am not truly successful, but I think I am a good architect. If I have to share one quality i like about myself, it will be myr entrepreneurial spirit. I think that mind set push me beyond my comfort zone.

Volunteering to teach, Sketching, Business Marketing, Construction and Academic Research

I look at Tesla and Facebook. I love to know what they are up to. I try to see what I can get from them to inspire the next design trend.

We often do a survey after construction is done. We collected feedback from clients and customers. I don't think there is a perfect project. If the good is more than the bad, I think we did a ok job. We just have to try our best to pull the curves higher and higher.

We don't and we never feel it is ready. We see each final building as a beta version of the next building. We continue to improve the current design even after construction is completed. It can be minor touch up or revisions. We like the continuous evolution rather than a one off design.

We are working a city plan in Canada for 40,000 residents. It will take us another 15 years to complete 36 towers. Our initial idea is to keep all residents within a 8 min distance to their work or play. People no longer need to rely on cars. It will be life changing for the residents and the environment.

I like IM Pei. His obsession with geometry takes out traditional concept. He is so talented with presentation as well to convince people to pursue his vision. This mindset and skill is admirable and I hope to attain that one day.

I live in New York and Hong Kong. I love my urban life. I never own a car and I like to keep it that way. I am promoting more city life that are green. I am advocating my own lifestyle to everyone.

I don't look at the money side too much. It is important to make money but there are certain projects we have to do in order to create significant impacts in the community. We just have to be creative with our spending so that we can afford to work those extra hours and also work extra hard on those significant projects

We have been teaching for free for 15 years. We taught over 5000 children for free. I am the founder of Architecture for children and we give children knowledge about sustainable design and collaborative thinking. We promote access, equity, equality and sustainability.

We love the exposure and the international exhibitions they organized around the world.

I went to architecture school at Pratt Institute New York.

I always want to make the world into better place. I grow up in developed countries with news footage of people suffering in other countries. Architecture is a professional that combines art and science. I was good at both and passionate about changing the world I dislike. I see architect being the perfect career to achieve what I want.

I chose architecture because I like what architect can achieve

Green cities and green buildings

care about people, animal and the environment.

The cause behind their design

Really good design needs to promote access, equity, sustainability and ecology.

Good design works and make our world greener, better and more efficient.

I want to make a city without car for any cities interested in green and walk-able city.

I want to make a building completely out of trash. A cellphone app to calculate carbon footprint and use carbon as a new currency

I care about people and the environment. I volunteer to teach children about the same message.

Mark Zuckerberg. He never talks about business. He cares about the impact he creates.

I like cradle-to-cradle designs. It works with our desire to buy new things without worrying about where to place the trash.

Organic Highway is our biggest design so far. It is great because we can really lower carbon footprint for a city the size of Manhattan.

volunteers and pay attention to the future generations

I am interested to become a politician, but of course there is more politics involved.

Design is a tool and method to solve a problem.

My family. They support me continuously while I pursue unrealistic projects

I volunteer to teach. I listen to children and adapt innocent ideas they come up with. It is the best way to stay young.

People care about money and not the environment. When we promote green buildings, people want to know the extra cost and not the extra environmental benefit they can get. The truth is it is often cheaper to make green buildings

We should learn from the tech industry and how they present their ideas.

Wanda pavilion, a sustainable shopping mall for 300 innovators.

Making the world into a better place

They want our unique perspective about recycling, waste and green buildings

We are making sustainable buildings with renewable energy, efficient design and lots of green features. It is the best way to combat climate change.

Towers in New York

The Artist Lab. The client is a startup with limited budget. We helped them design sustainable shops and they grow with our design. It won several sustainable awards

People talk more about sustainability and less about style. Style change is exactly why we generated so much waste.

A cradle-to-cradle design. Design with completely thought out life cycle.

5-7 years

we interview our clients and what they need

as long as I work hard and stay positive, opportunities will find me

I dislike this question. The idea of trends implies irreverent design and it is generating trash. Look at the great pyramids, it was there for 5000 years. we need more of time tested design not trend

We are making building with art and science. Technology integrates seamlessly into our buildings

Rhino, 3dsmax, Revit, Adobe Suite, Unreal 4, 3d printing, model making, hand sketch

They should help to create a safer, healthier and greener communities

How is the carbon footprint of your design?

How long does it last?

People that focus on science and data and less about style and trends

scientist and teachers. They are logical and data driven

Cradle to cradle design

We look at waste and we find ways to use them in our design. There are always new and different waste we generate.

via video conference. I can talk to people anywhere even if I am inside a bathroom

yes...people picked pretty images and not important ideas that can combat climate change.

i like forest that is nearly untouched by human. They show us eco-system and architecture

People always thought I was a woman and one client accidentally enlist me to their female only team. They didn't want to be sexist by letting me go but keeps giving me harsh comment through the design period.

The future is brighter if I can deliver more green cities and green buildings

no. I draw a lot and I love science classes. I didn't know how to combine the two.

I hope we can manage our resources efficiently and the earth is still around with happy people. I hope we can get to travel to other planet to do more space exploration.

We do green buildings and green cities. We are not decorator to offer a style.

I was good at Art and Science. Architecture is a natural combination of both. It wasn't clear to me at the beginning that architecture can do both, but after years of practice, I discovered my belief in architecture.

With over 20 years of experience in architecture and urban planning, our award winning team deliver green buildings and sustainable cities to everyone. We believe design excellence can improve the way we live, work and play. Holistic architecture that combines art and science will make good design for the people and the environment. Our design process will add value to your cities and investment. Our services include urban planning, architecture, interior design and products. We organize our work into 4 studios. A for architecture, B for branding, C for children and D for design. We have 25 awards with projects in 36 cities and 22 countries. Our architecture celebrates sustainability with an international team who is passionate and diverse.

It is an artistic and scientific tool to do good for people and the environment

City planning

We like the High Line in New York a lot and any other public planning that salvage an old building or old structure. It can't get any more green to retrofit an abandoned place with new purpose.

A Park for the old Yankee Stadium

We like social media a lot. We believes in a global and sustainable economy. Social media is helping us toward that vision.

When I am are out in nature.

Social impact, environment impact and technological impact.

I feel excited that our drawing can change a city the size of Manhattan.

We feel amazed that some people believe in our crazy thought and gave us money and time to realize it.

Great social impact, environment impact and technological impact.

Sustainability.

I see too many design that focus on pretty images and sales. Our planet can no longer accept any more waste. A good design need to add value in our life cycle rather than generating more waste for the next generation. We must fix this waste problem from the beginning as designers.

We integrate new materials that are biodegradable and new thinking into recycling. I think we are getting very close to cradle to cradle designs.

Our volunteering group, Architecture for Children, exhibited at the Emerging Professionals Exhibition next to the White House in Washington DC in March 2017. The exhibition promotes citizen designs and it was organized by the American Institute of Architects

Children taught me a great deal about design and presentation. When I volunteer to teach, I learn from them as much as they learn from me. It is a win win situation.

Combining art and science is my design style. I was always good at both and it is a natural way to continue my career by showing people that architecture is more than pretty buildings.

I live in Hong Kong and New York. Both urban cities have lots of social and environmental problems, but they are still one of the green places on earth to provide compact living. These cities affects the way I approach a problem. We also have to look at both sides of a problem to balance the environmental and social impact.

They may know some of our buildings and design. They hire us via a commission. We also do a lot of competition to win bigger projects, including city planning.

Find one that care about people and the environment. With that in mind, they will always do great work. Style and appearance are so unnecessary in our generation.

I usually interview our clients or survey the site to identify the potentials and challenges. My team does sketches, physical modeling, digital modeling, renderings, drawings, video, VR tour, 3d printing, programing to present our finding and suggestions.

All of them are trash that my son adopted as his new toy. Packaging for eggs, cardboard boxes for our 3d printer, old advertising paper we never wanted in our mail as his drawing paper, ikea cardboard boxes as our tennis racket at home and plastic bottle as his wind turbines.

I split between taking care of my family and working. I take my baby to teach, work and construction site. I promote equity, access and sustainability. I am the living example of my message.

Care about people and the environment. Found your own firm as early as you can. Don't try to work for a design firm. You learn more being an entrepreneur.

I don't make enough money. Money is not important, but they are very crucial for building development. I always want to build our own building as a developer-architect.

We must not hurt the environment.

being multi-disciplinary, open-minded and work very efficiently.

I use rhinoceros, 3dsmax, all adobe suites, 3d printers, paper modeling, and hand sketches.

I work very efficiently and just hope for the best. It is inevitable some ideas are bad but they are necessary to prove the good design. I have to go through the bad one as quickly as possible.

1 month to 3 years depending on the size

Do you get paid a lot?

I don't think I have one yet, hopefully I get one when I retire. The social impact and sustainable impact of built environment takes a long time to validate.

city officials, building developers, private business owners with physical building needs

City planning. I get to change how people live, work and play in the most influential way.

I want to expand our projects to more cities globally. I am planning a new African Art museum in Ethiopia with local officials.

I am an owner of Avoid Obvious Architects with a team of 15 people.

African modern art museum in Ethiopia. It is known as DiMamu

Visit our website www.aoarchitect.us. All forms of contacts and social media is up there.

I want people to volunteer more and believe in a new capitalism. It is ok to make money while doing good to people and the environment.