For Kimberly Rea, the most rewarding part of architecture is seeing people come together around a shared goal.
From technical coordination to collaborative problem-solving, Kimberly values the relationships behind every successful project — and the collective effort it takes to bring complex ideas to life.
Who or what inspired your passion to work in architecture?
Seeing projects come to life from an idea to technical drawings to a completed building. It is amazing the journey each project takes to completion, and all the people who contribute along the way.
What brings you joy outside of the office?
Primarily, my children. Watching them grow and discovering the world around them, I look forward to watching their journey through life. Followed by a glass of wine and having my weekend morning coffee on the deck in the summer.
What has been your favorite or most rewarding project you have worked on at S2 so far? Why? What lessons did you learn along the way?
I would have to say Sherwood Care Long-Term Care is one of my favourite projects I have worked on to date. Why is simple—we have an amazing team and that is the key ingredient for all my favourite projects, a team that works well together. Not just the team at S2, but the whole project team including our consultants, the construction manager, and the client. Everyone is engaged and wants to deliver their best. Yes, we had some bumps along the way, but we made it through together. We still have a long way to go through construction, but I am excited to see the project completed and the Sherwood Care team move into their new home.
Smarter Together: Have you worked in a team where sharing different ideas and experiences helped make a project better?
Since joining S2, one of things I have really appreciated is the firm’s culture and desire to share knowledge. We have our own internal “experts” on specific aspects of the industry, who are always willing to stop what there are doing to help you out. If they cannot help you, they go above and beyond to help find someone that can through their networks. The saying, “It takes a village to raise a child” is true of this industry, too. It really does take a village; we are constantly sharing our knowledge and experience to make the next project even better.
What do you love most about being on the S2 team?
The technical team. Every single person on this team is truly enthusiastic about what we do, wanting to learn and do their best on every single project. I appreciate learning from our management team with their experience and guidance. I love connecting with my peers about their experience and helping each other through complex problems within our projects. And I love our junior team members, watching them grow in their own careers, becoming more confident with every challenge that is put in front of them.
