WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION WEEK

Jessica Hahr, Senior Project Manager

“For an object to be worthy, it must be at once practically useful, and also undeniably beautiful.”

Who inspires you?

Ellen Braaten, Assistant Professor Emerita within the Virginia Tech College of Architecture and Urban Studies. Ellen taught me how to see and articulate the arguments of form versus function; and more importantly, that you must have both. For an object to be worthy, it must be at once practically useful, and also undeniably beautiful.

What was your first job in construction?

I actually ended up in construction on accident. After 6 years of practice as an Architect, I found myself in the middle of the worst economic downturn of my career, and my firm cut back to absolute barebones. I was lucky enough to find a position with a General Contractor doing Federal work – one of the few sectors insulated – and thus found myself in steel toed boots instead of heels. It didn’t take long to realize that the Construction side was a far better fit for my skill set, and I was having far more fun coordinating and solving issues inreal time in the field, than sketching on a drawing board in an office. As the market picked back up, I was approached to change seats yet again – this time to the Owner’s Rep side of the table. For me, it is truly the perfect storm’s eye position of the design and construction worlds colliding.

What advice would you give to women starting out in the industry?

Be brave. If it scares you a little, it’s probably the right choice.