Kristen Furtak

I've been in architecture since 2004, starting my journey right after graduating with my Bachelor in Architecture. I'm originally from Vermont, but I knew I needed to move to find the right opportunities, so I chose Connecticut as a good balance - not too far from home, but far enough to create my own adventure. I started at a small firm where I did everything from design to furniture selections to construction administration because everyone wore multiple hats. After being laid off 3 years later, I took some time to figure out my next steps, and in August 2007, I joined the SLAM Collaborative, where I've been for 19 years now. It's become my home, and I've been lucky to create a family here - we've all grown up together, gotten married, raised children, and celebrated milestones in each other's lives. At SLAM, I've focused on academic program and planning for educational environments for about the last 10 years. I hate using the word expertise, but I have a lot of knowledge in programming and planning. I really enjoy the early phase of projects - meeting with clients, understanding what their needs are, and making sure the team can create environments that support the different ways students learn. I earned my ALEP certification 4 years ago, and I'm currently working on a programming and planning workbook that's about 80% done. The intent is to help other SLAM employees understand how to program and what that role entails. Looking ahead, I want to maintain my work-life balance as a mom while pushing for post-occupancy evaluations to become a staple of what we offer at SLAM - coming back after clients have been in the building for 3 to 6 months to survey people, walk the spaces, and learn from what's working and what isn't, so we're not repeating mistakes and can keep that connection with our clients beyond just cutting the ribbon.