Hyeonji Kwon

What do you do in your current job?

Teaching studio (Sessional Instructor) for ED2 and ED4 at the University of Manitoba

What are you doing right now that you are most excited about?

I’ve just finished the Master’s program in Architecture at University of Manitoba. I’m currently working at Boreal Architecture. This fall I will be joining the studio teaching team for Environmental Design (ED2) which is a little scary yet very exciting.

What is your proudest achievement since graduation?

My proudest accomplishment would be finishing another degree right after MID. Graduating into the pandemic was quite stressful. Deciding to study more helped me to explore further in academia and was a valuable experience as I gained more experience working as a teaching assistant or a research assistant.

What do you find to be the most challenging, and the most rewarding aspects of your career?

As I started to work in the field, the most challenging part I found was bridging the inevitable gap between the professional field and academic experience. School teaches us how to think critically, and so to utilize and carry that further in actual design process is an exciting challenge, and most rewarding.

What advice would you give to those who are considering a career in interior design?

I would advise to not be afraid to explore. Interior design is such a versatile field of study. It could lead you to set design, garment design, architectural design and many more. Understanding that all design materials are interconnected will help to create wider and more exciting career paths.

What drew you to interior design? What do you love most about it?

What I love about interior design is the level of detail. Peter Zumthor’s writing about how we remember the feeling of a door handle really stuck with me. It is so close to our everyday lives. Every moment we spend indoors and outdoors is strongly influenced by designers who create spaces for place-making.

What do you see as the most compelling trends in the interior design field?

I started to see more places that support users’ psychological well-being in commercial spaces. Spaces that offer more than just visual pleasures are exciting as that is what I learned in Interior Design department - to create meaningful spaces that support the users psychologically and physically

If you could turn back time to your MID years, what would you have done differently/have taken advantage of as a student?

I would have loved to try and design a furniture piece or a wall or a ceiling. Designing and building is such a strong tool for us to understand how gravity works haha.

How did your MID degree at the UM help to prepare you for your career?

It helped me to have a better sense of our built environment through active research and using those resources for evidence based design.

In what ways did your experience at the UM contribute to your success?

As a baby intern I don’t think I’m that much of a success haha.

What was the best part about your experience in the graduate program at the UM?

It was for sure the learning environment. The faculty has great professors and professionals that are passionate about teaching and researching. The students are eager to learn and explore so it created an exciting and dynamic environment.

What motivated you to pursue a graduate degree at the UM?

It was the only university at that time that had a graduate program. The depth and versatility of interior design theory courses and studios also attracted me.

What was the most valuable lesson you learned at the UM?

I learned that empathy is the greatest tool for designers to create meaningful and innovative spaces.