Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Veum.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
From the time I was little, I was always tinkering and constructing things; Lego’s, building snow forts and sand castles, etc. My mom told me that I was always very absorbed in constructing things and could sit for hours either with myself or my close friends, building, laying things out and redoing. When I was in junior high, my dad hired an architect to design his new building – my dad was a car dealer. I asked if I could sit in on the meetings with the architect and he said “Sure!” I was fascinated first by the drawings and then by how he described the ‘flow’ and arrangement of spaces. I was hooked but did not know it at the time. When I started college, I thought I wanted to go into medicine but realized I had another calling. Once I started it the architecture school, I was absorbed! Now, that I think about it, if I combine architecture with medicine, I could be a plastic surgeon! Maybe not so much…
Has it been a smooth road?
Honestly, college was great, I was so absorbed that before I knew it, I was done. the challenges and lessons mostly came from the professional side. Recessions can be brutal on our profession. Having gone through a few of them, I certainly learned some valuable personal and professional lessons.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the AVRP Skyport story. Tell us more about the business.
AVRP Skyport designs Amazing things! That is what we say around here. Anyone can design but to explore new ideas that go beyond solving problems, is the greatest challenge – and we love it! We are proud of that attitude!
We do have different groups with expertise; workplace, healthcare, urban mixed-use/urban housing, education, and planning.
Aside from creativity and our interactive design process, we are known for our research. we don’t just study our own clients, we solicit studies from other parallel business or academic resources to keep our forward focus. If anyone knows how the different age groups affect our work, we do. We back that up with experience, case studies and research… to do Amazing things!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Wait! Where is my crystal ball when I need it! Truly, we are in an era of social and technological revolution. With all due respect, the profession is a bit archaic; we still play traditional design roles and deliver essentially the same way with the aid of technology. I think all that will change in the next decade. I read that in the next 50 years, the global population will grow by 46% and 70% of our global population will live in urban areas. The list is long but, construction will grow, infrastructure will have to grow, speed and complexity will rule. How does a profession like ours respond? First, we are trained to tap and exercise our creativity. Creativity is invaluable with complexity. Of course, we use technology effectively; software, VR/AR, etc. but the way in which we use it will be expanded – to a more collaborative and globally networked delivery. Also, our role will change. Roles like strategic thinking, preparatory design work, and analysis may play bigger roles for us – prior planning will play a much bigger role in the speed and complexity on the delivery side, How many pages do I have?
Contact Info:
- Address: 703 16th Street
San Diego, CA 92101 - Website: www.avrpstudios.com
- Phone: 619-704-2700
- Email: cveum@avrpstudios.com
Image Credit:
Red Door Interactive, RMA Photography, John Muller, Microsoft, Martin Mann and AVRP Skyport
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