Today we have another post from our new Meet the Team Series! We are so excited to continue sharing these and hope you all enjoy getting to know the wonderful people that make up our studio. It is such a joy to be able to dive into all of the unique and shining qualities of everyone outside of their talent in architectural design. For this post, we will be spotlighting Gina Kim, Cliff Champion, and Erin McCormick. Similarly to the first Meet the Team, this blog will first introduce Gina, Cliff, and Erin and then have a Q&A section that ranges from more architecture-focused questions to personal ones. In case you missed it, click here for out first Meet the Team on Marisa, Colbi, and Ben S!
Meet the Team: Gina, Cliff, & Erin
Gina (GK), who found her passion in architecture after signing up for a pre-architecture studio her sophomore year, is a regular comedy show goer and spice collector. During peak Covid-19, Gina sorted her ~40 spices into matching glass bottles with alphabetized labels. Her favorite movie is the Sound of Music for its childhood nostalgia and catchy soundtrack. In the office, Gina is known for being an attentive listener who somehow remembers everyone’s extended family members’ names.
Cliff (CD) is a wonderfully cheerful team member who brightens up the office and any zoom meeting. He also has an impressive green thumb; Cliff has a spreadsheet of each variety of vegetable, fruit, and flower he grows every year and it’s organized by planting times, harvest times, and the phases of the moon. He is particularly obsessed with growing dahlias.
Erin (EM) has had a winding road of different careers that eventually led her to architecture and design and she hasn’t looked back since. Erin would tell her younger self to not be afraid to pursue what she really wants. Another piece of advice she has is on the comfort of mac & cheese; “no matter what kind of day you’ve had, pasta and cheese will make it better”.
Digging In
Now that you’ve read a little intro on these three, we’re going to dive into a Q+A! We’ve asked our team a few questions ranging from Studio MM to life at home. Check out Gina, Cliff, and Erin’s takes.
What is your favorite part of the process when working with clients?
GK: I think one of the more exciting parts of the process is when we present our clients with a 3D model. Seeing them see their house in 3D for the first time and (virtually) move through the spaces inside is so exciting for everyone involved, and it makes the house feel very real.
CD: My absolute favorite moment is watching a client light up when we’ve facilitated a successful translation of their vision into the design of their home. It’s happened a number of times over the course of my career, but watching an individual, a couple, a family, or an organization get excited when they see our drawings and renderings brings a really deep-seated sense of fulfillment.
EM: I really love finding the moments in a home that are special to a specific client. Is it the warm cozy reading spot near the fireplace? The feeling of how the drawers and cabinets open in a kitchen to help in the process of cooking and baking? Is it that special antique that you inherited from your grandmother? It’s finding that something special and using it to radiate throughout a space to not just make something beautiful, but to also make it special and individual to each client.
If you were to design your dream home what are some must haves?
GK: A kitchen with a HUGE island and a walk-in pantry! I de-stress by cooking and baking, and when I do it looks like a food bomb went off. Having a ton of space to spread out and be gloriously messy would be ideal (especially after dealing with tiny NYC kitchens).
CD: My first ‘must have’ would be passive-house construction, and a net-zero energy rating. A future where our homes act as miniature production and storage sites for renewable energy in a nodal electricity grid is extremely exciting to me. In addition to that, you can never go wrong with a well-designed mudroom, a covered outdoor deck for morning coffees, or a picture window with an excellent view and built-in daybed. I’m also a huge sucker for kitchens that neatly hide everything one could ever need to cook an amazing meal.
EM: Living in a NYC apartment, I have a lot of dreams – functional closet space, drawers in the kitchen, an extra bedroom.
What/Where/Who is home for you?
GK: First and foremost, home for me is anywhere that my family is. When I moved to NYC my apartment started to feel so much homier after my entire family came for Thanksgiving weekend and we were able to spend a lot of quality time crammed together in there. Home is also Michigan where I lived my entire life, and Virginia where both of my grandparents lived and where we would visit multiple times a year. Also, classical music makes me feel like I’m at home because when I was growing up, on weekends I would wake up hearing Dvorak or Tchaikovsky playing from downstairs while my parents did chores around the house.
CD: I feel extremely at home in the American Northeast. The pandemic helped me re-connect with that feeling of ‘home,’ after several years of living on the West Coast and in other countries. There’s a rhythm of the seasons here that I woke up to for a second time during lock down, and I feel a lot more rooted lately. People don’t talk about how much there is to do in New York state, New England- you can have such a full life in such a tiny slice of space. I like the sensibility of the people that are from here, and the subtle cultural variations that exist within each town, city, state.
EM: I grew up near the ocean, so being close to water is important to me, but it’s really that feeling of sitting on the beach at sunset, feeling the breeze and listening to the waves.
Do you have any pets?
GK: I have an orange cat named Treelo! We adopted her a few months into COVID, and she quickly took up permanent residence on my lap while I was working from home.
CD: I have a long-haired miniature dachshund named Agnes. She’s still a puppy, but she’s got a big personality and is really extraverted. Her favorite thing to do is run in a big open field, which can be challenging in Brooklyn, but is perfect when I’m upstate. On the weekends, my partner and I love to take her to the piers at Brooklyn Bridge Park- but I’ll admit it’s tough to really get a good walk in because everyone wants to stop and pet her. We call her the mayor; we think it’s getting to her head.
EM: We have one cat at the moment. His name is Freddy and he came from a shelter where I volunteered for many years. When we adopted him, he had been deemed the mayor of the cat room. My daughters, however, will not settle until we have a dog.
This animal loving trio is always upbeat with smiles following their presence. If you want to learn more about their positions in Studio MM, you can scroll on the Studio page or read through our Working with an Architect to get an idea about what it’s like to work with us. We are happy to continue our Meet the Team series and look forward to sharing more of our team in the upcoming posts – we’ve grown again and can’t wait to share everyone that makes up Studio MM!