Bio:
The great designer, Jodi van der Wiel is a Design Director at Vocon, an award-winning Cleveland firm. She is currently serving (2020) as the President of AIA Cleveland, the third woman and the first mother to hold this position in the chapter’s 130-year history. In 2015, Jodi co-founded AIA Cleveland’s Women in Architecture Committee and Cleveland Connect, the chapter’s mentorship program. Her honors include the AIA Ohio Mentor Award and the Sho-Ping Chin Grant, earmarked for promising female leaders.

How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
I began my academic work in the fine arts, honing-in on architecture through my studies in art history. I realized that I had the ability to visualize three-dimensionally, and my love of math and art could both be employed through architecture.

What do you do?
I am the design lead for large-scale project initiatives, including: corporate, multi-family and educational typologies. I guide Vocon Cleveland’s design leadership, which sets the tone for design excellence, research, mentorship, and education.

What excites you in the work you do?
Following project completion, it’s been rewarding to witness our clients inhabit their built environments. Our projects advance collaboration, innovation, inspiration, human health, and well-being.

Who or what inspires you professionally?
I can be inspired by just about anything: art, music, literature. I especially appreciate surprise and the unexpected perspective. I’m grateful to learn about life through Architecture.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
I am proud of the architectural practice that we’re building at Vocon, our pursuit of design excellence, and our mentorship of emerging professionals. I am proud that we have more female registered architects than any other Cleveland firm.

Featured Project Name: 
Process Technology Headquarters
 
Featured Project Location: 
Willoughby, Ohio
 
Featured Project Completion Date: 
2018

Role in Featured Project: 
Design Director | Lead Designer
 
Featured Project Description:
The mission for Process Technology’s Willoughby headquarters was to commit to their community with the re-use of an existing building and site. With the hope to elevate cultural transparency, the design displays testing and R + D at the core of the socialization zone, motivating personal exchanges and casual collisions. The parti provides choice and flexibility. As a result, the architecture is unified and reflective of the progressive nature of this forward-thinking technology company.

Photography Credit:
Interior: Matthew Carbone;
Exterior: David Joseph