2019 Women Who Build: Kristin Irwin, Patriquin Architects

Name: Kristin Irwin

Position: Design Associate

Company: Patriquin Architects

How many years have you been in your current field? 11 years

What was your first job and what did you learn from it? My first architectural job was as an intern for a small firm during college. I realized quickly that architecture was not always the glamorous career that I had imagined. Of course, I had the opportunity to work on some really fantastic projects, but more often than not I was working on smaller jobs such as bathroom additions. 

I remember one job was to remodel an existing house that was abandoned for at least 10 years. Measuring this building must have been physically the worst place I have ever been in. What stood out to me was meeting our clients and seeing their excitement as we presented the design of their future home. 

The lesson I learned was that no matter what the job is, it will always be important to your client, so you should take pride in it.