Bio:
The Great Designer, Ellen Abraham is a design professional who aims to bridge the gap between ideation and technical excellence, all through her first love - Architecture. This MBA graduate and Senior Project BIM / Technical Lead at Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP was part of the 2017 Cohort of Emerging Leaders chosen by the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation for Women. Ellen debuted as a speaker at the 2018 National Organization of Minority Architects Conference in Chicago, Illinois.

How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
As a kid, my parents enrolled me into Art School and we painted lots of French Creole houses in my town. I absolutely loved it! Also, I was present during the construction of our home and often visited the site with my Dad. At 10 years old...I knew!

What do you do?
Professionally, I currently work at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP in NYC as a Senior Technical Lead & Project BIM Coordinator. I also Co-Chair the NY SOM Women’s Initiative Volunteering & Philanthropy Committee.
What excites you in the work you do?

What excites you in the work you do?
In one word - Complexity.

Who or what inspires you professionally?
Over the years, Inspiration for me has come from persons who have broken traditional barriers and expressed their artistic sensibilities through unbounded design. Currently, I look up to Sir David Adjaye, whom I hope to meet one day and Zaha Hadid.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
Thus far, my proudest moments include my debut as a Speaker at the 2018 National Organization for Minority Architects Conference in Chicago and being selected for the 1st Emerging Leader Cohort of the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation for Women.

Featured Project Name: 
Shanghai JW Marriott Marquis Hotel 
 
Featured Project Location: 
Shanghai, China
 
Featured Project Completion Date: 
2019

Role in Featured Project: 
Senior Interiors Technical Lead 
 
Featured Project Description:
This new five-star JW Marriott Marquis hotel and conference center will be the first of its kind in China, and will establish a new landmark for the city of Shanghai. The design responds to the project’s constraints and the owner’s vision for a unique destination, leveraging its relationship to the Huangpu River to create an inspiring guest experience. Within this context, the gently sloping sides of the atrium amplify the vocabulary of the exterior form at a grand scale. Source: www.SOM.com

Photography Credit:
Skidmore, Owings Merrill LLP