Amanda Havens

I started my architecture career in March 2015 when I joined HNTB, a transit architecture and engineering firm in Philadelphia. I was really interested in how architecture can impact transportation, something we didn't talk much about in school. I started on a team of 4 people and learned so much from my mentors about designing the transportation experience for urban travelers. Working in a city as old as Philadelphia, I got to see underground tunnels and hidden secrets I never knew existed. In 2017, I switched to STV where I've been for 8 years, and instead of working with SEPTA, I now work primarily with Amtrak on a national level. I've visited some of the most historic stations in the country and gotten to see pieces that aren't open to the public. My work has always focused on accessibility, designing upgrades to historic facilities to make them usable for people with disabilities while maintaining the historic nature of the station. It's been a really cool career that I didn't expect to have when I started architecture school, and I love feeling like I haven't just helped a client, but that I've helped my community. Every day is different, and I thrive on that excitement of having to respond quickly to keep projects moving.