Just over a year ago unprecedented wildfires swept through Oregon, some coming within 20 miles or so of the Portland metro area, home to around 2.5 million people. The close proximity of the fires to folks who normally have little contact with wildfires put the threat and consequences in stark relief. Beyond the tragic toll on people and property, the fires wreaked havoc on some of our most treasured natural areas.
About four months after the fires, Strongwork was asked to take a look at a small project up in the foothills of Mt. Hood, deep within the wildfire destruction zone. A small water treatment building had been destroyed and the owner needed a new facility designed and built.
I drove east on Highway 224, not sure what to expect. Just east of Estacada there was minimal evidence of the fires and I thought, "oh, this isn't that bad." But as we crested the hill near Promontory Park the true extent of the destruction revealed itself. Understory vegetation had disappeared, every tree was burned or scorched, and the soil had turned to a silt that looked like volcanic ash mixed with the remains of incinerated conifer needles. The damage was truly awesome.
Six months later, deep in the design process for the new building, we made another trip out to meet with the team and verify some items on site. In that short span of time, the forest had begun a miraculous recovery. A carpet of green was quickly taking root in a bed of ash-laden soil and baby conifers were sprouting up everywhere.
The ‘before’ and ‘after’ images are a welcome reminder that even in the face of severe destruction, life is hard to stop.
Persistent growth after wildfire destruction in the foothills of Mt. Hood
This real-life contrast of destruction and growth, an example of the resilience of life, is a fitting prelude to the next chapter in our series exploring the firm's Core Values.
This month we are highlighting our "Life is Growth" value.
This Value ties into our mission of "Better Every Day." As individuals and as a firm we strive to be constantly improving, learning, changing…..growing.
Growth comes from success and, even more so, from failure.
Growth comes from effort and curiosity.
Growth comes from the natural process of time and the accumulation of experience.
Personally, after four decades of living, I have come to understand that, for me, a full life is one full of growth.
Twenty years ago I thought that "my life would be over" when I hit my forties. I now know (or have convinced myself) that forty is the new twenty, and that, as long as I am fortunate enough to have my health, in many ways I am just getting started.
I want the next forty plus years of my life to build on the shoulders of my experiences to date and be full of exponential learning, achievement, activism, benevolence, friendships, adventure, and growth.
It is a nice coincidence then, that this personal philosophy of continual growth is a good fit for, and in fact critical to success in, the architectural industry.
There is a common misconception that we Architects (capital A) are sitting around all day long in our black turtlenecks sketching abstract designs for swooping avant garde buildings with questionable functional application in everyday life.
The reality of the profession is somewhat more practical. I often describe my work in architecture as a grind. Yes, there is some sketching, art, and creativity, but there are also a whole lot of paperwork, emails, tracking spreadsheets, technical writing, cat herding, and budgets to contend with. The architectural process is challenging and without a commitment to embracing every challenge, no matter how trivial, as an opportunity for growth, it would be near impossible to achieve success and stay sane.
Challenges are the scorched soil that provide a medium for tiny seedlings of growth to thrive.
So what does "Life is Growth" really mean to us here at Strongwork Architecture?
Life is Growth as a Core Value means that we:
Learn from our mistakes and build on our successes,
Take every challenge as an opportunity for learning,
Encourage and actively support continuing education and practice-related curiosity,
Seek out projects that help us grow as professionals and better the world,
Grow our financials in a proactive but measured way, and
Build our team in a strategic manner and support our team members as they grow both professionally and personally.
In practice, Life is Growth shows up in weekly and quarterly goal setting and performance reviews.
Weekly
We kick off our Monday morning staff meetings with an open forum for team members to share and discuss:
Big Wins* - Mentionable moments of success or professional/personal growth from the previous week,
For example: “I took the time to reconnect with an old colleague and she mentioned needing help on a potential project”
Lessons Learned - Mentionable moments of learning that generate growth,
For example: “I was reminded that it’s important to check lead times on unique materials before specifying.”
Weekly Better Every Day Goals - A small but SMART goal for the coming week.
For example: “Figure out slab edge insulation detailing for the Jones Residence project.”
Quarterly
At the beginning of each quarter we hold a performance review with each team member to review the previous quarters work and set 12 Week Goals* for the coming quarter. Each team member has a Practice Goal, a Value Goal, and a Personal Goal for the 12 week period. These goals are typically above and beyond basic duties defined in the job role.
Practice Goal - A goal that works towards the improvement of personal and firm-wide practice of Architecture.
For example: Modify and update Strongwork Architecture drafting standards.
Value Goal - A goal that helps to manifest firm Values in firm culture, personal practice, and our community.
For example: Write a blog post that explores what professional integrity means for emerging architects.
Personal Goal - A goal that helps to develop or support staff personal interests, ideally with some synergy with firm culture or goals.
For example: Do more art and organize a Strongwork Architecture sponsored art exhibit
During a family camping trip to Olympic National Park this summer we had the chance to gawk at the Quinault Big Sitka Spruce Tree, which, at 18 feet 9 inches diameter and 191 feet tall, is billed as the “World’s Largest Spruce Tree.” Over a thousand years ago, this giant tree was just a baby sapling. It is only through continual, imperceptible growth that this mammoth is able to stake its claim as World Champion.
At Strongwork Architecture we will continue our quest for improvement and growth. The end result? The sky’s the limit!
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Speaking of growth: Over the past two months we have added two strategic staff to our team.
Stay tuned for a more detailed and a formal introduction of Mark and Justin.
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*”Big Wins” and “12 Week Goals” are inspired directly by the work of one of my business coaches. Last year, Scott Beebe and his team helped me cull the chaos so that I could manage the business instead of the other way around.