Applying her sustainability expertise and mission-driven focus, Arathi Gowda challenges the design industry to strive for a higher standard of sustainable performance. A new addition to our ZGF team, Arathi recently joined the firm as a Principal in our DC office and a firmwide leader within our Project Performance Team. We sat down with Arathi for a Q&A to cover everything from new challenges in sustainable design to her love of teaching and music.

What brought you to the world of sustainable design?

I was a pretty mission-driven kid. People laugh when I say that, but I participated in Earth Club, Amnesty International Club, and wrote letters for Prisoners of Conscience. My dad was an engineer, and my mom studied economics and finished her career as a social worker. That intersect of science and the humanities influenced me. I always knew I wanted to do something that was mission driven.

Describe your leadership/work style in 3 words.

Empathetic, next-generation, and mission-driven. I’m always thinking about what I can do for the next generation. If my work and leadership is not going to help the next generation of people, then what exactly am I doing it for?

What design approaches are you most excited to see clients asking for now?  

Clients are asking for everything now, and that is exciting. Ten years ago, we used to be able to say the budget isn’t there. While that can still be a reality, clients are now asking for more: “What does it take to be net-zero?” and “How can we stretch to that standard with our budget?” The budgets are not escalating but we are being challenged to meet the needs of the moment.

The pandemic is also supporting wellness in a way that’s never existed. With wellness comes a growing call for thoughtful biophilic design and protection of biodiversity. To me, this is a focus area that the design industry has long advocated for finally getting traction. It’s not just about human-centered approaches, we need to be better stewards of the biocapacity we are destroying.

Our clients also want to see diversity in our teams and thoughtful approaches to our community engagement process; inviting our communities to participate and critically influence our designs in the same way that we invite a feedback loop from our energy models. There is a long overdue reckoning that our work as architects can help break down structural racism in the built environment, whether it’s conversations around zoning, equitable access, or affordable housing. This moment of reckoning has created an exciting design shift for us on the planet, people, and biodiversity front. There aren’t excuses anymore.

What’s one area you believe the industry could improve on today?

Our industry fiercely promotes and protects grind culture. Most of us continue to think about our work when we go home because, obviously, we care about it. However, working to the exclusion of family or friends is not healthy. Once you stop prioritizing your mental health, you stifle your creativity and productivity. The pandemic has helped to highlight these issues and bring about a more flexible lifestyle, but it is something we still need to keep in mind as both leaders and individuals. Architecture is about “creativity with bounds,” and we need to apply that principle to our life as well, learning how and when to advocate for our team’s work/life balance.

In what ways has your teaching career influenced your design career?

Teaching has been incredible. My students inspire me with their optimism. They challenge me to question things, think differently, and discover new solutions. Working in architecture requires a mental fortitude to stick out long-term projects, and at times you can feel weighed down. Teaching allows me to fulfill a desire for dynamic work and exploration of new ideas. It’s an opportunity to step back and see many of the bright sides of architecture.

I recently gave the commencement speech for the inaugural Bachelor of Science in Sustainability at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. It was a huge honor and humbling to be asked to speak to the first of many classes to graduate from this incredible program. It reminds me to be thankful to my colleagues who are full-time academics. They are doing the hard work of creating new curriculums to train the next generation of sustainable leaders.

What has been your proudest career achievement?

I’ve been very lucky, there have been many projects and accolades along the way, but I believe it’s the people and relationships that have allowed me to be where I am today. As a leader, I can’t manufacture how people work, but I can be empathetic to them. That means making space for others to do their best work and be creative. My colleagues are relationships that I want to foster. One of my bright lights was a younger team member telling me, “you’re the best boss I’ve had.” Those relationships don’t just end when the project is built, or a job ends.

What are some of your main hobbies/interests? Do they influence your work at all or are they an escape?

I love to cook. I grew up eating my mom’s excellent food, so it encouraged me to want to cook as an adult. Lately I’ve been working on a recipe for bisi bele bath–a south Indian stew I grew up eating. It’s a comfort food for me, but it’s a slow process to perfect.

I am also an adult learner of piano. My piano’s name is Simone after Nina Simone and Simone de Beauvoir, a combination of music and philosophy. There’s something in playing an instrument that is philosophical—it breaks you down and teaches you humility, but it’s so interesting you still want to keep doing it. I hear a song and I want to challenge myself to see if I can recreate it. Like architects, musicians have mystique and I have always found the culture around music fascinating.

You’re relocating from Chicago to DC. What are you most looking forward to about living in a new city?

I’m lucky that my new home allows me to walk to the Washington mall, walk to work, and be near friends. I’m a walker. I’ve never owned a car before, it’s a long running fossil fuel boycott that might change as we electrify and I’m happy to see that DC can accommodate that. I’m also looking forward to the cultural scene. I know there’s an incredible music and dance scene, and I have this secret wish to learn breakdancing. I grew up dancing more classical Indian styles and the world of dance is something I want to connect with again.