In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month we are celebrating the diversity within our firm. Meet HERA lab designer Jinhee Lee.
What are you reading/watching/listening to right now?
Because this is Asian American and Pacific Islander month, we chose to read When Spring Comes to the DMZ by Uk-Bae Lee. The message for our children being “embrace the past and drive to make a difference in the future.”
What do you like to do in your free time?
My world revolves around my young children. I love spending time as a family visiting parks and exploring nature with them.
Who did you look up to when you were growing up?
My father, who is an entrepreneur and loves innovative design. Growing up, he repeatedly advised me to think outside the box and think of designing in a way that makes our lives better by using everyday materials. But most importantly, he stressed there is no one solution to every problem.
How did you choose your profession?
I was born in Seoul, South Korea and spent the majority of my childhood there. I learned a lot about Korean culture as well as human interaction in certain spaces. My mom and I would walk almost six miles to the open-air market for groceries every week. It was there I developed a deep appreciation for spaces like this. I realized open-air markets play a very important for in the community as well as a person’s wellbeing. While they can be considered a simple type of architecture, they actually involve a holistic approach to design. Space like these were the inspiration behind why I decided to go with this path.