2017: YDC Events

The Young Designers Core was founded in 2000 by emerging designers who saw potential to enhance the professional development of emerging professionals in the firm. The most successful facet of the YDC model has been its adaptability; over the past 17 years the program has been able to transform and change to cater to the current needs of the firm. The underlying mission of the group has always stayed the same; to elevate emerging designers, but the methods have not. From year to year, the YDC’s focus may shift from education, to mentorship, to career advancement, or even to community and culture building. The YDC co-chairs adapt events and opportunities to align with the firm’s needs each year. Here are a few of our favorite events from 2017.

CONSTRUCTION SITE TOURS
Throughout the year, the YDC organizes site visits to our projects that are currently under construction. These events are great to not only learn about projects, but also inform our staff about what techniques are working well and lessons learned throughout the construction process.

FRIDAYS @ FORE
A spinoff of our regular Fridays at Four event where different PAYETTE people share photos from recent travels, we held a Fridays at FORE mini-golf tournament. Since a several people recently traveled to Iceland, each hole (constructed of recycled office materials) was designed with an Icelandic theme. The holes were judged based on the use of recycled materials, overall creativity in design, playability and interpretation of theme.

JIM’S CHALLENGE
Architecture is full of teaching moments. Technological advancements have allowed us to speed up the architectural process, often meaning that we pay less attention to the smaller details and tend to overlook their lessons. Jim’s Challenge tested our office to find examples of these architectural mishaps and the lessons learned. The rules are simple: document architectural mistakes found in our surroundings. The entries were presented to the office and our esteemed jury reviewed the submissions and awarded prizes to the top three entries. And we all benefit from the ultimate prize – to make us more conscious of the details and avoid mistakes in our own work.

The YDC continues to be a cornerstone of the firm’s culture and has opened doors for emerging designers to develop strong relationships, communication skills, confidence and leadership in the early stages of their careers.