Author Archives: Jenna Mogstad

WORKPLACE & CIVIC DESIGNER/PM | LRS Architects

About the Position
LRS Architects is searching for an experienced Interior Project Manager to join our Workplace and Civic teams in Portland, Oregon.

The role of this position is to be the main day to day manager of the client relationship for corporate workplace and civic projects.  You will be working with landlord clients, tenants, public agencies, the project design team, consultants, and the jurisdictions to ensure the client’s design intent and design documentation meet the project goals on new construction projects and/or interior tenant improvements of varying sizes.

Candidates should demonstrate the following:

  • Shows initiative in taking the lead and being a team partner in all phases of the design process.
  • Good knowledge of what is included in drawing sets and design packages in all phases of design.
  • Excellent communication skills both written and verbal working with consultants, contractors, vendors, and product reps to meet overall project objectives.
  • Comfortable being responsive as the primary contact to maintain client relationships and leading communications, presentations, and meetings.
  • Management of project fees, contracts, schedules, and budgets along with project team assignments and the ability to adjust to changing project goals, budgets, schedules, and deadlines.
  • Provide quality assurance oversight for all project documentation and design team mentoring from start to finish for each project.
  • Competency in interior detailing, materials integration, building codes and working with local jurisdictions.

Applicant Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design or Interior Architecture or Architecture
  • 8-10 years minimum experience at an architecture firm with integrated interiors or at an interior design firm
  • REVIT oversight on projects and experience developing REVIT construction documents

Additional Qualifications (not requirements):

  • Preferred candidate to have NCIDQ Certification and/or WELL Accreditation, or actively pursuing other certifications

About Us
We’re a passionate group that believes in innovation, collaboration, and the people who make both possible. We hire for long-term cultural fit and not for specific projects. Our philosophy is rooted in compassion and camaraderie and each day we strive to create a better environment for ourselves and those we serve. We prioritize education, empowerment, and a healthy work-life balance. Well-being is a top priority in our work and culture because good design isn’t just about aesthetics. Our balanced, holistic approach fuses function and beauty to create meaningful places for people. At LRS, we strive to continually adapt our work styles and habits in our ever-changing world. Our embracing of flexible schedules and a hybrid work style allows our team to work a combination of “remotely” and “in the office.”

LRS holds national certification as a women-owned business through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and is a participant in the International Living Future Institute’s Just Label program. Our staff has voted LRS as an Oregonian Top Workplace annually since 2016, and we offer a generous benefits package and a collaborative and supportive work environment. Check out our Instagram @lrsarchitects!

For more information or to apply for this position, please visit our website: https://lrsarchitects.com/workwithus/

HOUSING INTERIOR DESIGNER | LRS Architects

LRS Architects is searching for an Interior Designer to join our Senior Living and/or Multifamily housing teams in Portland, Oregon and/or Bend, Oregon.

Our ideal candidate is experienced in Senior Living, Multifamily, and/or Hospitality interior design development, coordination, and documentation within a larger team for 100+ unit new construction projects and / or be able to work independently on smaller existing building interior renovations.  Most importantly, we are looking for a candidate that is ready to lead and learn, able to rise to challenges of each project, and succeed as a team.

Candidates should demonstrate the following:

  • Collaboration with architecture and interior design teams
  • Performing a variety of tasks for projects including programming, conceptual design, design development, production and review of construction contract documents, and contract administration
  • Coordinating drawings and deliverable packages at all phases
  • Working with consultants, contractors, vendors, and product reps to meet overall project objectives
  • Contributing to client presentations and meetings
  • An understanding of how interior details and materials comes together

Applicant Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design or Interior Architecture
  • Minimum 4-8 years of experience at an architecture firm with integrated interiors or at an interior design firm
  • Proficient REVIT modeling on projects and experience developing REVIT construction documents

Additional Qualifications:

  • Preference to proficiency in Enscape or Sketch up modeling
  • NCIDQ Certification and/or WELL Accreditation, or actively pursuing other certifications

About Us
We’re a passionate group that believes in innovation, collaboration, and the people who make both possible. We hire for long-term cultural fit and not for specific projects. Our philosophy is rooted in compassion and camaraderie and each day we strive to create a better environment for ourselves and those we serve. We prioritize education, empowerment, and a healthy work-life balance. Well-being is a top priority in our work and culture because good design isn’t just about aesthetics. Our balanced, holistic approach fuses function and beauty to create meaningful places for people. At LRS, we strive to continually adapt our work styles and habits in our ever-changing world. Our embracing of flexible schedules and a hybrid work style allows our team to work a combination of “remotely” and “in the office.”

LRS holds national certification as a women-owned business through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and is a participant in the International Living Future Institute’s Just Label program. Our staff has voted LRS as an Oregonian Top Workplace annually since 2016, and we offer a generous benefits package and a fun, casual work environment. Check out our Instagram @lrsarchitects!

For more information or to apply for this position, please visit our website: https://lrsarchitects.com/workwithus/

Student Member Spotlight: Shan Peterson

Name: Shan Peterson
Position/Title: 5th Year Undergraduate Student at the University of Oregon
Member of IIDA Since: 2021

Why are you a member of IIDA?
I joined IIDA as a student to network with professionals and learn more about the industry. It has served as an invaluable tool in learning how to challenge myself as a designer and communicate with others in the profession as an undergraduate. IIDA has served as a source of inspiration for gaining insight from successful industry professionals. 

 What is your favorite IIDA event?
My favorite is the Student Symposium. It bridges the gap between what we learn in school and how it applies in the workplace. The information shared was beneficial in understanding how to present myself and get a job. 

 What are you currently working on?
I am currently working on my capstone project, Universal Learning. I chose to design an elementary school for students with disabilities in order to promote inclusion in a child’s early years. This project has pushed me to think about design from a variety of user perspectives, understanding that what may be a hindrance to one may be an opportunity for another. 

What is your personal mantra?
Don’t fake it until you make it. Fake it until you become it.

What gets you excited about design?
People. Design, to me, is about the people who will use the space. Understanding the community and user groups motivates me to work harder because what I do has a real impact on their lives. I’m constantly wondering how the decisions I’m making now will affect people’s lives in the future.

Sponsor Spotlight: J+J Flooring

Company Name: J&J Flooring
Your Name: LaDonna Hale
Local Rep’s Position/Years: 1 year
IIDA member since: 2022

J&J is privately held and owned by Mr. Robert E. Shaw who owned his former company, bearing his name, which became the first carpet manufacturer to break into the Fortune 500. He guided the company to further growth as CEO until his retirement in 2006. In 2008, during the teeth of the recession, Mr. Shaw had a vision for a new flooring company. Mr. Shaw’s vision was so compelling that he left retirement and invested in what he called ‘disruptive methods’ – innovative technology that changed the way carpet had ‘always been done’. Knowing that he was taking a risk, yet believing it would pay off, in 2009 he founded Engineered Floors, LLC, and acquired J+J Flooring in 2016. J&J Flooring manufacturers Modular Carpet, Broadloom Carpet and our innovative Kinetex hybrid flooring product and have a full LVT line. Our facilities encompass 11,000,000 SQ. FT.

What is your favorite IIDA event and why?
Next Breakfast. I love the panel of speakers and the thought provoking conversation.

What is your favorite product/service offered by your company and why?
Kinetex because it’s Carbon Neutral and manufactured with 27 water bottles per tile. It is also NSF/ANSI-140 Platinum certified (the industry-leading standard for sustainability) and has a Red List Free DECLARE label.

What aspect of your company are you most proud of and why?
J&J is privately held which gives us the ability to make quick pivots when needed as well as our Kinetex Flooring with it’s healthy environmental footprint.

What value do you see in being an IIDA Oregon Chapter Annual Sponsor?
The ability to help support a community that supports our products by including us in projects with innovative design.

What impact do you see the IIDA Oregon Chapter having on the A&D community in Oregon?
A positive impact of support, strong leadership and fun.

What is your personal mantra?
Live in your Joyful Ascent

On a typical Saturday where can we find you?
Somewhere outside with my dog, husband and often times hanging with our 4 Grandbabies.

Featured Blog Post: A Special Thank You!

March 27th, 2023
McKenna Hall, IIDA, NCIDQ
Director of Social Justice | IIDA Oregon Chapter
Client Business Manager | Steelcase

A special thank you, for a special event! 

On March 2nd, the IIDA Oregon Chapter hosted the 2023 Next Breakfast. We were honored to have Tejara Brown, Dr. Steven Nakana & Rebecca Alexander as the panelist speakers; hosted and moderated by Cheryl Durst (CEO of IIDA & Hon. FIIDA Executive VP). This group of four intelligent, strong and unique individuals shared in open conversations around the topics of diversity, equity and inclusion within design. To say they were inspiring and thought provoking would be an understatement. 

Cheryl started by saying, “Inclusivity is the bedrock of design — that is why we call this universal design”. During the conversation the group spoke about “working with people closest to the problem.” They shared how we shouldn’t assume different needs and experiences of others. Instead, we should work directly with people to truly understand the problems so we can then design solutions to solve them. Don’t forget, when we work with people, we should pay them as consultants because they are sharing their expertise and their experiences, which are incredibly valuable. 

Diversity is imperative to our world, which means we must create spaces that are diverse, size inclusive, gender inclusive and universal for all.

The planning committee did an excellent job taking into respect and working with women-owned, minority-owned and/or BIPOC-owned businesses to bring this event to life. From the delicious catering by KitchenKilla, hosting at EcoTrust and the beautiful photography by Kai Hayashi, it was all so thoughtfully and intentionally done.

Thank you to all who attended; we hope you left learning something new and inspired to make an impact in your life, in your work and in our community. 

A big thank you to our sponsors who helped make this happen. Last, but certainly not least, a very special thank you to our 4 amazing speakers — you are making the world a better place. As Cheryl said to wrap it all up– “Change places, change minds and change hearts.”

Sincerely,
McKenna