Derrick Bailey, AIA, is a program executive at McKissack and McKissack, one of the oldest minority and woman-owned design and construction services firms in the U.S. Having spent more than a decade at the firm and three decades in the industry, Bailey has successfully managed a diverse group of project types including academic, municipal, hospitality, corporate, commercial, manufacturing, and residential buildings. His day-to-day work consists of architect/engineer (A/E) coordination, design reviews, creating project budgets and scheduling, and logistics planning, among other responsibilities.
We chatted with Bailey about his perspective on the practical skills needed to excell in the architecture industry—including in management positions—overcoming anxieties for architects of color, and what architects should consider for the future of the field.
What made you pursue a career in architecture?
My decision to pursue a career in architecture happened at a very early age. My dad, who was a carpenter by trade growing up in Toronto, would take us to some job sites to show off what he was working on. My interest peaked in grade 10 when he worked on the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. At the time, it was the tallest building in downtown Toronto. He would sing the praises of the engineers and architects who would be on the job. And he wanted us, my sister and I, to follow in his footsteps by becoming engineers or architects because those were the folks who designed the buildings—he had an admiration for the architects and engineers because of the power position that they were in.
You directed the design and construction of the largest public housing modernization program in the country, which was part of the Chicago Housing Authority’s Plan for Transformation. What was that experience like for you?
That project was the largest adaptive re-use program in the country at the time. The key component of the program was the modernization of the senior portfolio, which consisted of 54 high-rise buildings with approximately 10,000 dwelling units. That project gave me an opportunity to really impact and change the lives of thousands of individuals by transforming what were deplorable, uninhabitable spaces into livable spaces. With a 10-year strategic plan and budget of approximately $1.5 billion, my portion of project was approximately half a billion dollars.
What skills are necessary for leadership and project management in this industry?
From a technical perspective, one needs to have a sense of how to conduct a value engineering workshop—be able to communicate effectively with stakeholders and communicate to them what objectives we're trying to reach in various stages of the project. Being able to understand project budget scheduling logistics, planning, and contract negotiation—all of those elements, in terms of skills, are wrapped up in communication. Not being able to communicate effectively, especially from a McKissack perspective, is one of the most critical paths for a project to go sideways.
Can you talk about one or two of your biggest challenges during your career and how you overcame them?
From a professional perspective, the biggest challenge that I've had throughout my professional career is to ensure that we stay within budget. My engineer and management background is pivotal in terms of battling to get architects and engineers to focus on the alignment of the budget and scope. That's always a battle, always a major challenge.
The toughest challenge that I've encountered on a personal note, as a minority architect, is a self-imposed pressure that I have to over-deliver. I always say to myself, ‘If the race is 100 meters, my intention is to run 125 or 150 meters in order to be competitive and relevant.’ And so, pushing myself to make sure there is no question about my capability in terms of getting the job done.
Does that need to overachieve ever become exhausting for you?
Absolutely, it does. But the enjoyment that one gets in terms of the work that you do and the impact that you have on lives provides the energy to go the extra 10, 15, 20, 20 meters. It's a challenge you overcome by seeing the rewards of your effort.
You've been in the industry for more than three decades. How have you seen it change and what would you like to see for the future of architecture and design?
The challenge I see is to make sure that students who are going through the system, learning the craft and nuances of the profession, are steeped in understanding the basic and fundamental elements of architecture and don't get caught up in the niceties of the computer. The computer allows you to generate more options, but if you don't understand the fundamental basics, you may be generating a lot of nonsense as design responses to a particular project.
Additionally, there’s been a lot more emphasis on sustainability. I would like to see more emphasis on the wellness of a building in terms of how that building [is] contributing to the well-being of the inhabitants in that particular space. I know the big concentration is on energy renewal assistance such as solar, but I think there needs to be more of a shift and a focus on building wellness and not simply on sustainability from the standpoint of better energy usage.
Is there anything else important you would like to add about your career?
My biggest satisfaction comes from transforming unlivable spaces into livable, habitable, functioning spaces. In short, the satisfaction of making those spaces better—particularly as it relates to dwelling spaces at the lower end of the cost spectrum.
To make that a reality, my background has positioned me to do more research into the design responses that would allow us to tackle the issue of low-to-moderate income housing. In the U.S., there's been some talk in terms of generational housing structures where grandparents, parents, and kids are all in the same dwelling unit. But it's been slow to take off because Americans, for the most part, are into the notion of, ‘I own my own home.’ So it would take a paradigm shift in terms of the thought process of dwelling spaces for some of these concepts to take hold.
Image credits