Andre P. Kamili, AIA, LEED AP

Growing up in a family of architects and engineers, there was no shortage of blueprints to fold and construction sites to visit. I was drawn to unfinished buildings—intrigued by their incompleteness, memorized by all the possibilities of what the spaces could become.

Today, I strive for design that responds to and values the context of its surroundings, in both their physical and non-physical aspects. These backdrops are where we derive and place ideas for transformation. I am drawn to education and healthcare practices for their potential social impact. In healthcare, this means crafting healing environments for patients, families and caregivers. In education, it’s providing inspiring learning environments for the next generation of leaders.

Regardless of segment, the best design outcomes are often the unexpected positive ones. Occupants do not simply respond to design intent, however thoughtful and well executed. The real measure of design value comes when they make a space their own in new or unanticipated ways.