Suchi Reddy

“Every project has its own unique limitations and presents its own unique opportunities for expression of an idea. Therefore, my approach to every project is a process of discovering those limitations and opportunities, and seeing what comes of the dialogue between those two forces.”

Photo By: Chloe Horseman

#WomenWhoBuild, meet Suchi Reddy, AIA,

Suchi is the founder of New York based Architecture and Design firm Reddymade. With a strong focus on a human-centric approach to design and a dedication to addressing the economic, social, environmental, and cultural impacts of the firms work on both the user and the planet, it is no suprise that Reddymade has been the recipient of a number of highly coveted awards including NYCxDesign award, AIA Brooklyn + Queens Award, AIA New York State Excelsior Award, and Interior Design’s best of the year awards. The firm, through Suchi’s leadership, has worked on some incredible projects including the CARE room (a collaboration with the International Arts + Minds Lab at The Brain Sciences Institute at Johns Hopkins University) and on an experimental installation for the Salone del Mobile design festival in Milan (a partnership with Google, Muuto, and the International Arts + Minds Lab at Johns Hopkins University) just to name a few. In addition to her work with Reddymade, Suchi is a member of the Van Alen Institute Leadership Council and sits on the board of the Design Trust for Public Space and Storefront for Art and Architecture.

Suchi sat down with ArchNative (virtually of course) to discuss how her childhood home in Chennai, India had inspired her decision to pursue Architecture, how she approaches each project that she works on, what inspires her professionally, and what her advice is for women who are just starting in the field.

Can you tell me a little bit about your journey in Architecture? What was your first introduction to the field?

I was born and raised in Chennai, India, a bustling seaside city that used to be called Madras, and is home to the signature plaid by that name. In the middle of all the hustle and bustle of Indian city life, my house was an anchor of serenity. Surrounded by gardens on three sides and open to them all, it had a feeling of flow that I absorbed as a condition for living. At the age of ten, I remember having a distinct epiphany that my house influenced who I was. I experienced this as a truth, even if I didn't quite yet know how it did that. That I chose architecture as my field was no surprise after that. The house I grew up in has been a great protagonist in my life as an architect.

What about the industry made you decide to pursue it as a career?

I think at its core, architecture is about doing good. It's our privilege as architects to uplift the community we serve, and this potential is what draws me to the industry. I am an optimist at heart, and the act of creating something new, something never done before is something that renews my energy.

*A Space for Being*. Photo By: Emanuel Hahn

How do you approach each project you work on?

Every project has its own unique limitations and presents its own unique opportunities for expression of an idea. Therefore, my approach to every project is a process of discovering those limitations and opportunities, and seeing what comes of the dialogue between those two forces. I'm an efficient designer, so I like to have all the facts—be they budget, code or program-related—before I go into the creative process to unearth the right solution.

You are the founder of Reddymade Architecture and Design, can you tell us a little bit about the company and what the journey of starting it was like?

I began Reddymade in 2002, with just myself and one project in the area. It has now grown to be a team of 16 talented and dedicated people, and we have projects around the country, and international work. When I began I only had one rule. "Nice people. and nice projects." I still follow that, whatever does not fit that model falls away. I had a rather organic start to my practice. The firm I had been working for had to announce layoffs with the loss of a big client, and the same day, a friend of a friend called to ask if I would design a house for them. And thus Reddymade was born. I never got to build that house, but during the process of designing it, I was referred to another project which was in one of my favorite buildings, Lever House, and I completed it to both mine and my client's satisfaction. It was an interesting experience, especially because all the other projects in the building were handled by large multinational design firms, and there I was in the middle. It still remains one of my favorite projects to this day.

What has been your favorite project to work on and why?

I like all my projects to be fair, but a recent favorite is an installation called "A Space for Being" that we did during Salone del Mobile in Milan last year (2019). The installation, which covered 7000sf and was built in six days, consisted of three rooms which presented three different environments. The design brief was to illustrate the principles of a new field called neuroaesthetics, which looks at the effect of aesthetic experiences on the brain and the body. The project was designed for Google in collaboration with the Danish furniture company Muuto, and the International Arts+Mind Lab at the Brain Sciences Institute at Johns Hopkins. Google designed a wristband through which we could measure visitor's body responses to the three spaces and reflect back to them the space or moment where their bodies were most at ease in the form of a beautiful graphic that they got to keep. I love this project because it is groundbreaking and beautiful, and it showed that design matters. You can see a short film about it here.

What has been the most challenging part of your career thus far? What has been the most rewarding?

The most challenging part of my career has been finding the right opportunities. As an immigrant and a woman of color working in a male-dominated field, the normal challenges of growth have had an extra intensity that I had to work very hard to overcome. The most rewarding thing is seeing my clients be happier and more productive, and writing to tell me so, in their spaces and projects. I am also very proud of the fact that my firm has always been diverse and I have had many talented women on my staff.

What inspires you professionally?

Great thinking in any field inspires me professionally. I love it when I can take an idea from one area and see how it cross pollinates into another.

What is one piece of advice you have for women who are just starting in the field?

My one piece of advice to women who are starting out, would be to never undervalue yourself.

“My one piece of advice to women who are starting out, would be to never undervalue yourself. ”

Margaret Sullivan

Erica Williams