Are you fresh out of architecture school and looking for a firm that will nurture your growth and give you the chance to gain invaluable experience doing work you’re passionate about? Well, we’ve been in your shoes, and we know that big architecture firms aren’t the vibe. At Architecture Design Collaborative (ADC), we understand how hard it is to find a workplace that facilitates creativity and innovation and allows you to find your calling in the field.
Since 2014, ADC has been a nationally ranked architecture firm that serves Southern California with innovative designs, which is only possible because of our team. Read the first installment in our ADC All-Stars series to meet Sophie Johnson!
ADC All-Stars: Meet Our Designer Sophie Johnson!
Sophie Johnson joined the ADC team at the end of 2021 after graduating from James Madison University. She grew up on the East Coast and relocated to California right after graduation to pursue architecture after graduation.
Sophie has an appreciation for California that you can only gain by being a transplant!
“Coming from the East Coast, it’s no secret that there’s a certain harshness or roughness to the people there. And I like the laid-back personalities that I meet living in Southern California. Sometimes, I joke around with Ryan McAndrew because he’ll go surfing before work, and that’s just so California.”
– Sophie Johnson, Designer, ADC
Sophie gives back to her new community with more than just her innovative designs, too! She wasted no time after moving to the area, getting involved, and volunteering at the Newport Beach Conservatory to give back to her new home.
Every day after work, Sophie takes a walk and says it’s like her therapy. She loves living by the beach and taking in the beautiful area that she lives in. Sophie loves Laguna Beach and has a cat back in New Jersey named Cutie.
“I’m such a cat person. I’m probably going to be a crazy cat lady one day. It’s funny, I grew up with both cats and dogs, but when one of my cats had a litter of kittens, I fell in love with them all.”
– Sophie Johnson, Designer, ADC
In her free time, Sophie also likes hiking, reading, painting, watching stand-up comedy, and listening to the Joe Rogan podcast, which you can always hear playing at her desk. She says architecture is a great career because it gives her an opportunity to be creative.
What Sophie Loves About the ADC Culture
Sophie’s favorite part of starting her design career at ADC has been the opportunities she has to grow and the willingness her colleagues demonstrate daily to provide guidance.
Sophie chose ADC as the place she wants to start and advance her architecture career because we provide the ideal conditions for growth and development. We have an open office plan and encourage our team to approach each other, no matter what their title may be, and ask questions.
Curating an open environment where everyone is approachable has been key to cultivating a culture of collaboration, which Sophie says has helped her grow leaps and bounds in her role. Here, your team is your biggest resource, which has made it a dream postgraduate architecture job for Sophie.
“I have tons of guidance here from all of my co-workers. They’re all like mentors to me. And we’re all involved in each other’s work. It’s even encouraged in a lot of ways. We’re always talking with each other and asking each other for input. I know I can go to any one of my colleagues and ask questions like, How about this material? Should I change this? How should I change it? What do you think? That’s super important to achieving the client’s goals and honing your skills.”
– Sophie Johnson, Designer, ADC
Sophie also says that she loves how much freedom she has in the actual design process and that her colleagues trust her opinion. At ADC, she says, you can tell that the company trusts you and your abilities, and you have a voice the moment you walk through the door.
“The freedom I have in my role is so refreshing, and it’s something I never thought I would experience so young. You don’t get this kind of freedom in many workplaces. I feel like my colleagues value my opinion, and they always let me take a stab at things before offering their opinions. I feel like a valued member of the team here, and it makes the work more fulfilling. You really feel like you can shape your architecture career here.”
– Sophie Johnson, Designer, ADC
The collaborative nature of the company has truly helped her do her most inspiring work because everyone talks, brainstorms, and jokes around, which facilitates teamwork. More importantly, it creates a fun environment that seems to conjure creativity and inspiration.
“Working at ADC, you’re always bouncing ideas off of each other, and you feel like there are no mistakes or wrong answers. You can get in that creative space and do your best work. But we keep it fun. We’re always joking around, and sarcasm is my superpower. Everyone here likes to joke and tease each other, and it keeps it light. It’s a fun environment.”
– Sophie Johnson, Designer, ADC
Do You Want to Join a Team of All-Stars and Create Innovative, Inspiring Spaces? Apply Today to Join ADC!
You’ve worked hard to graduate from university and start this exciting chapter of your life, and we understand how intimidating it can be to find the right firm. At this stage, your career is a blank page waiting for you to design the future of your dreams. And at ADC, that is what we will empower you to do.
Are you looking for a firm where you can create the blueprint of your dream career? Visit our Architecture Jobs page to apply today to join a team of architectural All-Stars!
