6 Women Shaping Houston Architecture: Part 2
As promised, here’s the second installment of impressive women who have shaped, and are shaping, Houston’s built environment. (Read all about our first three women here.)
Stephanie Burritt, RID
Stephanie Burritt, newly dubbed co-managing director of Gensler’s Houston office, tells us interior architecture perfectly combines technical knowledge and creative passion. Early in her career (she's been with Gensler 27 years), Stephanie was inspired and encouraged by several influential women, including Debra Lehman-Smith, Lauren Rottet, Margo Grant-Walsh and Judy Pesek.
Despite a ton of professional accolades, Stephanie tells us what she’s most proud of is successfully balancing her family and professional life. She admits that some days the two are blurred and it’s hard to see where one begins and one ends. But, she’s always wanted a big family and between her co-workers at Gensler and family at home her desire has been fulfilled. Stephanie's front right in the photo above with friends in Sonoma enjoying some of that balance.
Stephanie has worked on many huge projects over the years and says she doesn’t get out of bed for less than 500k SF. She recently completed the massive ExxonMobil campus and notes that the key to success for any large project is breaking it down into manageable pieces. Her favorite project is whatever one she is currently working on and her second favorite is the next one she pursues.
When she’s not managing projects, Stephanie loves traveling and recently spent New Year’s Eve in Sydney. But, on a typical weekend she can can be found water skiing and drinking margaritas on the dock at sunset.
Donna Kacmar, FAIA, LEED AP
Associate professor at the University of Houston College of Architecture & Design and architect at Natalye Appel + Associates Architects Donna Kacmar has had her hand in Houston architecture for 21 years. She first fell in love with the profession in college when she took an architecture course as an elective and cites Natalye Appel as an early mentor and teacher.
Donna directs the Materials Research Collaborative at the University of Houston, an innovative database of both physical and online information that allows students and local architects to understand more about the materials they select. Several big Houston firms support the MRC, and students research innovations in building materials, ensuring the collection is current.
Donna's favorite project is Fisher Street House, a 544 SF home. It opened up a new area of interest for her, and she recently published a book on small houses titled BIG Little House (we read the forward on Amazon and we're hooked).
Elected to the prestigious College of Fellows in 2009, and recipient of the AIA Young Architect Award in 2004, Donna’s list of accomplishments is long. She has also served on the board of the Houston AIA, the Avenue CDC, the Rice Design Alliance, Architecture Center Houston Foundation and the Texas Society of Architects. In her spare time, you'll find Donna dining with friends.
Kathleen English, AIA
English + Associates Architects principal Kathleen English attended High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and knew then and there she wanted to stay connected to her artistic side professionally. But, she did not want to be a starving artist and instead chose a stable career that allowed her to positively impact the community: architecture. Now she's 34 years deep in the industry.
During the last decade, Kathleen has implemented sustainable design strategies, including Low Impact Development, which incorporates siting, hydrology and storm management. Although not a new strategy, Kathleen tells us it has largely been overlooked for decades and continues to be a blind spot for many architects.
Her favorite project is Evelyn Meador Library in Seabrook where she partnered with the City of Seabrook and Harris County to rebuild a library that was destroyed by Hurricane Ike. She designed the project to meet LEED standards before the client decided to pursue certification, allowing for a smooth transition and resulting in a LEED Gold certified project. English + Associates has taken home its fair share of awards over the years, including consistently being named one of the Houston Business Journal’s Best Places to Work and being selected as the 2016 City of Houston Prime Contractor of the Year.
When she has a free moment, Kathleen finds gardening restful and has experimented with many green strategies at her house including rainwater collection, a dry-creek detention swale and rain gardens.
