Project Description
Few Dare to Tread Where Form Meets Function
While building Cartems, creating beauty out of chaos was the name of the game. Designing a kitchen to make high quality baked-goods in volume and serve them to customers within tight physical, financial and regulatory constraints was a serious challenge. The retail spaces were created to be the perfect container for presenting a new, and yet nostalgic product; to communicate authenticity and quality while encouraging smiles conversation and the enjoyment of donuts.
In my first professional role I translated the loose forms and ideas of incomplete drawings and specifications into prices for customers in commercial construction. Think of this like drafting the outlines of code that dozens or hundreds of other companies have to integrate into the parts of the product they are working on. If the project is approved, then I draw up schedules and allocate resources to build the section. This part then has to fit into the physical product now under development, with constantly changing details and schedules as each company adds in their section. It is similar in complexity to planning, and assembling a new style of jetliner, for every new project.
I also designed, built and managed a manufacturing facility to translate raw materials, drawings, budgets, and schedules into real walls of metal and glass. It required learning and training others continuously to get each new project fabricated and out the door to spec, on time, and on budget.
Raised in a construction site for my first 15 years, watching and helping my father’s dream take form; then building and fixing other people’s homes as a teenager provided a deep understanding of the art and engineering that goes into working on this edge.
