Sterling Smith
D2 gave me an opportunity to feel like I was really giving back. My mother was declared fully disabled in 2008 (Multiple Sclerosis) and since then I’ve been very aware of the need for accessibility and, especially, senior housing. Prior to coming here, I’d worked in offices large (700+) and small (5), designing retail buildings, banks, hospitals, and homes. The Senior Living sector combines elements of all these and affords me the opportunity to think through how a person will live their daily life; for the rest of their life. What exciting possibilities!
In addition to that, there are a few other things that drew me to D2 specifically:
- The people. I already knew a few people here and when I met the Principals they reaffirmed my impression that this was a place where I’d be known and cared about on a personal level. 1/3 of my day may be spent inside these walls, but 2/3 will not. My goal is to put in a good day’s work, go home, and have a great night with my family. David’s philosophy of turning down work (at times) made it clear to me that his priorities were the same.
- The size of the firm. Like I said, I’ve seen it all. D2’s size really appeals to me because we’re just small enough that I can get my hands on a lot of different things, but just large enough that I’ve got some help, resources, and job security. There’s always an opportunity to work with someone “new” in the office without me feeling like just another cog in the machine.
- The culture. The office environment is professional but comfortable. Everyone has a great sense of humor. We push the envelope as far as we can with design, but we’ve got limitations. (To me, boundaries foster creativity. Having a bottomless budget and no constraints doesn’t scratch the “Creative Problem Solver” itch that I’ve got.) On any given workday, you can walk into the lunch room and find 3-4 folks having lunch together. Two people might finish and three others will walk up. This type of camaraderie doesn’t exist at many other jobs!
At the end of the day, D2 has been everything I hoped it would be. Is it the right fit for you? Still have questions? Feel free to email me and ask.
