Ink Built

Don't miss our own Nate Ember at Housing Oregon next week talking about climate resiliency and sustainability and our affordable housing project completed last Fall in La Grande - Timber Ridge. Community Development Partners, NE Oregon Housing Authority https://lnkd.in/gsn8Fru The affordable housing sector is uniquely positioned to lead innovation in addressing both the housing crisis and the climate crisis. Join us as we present a compelling case for decarbonizing affordable housing to create positive impacts around climate, health, and equity for Oregon’s communities.

Last week, our team had an incredible discussion about the synergistic theme of #DesignForLiberation as #Pride and #Juneteenth coincide today. We talked about the many possibilities for change we can imagine; from big picture efforts we can take on at the systems level that limit the potentials of our projects to create people-centered freedom and equality, and #LandBack models for housing development, to the small steps and individual decisions we make every day within the context of our work. We discovered some ways we need to examine our language, our assumptions, and our definitions about what makes design "good" and for whom. At the core, the events of today and this month are about celebrating the beauty of human wholeness. That when people are set free from systems and beliefs that cage their very humanity, and when oppressors release the toxic beliefs that make oppression possible; an entirely new world can emerge as real human lives are transformed. As a society, we are still very much in that process right now, and the work of Liberation is not yet complete. Make the choice again today, and everyday to #Decolonize the beliefs that lie within all of our subconscious. Celebrate the beauty in every single human being, and fight for their full freedom to experience safety, belonging, dignity, and joy in this world. We're here for the challenge, because we know that love is so big it makes everything possible. Share something you are doing / can do to Liberate people through your work, or maybe something we can do together! Support your wholeness and buy from a queer artist: https://lnkd.in/gDgjiE5u or Read a queer black author: https://lnkd.in/gPf_Jkae

We were honored to receive this award on behalf of the entire project team and NEOHA! It takes tremendous effort by so many to get projects like this across the finish line, and the heroics behind Timber Ridge were no exception. It's amazing to think that real people are living full lives and connecting with neighbors and friends right now, and that's what all the effort is really for. Huge shoutouts to Community Development Partners, Bremik Construction, and DCM Consulting, LLC. for working alongside us every step of the way to make this inclusive, zero energy project a reality!!

No matter how each of us may relate to a holiday like this one from our own stories, it’s clear that there is magic in taking a beat to find presence in remembering who and what matter most to us and why. Many of us have developed a lifelong habit of living in stress about what has to get done, built on a story that our value is based on our productivity in any given day.  It's an intense form of conditioning we all receive in this culture.  Obviously there’s nothing wrong with getting shit done, there are many benefits to it for sure.  The travesty, though, is that this story can be so overwhelming that we forget everything else that matters; like allowing other things to be equally (or occasionally more) important, and we can find ourselves working from resentful duty instead of purposeful choice.  In this space, we get closed off and forget to share our stories, to invite others in, to work from our why, and to take the time to create the new and better possibilities we believe in.   What's almost never acknowledged in all of this is that pressure and stress are forms of mild, continuous trauma that we’re socialized to subject ourselves to on a daily basis.  The same social institutions that we’ve learned to survive and even thrive in, are also inflicting trauma on those who fall out of compliance with them.  The stress we carry in trying to stay safely in the lanes is the same stress that breaks people down in overwhelm and results in the self-harm, neglect, abuse, and all the other forms of suffering we strive to relieve through the thoughtful spaces we make. The transformation is in every little choice we make to allow our humor, our suffering, our anger, our joy, our gratitude, and ultimately our freedom; to disrupt these forces that subconsciously make us limited and small.  Fundamentally, this is the work of decolonizing, and it’s the work of liberation.  In this way, we get to practice what it is to be trauma-informed; and we get to learn the deep importance of that way of being in a more personal way.  Our work speaks fullness and freedom when we’re able to experience that for our own selves too. Slowing down to breathe and reflect is about more than just recharging batteries so we can plow forward again.  It’s about reclaiming our right to experience joy and fullness in the day-to-day; to remember who we are underneath, why we’re doing this work, and how we can create transformative experiences for others in every aspect of it.  Rest is revolutionary because it carves the space to ask why, and then make choices around the answer.  This is how we move the world away from fear and scarcity, and into safety and abundance.  It’s how we fight injustice by learning what it is to build justice internally and then share it.  (the image is from our now-under-construction Beaverton Shelter project. The tree at the heart of the space reminds us of the transformative power in finding our Center.)

As we approach #EarthDay, it feels more than a little bit astounding that there's only one day a year when we put just a little bit of focus on this planet that makes EVERYTHING we do, and our very opportunity to exist; especially when we have done so much harm to her (...it's not even an official holiday, nor do we have shared cultural means to celebrate). By "we", it's also so critical to say this the white, western "we", because there are Indigenous cultures all over the world who embed practices of gratitude, honor, and connection with the Earth and all her creatures as a sacred and essential part of every single day. It's a bit like the difference between tossing out a happy birthday text to someone you know once a year, vs. the commitment and love involved in maintaining a relationship with someone on a regular basis. The Earth, and our fellow humans alike, are astounding and marvelous; true miracles that are somehow easy to take for granted... Dominant culture has also taught us to do the same thing to ourselves; to produce and achieve at all costs, and to spend a only a minute pittance of time if any in actual recognition of the wonder of who we are, and what our consciousness makes possible as living beings in a community that stands seemingly alone in the universe (this is especially prevalent among us heart and values driven folx). In this way, we get caught up in stress, striving, competition, and loneliness; when we should only ever have the opposite... In this way, our entire perspective has been deeply colonized, and only we can decolonize it. Everything begins with the relationship we cultivate inside our own bodies; and our thoughts shape the outward lives we build from there. If there is one thing we could do that would change the future, and all that is possible here on Earth; it would be to change the nature of relationship we have as individuals who are not separate from, but inextricably part of this planet. No matter where you stand on the spectrum of spirituality and science; our need for filtered sunlight, clean air, water, food, medicinal sources (not to mention the non-human organisms that make up 57% of our bodies) is undeniable. So we ask, what is one thing WE could do TOGETHER as a community of humans to heal ourselves and our shared home at the same time? What kind of celebration could transform fear and scarcity into healthy abundance? (hint: it isn't about recycling or turning off the lights, or making energy efficient buildings. As important as those are, harm reduction isn't the same as Honoring the Earth...) This incredible conversation offers a place to start; and we'd love to hear what y'all are thinking about in response. https://lnkd.in/dZryUdWS #HonorTheEarth #DecolonizeEarthDay #EarthJustice #EnvironmentalJustice #ClimateJustice #EarthDay2024 #EarthDayEveryday #EverythingCanHeal

It seems fitting that on her birthday, we celebrate Elizabeth Gomez (she/her), another ridiculously capable member of our team. As a graduate from Portland Community College and a committed member of NOMA PDX, Elizabeth is both a mentor and an advocate for demonstrating alternative pathways that provide more equitable and accessible opportunities into the profession of Architecture for folx in our community. Since day one, she's been showing up with dedication, excellence and follow through, and the courage to tackle complexity and new challenges in spite of how daunting they often feel. As Maya Angelou embodied through her life and work, courage matters most because it makes all other virtues possible. From that grounded place, Elizabeth shares her wonderful, sarcastic humor; and reminds us all to say what we're really thinking! Like all of our team, she shares a commitment to bringing more voices into the work of design, and to transformative the products of our design for people living at the economic margins. She leads our weekly sketch sessions highlighting women and people of color who's work is vastly underrepresented in the spotlight of great design. She also seizes opportunities to teach and remind us all about the suppressed histories of exclusion and inequity that we're here to work against. This is why we need each other, to find guidance and reflection, and to remind us of important things we can easily neglect. We're so grateful for Elizabeth's presence, and every womxn who chooses to bring more of their full selves to the life and work we share together. #WomenInArchitecture #CelebrateEveryone

Today, we want to celebrate Jessalin Doane (she/her) as an incredibly talented, recently licensed Architect on our team! At nearly 3 years together, we deeply appreciate her incredible ability to make s#!* happen on a daily basis. From heading up projects, to keeping tabs on a million little things, and most importantly; making sure we take time to connect with each other socially and to celebrate the pleasures of life. She loves the Portland scene and can always tell us what food week it is, what exciting thing is going on, and the next five interesting things on her calendar. Jessalin's desire to try new things, to include people, and to ask insightful questions along the way demonstrates an attention and sharpness that's not to be taken for granted. Her incredible ability to organize is deeply connected to her empathy and desire to see others experience joy and connection. These things are at the heart of Architecture in terms of how we strive to shape spaces that meet people where they are and where they want to be. As we strive to broaden and amplify accessibility by dismantling the disabling aspects of what physically and psychologically excludes people; this is exactly the kind of lens our team, and the world needs. As Jessalin embodies; when we learn how to truly celebrate each other in every aspect of our being, everything transforms. We move from a place of scarcity, fear, and self protection; to a place where we know abundance, love, and expansion are both possible and present. We all have things to teach each other, and this particular lesson is not hard to accomplish; but it is hard to begin within a system that puts our focus on competition and achievement, distracting us from the gifts of presence and enjoyment. Help us celebrate all of what's good in each other, and bring gratitude to what we can re-member. #WomenInArchitecture #CelebrateEveryone

For almost two years now, Alyssa Stacherski (she/her) has been generously lending her talents as an invaluable part of our team.  With a passion for exploration and discovery, she brings stories of world travel, hiking adventures, and her days spent woofing on organic farms.  For her, it’s clearly not about checking of a list or conquering peaks, but a deep desire to connect with other people, and this beautiful planet that lights Alyssa’s curiosity.  Even as a generally reserved person, her caring nature and strong commitment to making a positive impact in the world brought her back to Architecture, and we hope, to the kind of work that aligns, inspires, and offers opportunities to expand and flourish.  Most recently, she’s been handling a complex project rehabilitating 13 apartment buildings across 5 sites and 4 jurisdictions.  This will breathe new life into 260 units of affordable housing that is so essential to every person who calls these places home.  Alyssa’s calm flexibility is a huge asset in this work, and the success of this project has been instrumental for our practice as we continue into another similarly gargantuan rehabilitation project.   We believe that the work we do should never be a force of division in our lives that requires us to  separate our values-based sense of who we want to be as individuals in order to conform to the expectations of office culture or the business we do.   In order to move the world forward in a way that will allow us to face the many enormous challenges already bearing down on us; we have to be empowered to bring our full selves, passions, and ideas to the work we spend so much of our lives doing.  Each opportunity and choice matters deeply; and we must make space for the unique perspective of each and every person to inform and enrich what we’re being about every day.  We have more to do on this front, and we invite y’all to join us in that commitment and to share your stories of shifting culture in this way as well! #WomenInArchitecture #CelebrateEveryone

It seems impossible that Sherry Aliberti (she/they) has been with Ink Built for 2 years. It feels like just yesterday that we welcomed her aboard, and yet it's like we've been working together forever! Sherry is a talented designer with an art and performance based lens on the world that informs her thinking about architecture, team culture, and the interplay of real human lives within built spaces. Their New York roots bring a welcome realness that spices up our tame west coast vibes, and we love the way she weaves a bit of Earth magic in to challenge the status quos we can fall into while coping in the business world. She's pushed us outside our comfort zones when we needed to lighten up (annual IB dinner party '23), and strengthens our resolve to break down gender biases in project conversations about restrooms and culturally gendered spaces, and to include land acknowledgement practices in more aspects of our work. Sherry's empathic spirit is ever present, and we're grateful for her boldness, capacity, integrity, and commitment to the great work we are honored to do together. Our hope as a firm is to nurture the deeply human spirit of each member of our team alongside the mentorship necessary to support their professional lives and success within the realities of architectural practice. It's so easy in this society to take each other for granted, to see the products of a business within a colonized lens without really honoring the people who invest their time, effort, heart, and creativity to making those results the best they can be. Help us change that paradigm by taking an extra moment anytime you see a post about an individual contributing something to the good of society; and just lend a breath of gratitude with us. Thank you for being exactly who you are! #WomenInArchitecture #CelebrateEveryone

Just want to say that we notice some excellence over there at Hacker, and not just in the amazing projects y'all are doing. The promotion of women in leadership we're seeing in our feed is impressive and inspiring. It's clear y'all have been intentional about hiring, mentoring, and empowering women on staff, and it's very worth celebrating!! #WomenInArchitecture #GenderEquity