Whose Architecture?
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This article summarizes an interview with Chyanne Husar, AIA, founder of HUS Architecture in Chicago. As a small firm owner, she focuses on building community both within her office and the city. She serves as chair of AIA's Small Firm Exchange to help other small firms navigate operational challenges through mentorship and resources. Her experience also helps her clients' missions through community-focused projects and supporting emerging firms.
Whose Architecture?
- 1. 8/9/2018 Whose Architecture? | Architect Magazine | Community Projects, Business, Chicago https://www.architectmagazine.com/aia-architect/aiavoices/whose-architecture_o 1/5 SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY Log In or Register PROJECTS TECH & PRODUCTS PRACTICE CULTURE & CRITICISM AWARDS CONTINUING ED THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS Home > AIA Architect > AIAVoices > Whose Architecture? AIA ARCHITECT Chyanne Husar, AIA, set a goal for herself in college: “I want to have an international firm by the time I’m 30.” She was 31 when she attempted to establish a branch of her firm, HUS Architecture, in China. Now, however, she focuses her firm’s efforts on Chicago and serves as the 2018 chair of AIA’s Small Firm Exchange (SFx), all while working on building stronger communities inside the office and within the city she calls home. As a small firm, it can’t be just about you; it’s all about the little community you’re creating. It’s become a cliché to say that—everyone wants community—but it is really important. Adding one person to such a tight-knit group completely changes the dynamic, and we want to be sensitive and do our best to avoid gossip, balance Photography: Todd Winters PROJECTS Posted on: August 01, 2018 0 Like 99 AIA VOICES Whose Architecture? Strengthening communities, both inside and outside the firm. By STEVE CIMINO FOR AIA ARCHITECT Close X
- 2. 8/9/2018 Whose Architecture? | Architect Magazine | Community Projects, Business, Chicago https://www.architectmagazine.com/aia-architect/aiavoices/whose-architecture_o 2/5 team dynamics, and find ways to be inclusive by running our firm transparently. I’ve been able to use a small firm to follow my passions, but we need the passions of others as well. My firm is named HUS Architecture, pronounced “whose.” It was originally just a play on my last name but has grown to mean “Whose is it, and how can you make it your own?” A new employee recently asked, “So how many days off do I get?” and I realized we had yet to develop an official policy. That’s where the Small Firm Exchange is so valuable. As architects we’re trained to interpret client needs and translate that into built space, but as a small firm we need to deal with internal operational questions that are difficult to handle. It helps to know how similar firms tackle similar issues, and the answers aren’t readily available on Google. Within the SFx, we aim to collect and curate the information that matters to architects like us. We’re currently developing a sample business plan, figuring out how to grow future firm leaders, and using our collective power to advocate better healthcare solutions for small firms. Many of us try to use our own struggles and solutions to help others navigate the process more easily. My experience with the SFx has helped me contribute to my clients’ missions as well. HUS Architecture owes our start to subcontracts through the Chicago Housing Authority and Chicago’s Public Building Commission. We’ve been able to grow our sustainability and affordable-housing expertise by serving as the glue that helps bigger firms provide consistent service. As we grow, we in turn will be helping the next generation of firms and leaders find a foothold in the industry; the SFx has given us the tools to do this effectively. By supporting each other—through guidance, mentorship, and fellowship—we all do better. Our practices do better, our psyches are better, and, hopefully, our communities ultimately benefit as well. —As told to Steve Cimino Steve Cimino for AIA Architect Steve Cimino is a Los Angeles-based writer and editor with a focus on architecture and design. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Advertisement Keywords: SUBJECT: Community Projects Business LOCATION: Chicago MORE FROM ARCHITECT DESIGN INTEL Small Details Pull a Luxury Apartment Together Designers use extruded aluminum trim to achieve a clean, modern look without breaking the bank. >BROUGHT TO YOU BY TAMLYN view more > McDonald’s Global Fla Chicago >Ross Barney Arc Guberman-Kennedy Residence >Halflants + Pi Donnelly Condo >Halfl Pichette view more > VIDEO A+ Session: Global Approaches to Age-Fr Design > MOST POPUL Apple Piazza Liberty Close X
- 3. 8/9/2018 Whose Architecture? | Architect Magazine | Community Projects, Business, Chicago https://www.architectmagazine.com/aia-architect/aiavoices/whose-architecture_o 3/5 Community Centric > Practice Cra > AIA Voices: The New Architect > 0 Comments Subscribe RSS Please read our Content Guidelines before posting Login Write a comment JOIN THE DISCUSSION Patch22's T Structure F Weather Story Coun Medical Ce Outpatient Maggie's C Barts Florence C Judicial Ce NEXT PROGRESSIV Independent Architect BRIEFS U.S. State Departmen Richärd+Bauer to Des de Janeiro Consulate General > Mortgage Application Percent to Lowest Lev Close X
- 4. 8/9/2018 Whose Architecture? | Architect Magazine | Community Projects, Business, Chicago https://www.architectmagazine.com/aia-architect/aiavoices/whose-architecture_o 4/5 view more > January 2016 > More People Are Rent Nation's Largest Metr NEH Awards $13 Milli Infrastructure and Cap Building Challenge Gr Peter Marino to Open Art Foundation > CONTINUING Sponsored Links Emerging Trends in Kitchen Design: Form, Function, and Feature Daylighting Inside and Out: Unconventional Ways to Bring More Natural Light Into and Throughout a Building Zero Energy Schools: How Innovative Concrete Systems are Making It Possible Dry Set Porcelain Pavers for Outdoor Applications Thinking Wood as a Material of Choice: Costs Less, Delivers More Julian Construction Most Affordable Foundation Repair & Replacement Company In The L.A. Area! PROJECTS TECH & PRODUCTS PRACTICE CULTURE & CRITICISM AWARDS CONTINUING ED AIA Close X
- 5. 8/9/2018 Whose Architecture? | Architect Magazine | Community Projects, Business, Chicago https://www.architectmagazine.com/aia-architect/aiavoices/whose-architecture_o 5/5 Honorable Mention: Precautionary List, a User-Friendly Guide to Green Citation: MineralBuilt, a New CMU Block Designed by Architects Farmhouse by the Sea Five88 Citation: Robotic Needle Felting Stitches New Possibilities LEDucation 2019 Call for Speakers Xicato Announces New CEO BLS: 157,000 Jobs Added in July This Week in Tech: German Team Wins Elon Musk's SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition IALD and WILD NY To Promote the Work of Women Lighting Designers Fairmount Park Fountain, Philadelphia Boston's 2030 Planning Report Outlines Potential Climate Disaster The Importance of Utilizing Natural Surroundings While Designing Homes What are the Ramifications of the 2018 Energy Code? Considerations For Building a Healthy Home JULY 2018 DIGIT Subscribe Architect Magazine: Architectural Design | Architecture Online: The premier site for architecture industry news & building resources for architects and architecture industry professionals. Relevant Sites Residential Architect Architectural Lighting EcoBuilding Pulse Custom Home Journal of Light Construction Concrete Construction Builder Remodeling Metrostudy Masthead FAQs Advertise Magazine About Hanley Wood Contact Hanley WoodCopyright © 2016 Hanley Wood Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Close X