DCA would like to welcome Blake Feist to our firm. Blake is 26 years old and a recent graduate from the University of Oregon, and one of our newest and youngest in the Designer II position to join us.
Blake welcomed the opportunity to work for DCA and re-join the community of Stockton, California where he grew up. Blake explained to me, “Not many people my age are coming to Stockton to work in Architecture.” Blake is one of the very few in his age group working in the Architecture field in Stockton. On why he decided to return, “I have known for a long time that I wanted to return to Stockton. Stockton has a good community around itself, despite having a bad perception.” Blake went on to emphasize that what makes Stockton everything but average are the incredible people in Stockton that pride themselves on supporting their community, through human connection and support of local businesses. “The relationships and the people that you meet around here are special. There is something enticing about Stockton,” Blake shares.
Through his work with DCA Blake cherishes the opportunities to create impactful advancements for generations. He elaborates on gratifying experiences of design work with DCA, “With school projects, there is a huge opportunity to affect the daily experience of the students. If we design a great building for students to learn in, it helps their learning experience. The design we implement helps the moods of the people occupying those spaces. If we design a visually appealing room that someone can spend 6-8 hours in and be happy when they leave, that is a huge impact.”
Blake then discussed with me an interestingly challenging project he is working on, an outdoor tasting space for a winery. With a new mentality prompted by COVID, Blake tells me how his design perspective has adapted. “We are thinking differently about the future, 5-10 years from now,” when creating enjoyable leisure spaces that are historically indoors. In a COVID world, we must facilitate a new lifestyle. For designers, this means the opportunity to be innovative in creating enjoyable spaces for the community to delight in.
Blake was big on team sports in both his Highschool and Collegiate career. Blake credits team sports, such as playing Lacrosse, as a great source for leadership, teamwork ethic, social skills, and a holistic transferable skillset that has supported his growth in many facets of his life.
Blake reminisced with me about his time in Eugene, Oregon where “5 min out of town and you are in the wilderness.” In his free time, he enjoys hiking, camping, fishing, playing sports, and spending time with friends.
Written by Marisol Alexandria, Ocean Sun Media
24 March 2021
