You're an experienced professional in Building Design. Which top roles should you aim for next?

Director of Interior Design and Production where we oversee all design and production packages. I was fortunate to start a job captain, designer, Sr. Designer, Design Director.

This is the most natural way for a senior designer to advance in their career. However, it sometimes feels like navigating two different worlds. Being a design leader involves being political, empathetic, and responsible almost every day. It requires many more conversations with product teams or clients, making sure that the designers on your team trust you, and have the ability to make decisions based on every perspective - both creative and business. One suggestion, which I’ve noticed not many design leaders follow, is to make sure you’re including people from every part of your company in to your design process. Be sure to include customer support and sales.

Well my version of being design director is based on the concept of a valid and practical design with context to time and finance. There are many factors involved while designing a project like utility , stability and aesthetics but after more than two decades of design and execution experience every line we draw must become meaningful , valid and practical. We always focus on excellent design or solution but ignore the extensive time loss to materialise it. That makes a solution invalid . The design, details should be adoptable , practical and its execution should be possible within reasonable time frame not in terms of loss of time or at the cost of workmanship exceeding expense.

With my experience in building design, project management, and construction, I’m aiming for roles like Project Manager, BIM Manager, or Construction Manager, where I can lead large-scale projects and integrate cutting-edge tools like BIM.

El director de diseño arquitectónico equilibra creatividad, innovación y viabilidad técnica para mejorar la vida de las personas a través de espacios funcionales y sostenibles. Fomentar la experimentación y el pensamiento crítico es clave para impulsar avances disruptivos en el diseño. La tecnología, como BIM o la realidad aumentada, debe ser un medio para optimizar y enriquecer los proyectos, sin desviar el foco de los objetivos principales. Además, el reto está en transformar limitaciones técnicas o presupuestarias en oportunidades. Un líder en diseño también debe coordinar equipos interdisciplinarios y comunicarse eficazmente con el cliente, garantizando soluciones sostenibles y alineadas con las necesidades presentes y futuras.

Un gerente de proyectos en el diseño de edificios debe ser capaz de anticipar y abordar desafíos antes de que se conviertan en problemas significativos. Además de coordinar entre arquitectos, ingenieros y contratistas, es crucial que desarrolle una estrategia de gestión de riesgos efectiva y mantenga una visión global del proyecto. La capacidad para adaptar las soluciones a medida que surgen imprevistos y para inspirar a los equipos a trabajar hacia objetivos comunes son habilidades que pueden marcar la diferencia entre un proyecto exitoso y uno que no lo sea. La proactividad y la adaptabilidad son claves para la gestión eficiente y la satisfacción del cliente.

As an experienced professional in Building Design, transitioning to a Project Manager role is a natural progression. This position leverages your technical expertise, leadership skills, and ability to oversee complex projects from conceptual design to building closeout. Project Managers in building design are responsible for managing project budgets, schedules, and client relationships, ensuring that designs are executed to meet both aesthetic and functional goals. By honing communication and organizational skills, this role offers increased responsibility and visibility within the industry. Great project managers are often recognized by local trade publications.

Ser um gerente de projetos de sucesso em design de edifícios é assumir o papel de peça central que mantém todo o projeto alinhado, desde a fase de concepção até a sua conclusão. Essa função exige um alto nível de coordenação e comunicação, pois envolve trabalhar com uma equipe multidisciplinar composta por arquitetos, engenheiros, clientes e empreiteiros. Como gerente de projetos, você será responsável por garantir que cada etapa do processo esteja no caminho certo, respeitando o cronograma, o orçamento e os padrões de qualidade estabelecidos.

With sustainability at the forefront of architecture, pursuing a role as a Sustainability Expert opens up valuable opportunities. In this role, one will be tasked with developing innovative designs that conserve resources, improve energy performance, and ensure the health and comfort of building users. Keen knowledge of sustainable materials, eco-friendly construction methods, and certifications like USGBC LEED, WELL Building Standard, and Living Building Challenge, will establish someone as a key player in driving green initiatives and shaping the future of environmentally responsible architecture. A Sustainability Expert in architecture can affect the well-being of building users for generations.