"I aspire to design structures that foster symbiotic relationships between people, buildings and nature within our ever-growing world."
Rain Chen
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Design in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urbanism
- Grad year: 2020
- Program:
- Campus: Vancouver
I graduated from UBC with an honours degree in Environmental Design. As someone who has consistently held an interest in the arts, I was always a creative person but struggled with how to realistically apply myself. The BEND program gave me the direction and motivation I craved. Its studio environment was a vigorous one and it constantly pushed me to better my designs, both technically and conceptually, and taught me crucial skills in critical thinking and wicked problem-solving.
Raised in densely populated Taiwan, my experience living in a concrete jungle has fueled my desire to explore more open, welcoming and interactive designs within compact housing. Having also worked in the sustainability sector for several years, I am continually working towards minimizing the negative environmental impact of buildings through both my design education and non-profit work.
I believe that our generation's actions will be pivotal in the preservation of our planet's environmental health.
I aspire to design structures that foster symbiotic relationships between people, buildings and nature within our ever-growing world.
What has made your time at UBC memorable?
It's difficult to define single moments during my time in BEND as particularly memorable. I could say it was the moment I completed my first home design or the moment that design project was torn apart by external critics. Perhaps it was when I went to New York to compete in the BioDesign challenge, or how I came back thinking only of how incredible the architecture was there.
Leaving UBC now, I can say with confidence that every single moment in the program was a defining one.
The opportunity to work alongside talented and likeminded individuals in a space solely dedicated to creative thinking was invaluable. We would work through the night, exchange endless streams of feedback and watch as our own hands brought our vision to life. All of it was priceless.
Tell us about your experience in your program. What have you learned that is most valuable?
My time in BEND has taught me the judgement I needed to move forward. I learned not to take criticism personally. I began to recognize how to differentiate personal preference from objective feedback. I learned to self-critique, I learned to pace myself through time management and I learned that nothing is more important than my own mental and physical health. Being in such a competitive environment made it all too easy to forgo my self-care, but eventually I, along with everyone else in the program, quickly learned how unsustainable that was.
How are you applying the skills you learned through your studies at UBC?
I've become very focused on my goals and exactly how I want to achieve them.
Less of my energy and time is wasted on inconsequential tasks or activities, leaving me more time to enjoy myself. As a naturally anxious person, this has proven invaluable.
How do you feel your degree has benefitted you compared to a different field of study?
Before BEND, I was in Forestry. I quickly realized how little interest I had in the subject despite my interest in sustainable practices and it was because I wasn't designing anything. Being in this program has allowed me to evolve both creatively and practically.
Where do you find your inspiration?
There are numerous people I can attribute my inspiration to.
Leslie Van Duzer has always been a huge inspiration for me, especially as a woman in a male-dominated industry.
Travis Hanks challenged me to break out of my inherently straight-laced thinking pattern.
Bill Pechet inspired me to think whimsically and encouraged beauty in simplicity when it's so easy to become obsessed with complexity.
Graham Entwistle unfailingly guided me in times of bemusement regardless of if it was related to school or architecture.
How has your identity informed your academic and professional experiences within your field at UBC and beyond?
As a POC and a woman, it is a daunting endeavour to effectively 'infiltrate' the white male-dominated industry of architecture. However, seeing the diverse spread of students in my program, I am feeling encouraged by the coming generation of architects.
