Talent Spotlight: Ema Graci
International Women's Day 2024
Name: Ema Graci
Role: Architect
Studio: Toronto
Could you share one piece of advice for young women who have a passion for the design and architecture industry?
Don’t get discouraged and overwhelmed by everything there is to learn. The field of architecture might seem daunting at first since there are many different paths you can take and aspects you can focus on. For example, you can focus on design, or you can focus on working drawings. And each of these two paths is like an expansive universe in itself – you will never run out of things to learn. It was liberating for me to eventually accept this fact and choose to look at work through a more curious lens, instead of getting discouraged about what I don’t know. There are always new things to learn, which makes the work interesting. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and to follow what interests you. Also, work on developing good relationships with people you work with. This will help to create a happy work environment, and your colleagues can also be great resources for learning.
What makes you proud of yourself – what’s your biggest achievement as an architect?
My biggest achievement as an architect was passing my exams and getting licensed. It was a long and difficult road to get there, and finally receiving that recognition felt like a great accomplishment. It was like I had finally arrived and could now focus my efforts on getting good work experience and building my knowledge base. The smaller day-to-day accomplishments are also notable. I try to push myself to learn and improve as much as I can. I also try to observe and learn from the people around me that I admire and look up to – they have significantly contributed to my growth.
“I try to push myself to learn and improve as much as I can. I also try to observe and learn from the people around me that I admire and look up to – they have significantly contributed to my growth”
What makes a successful team?
I believe that creating a successful team is about building and maintaining healthy relationships between team members, and ideally, each decision and action made should be egoless and based on what is most beneficial for the success of the project. Despite the level of experience and background, all team members should feel respected and comfortable sharing ideas and solutions to problems. They should feel safe asking questions and taking ownership of mistakes, without fear of judgment. Communication should be clear and open throughout. It is important to continually recognize and show appreciation for the talents and positive contributions of team members so that they feel valued.