Honoree Profile
Michelle Hackenwerth
HOK
- Title: Senior Designer
- Tenure at Firm: 4 years
- Nominating Principal: Adriana Rojas, Principal, Director of Interiors
- School: George Mason University & Pratt Institute
- Major: BA Studio Art | MA Interior Design
Inspired By:
Creative people’s brains inspire me. Most of my friends and family are artists, architects, writers and designers. I surround myself with like-minded people who share their creative spirit and life stories with me. I watch documentaries to learn about creative people, how they think and how they approach their jobs. I enjoy learning about artistic thinkers such as chefs, musicians, and graphic artists – their jobs are different and sometimes similar from the Interior Design profession, but I am fascinated by how they process information to communicate ideas to create beauty in the world.
Nature also inspires me. I am passionate about sustainability, biophilia and learning from biomimicry. I believe we all seek to connect to nature and all forms of life. I enjoy visiting the National Parks and spending time in the mountains, wood and beaches hiking and studying the world.
What makes architecture and design in Tampa Bay unique or interesting:
Tampa Bay is an incredible place to live; we are surrounded by gorgeous beaches on the Gulf of Mexico with sunny skies most of the year. There is an easy-breezy tropical lifestyle vibe here that is engrained in our community’s fabric and translate into a lightness and connection to nature in architecture and design.
Keys to a Successful Project:
Key components to success can be measured in many ways; from meeting timelines, and budgets, or by building stronger client relationships, or showcasing the firm’s innovative design. However, the most important success metric is from the human perspective. Success is measured by how our design positively impacts people. I consider it a success if the project is beneficial to the community it serves. Did the design help the client get what they need and did the project meet/exceed their expectations? What about our staff; did the team learn and grow? Were they mentored and motivated? What about my personal success; how did I grow? Did I inspire my client and my team? Did I utilize my creative thinking? Is my design vocabulary my true voice and is it brought to life? Lastly, what about the end user? My best days on the job are during the post occupancy, when the end user tells me how much they look forward to coming to work in the environment that I created. Success is when I hear stories of people whose loved ones were well-cared for in a space that I designed. Success is measured by moments thought our human connections.
Key components to success can be measured in many ways; from meeting timelines, and budgets, or by building stronger client relationships, or showcasing the firm’s innovative design. However, the most important success metric is from the human perspective. Success is measured by how our design positively impacts people. I consider it a success if the project is beneficial to the community it serves. Did the design help the client get what they need and did the project meet/exceed their expectations? What about our staff; did the team learn and grow? Were they mentored and motivated? What about my personal success; how did I grow? Did I inspire my client and my team? Did I utilize my creative thinking? Is my design vocabulary my true voice and is it brought to life? Lastly, what about the end user? My best days on the job are during the post occupancy, when the end user tells me how much they look forward to coming to work in the environment that I created. Success is when I hear stories of people whose loved ones were well-cared for in a space that I designed. Success is measured by moments thought our human connections.
“Michelle has consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership, inspiring her peers and fostering collaboration across teams to deliver innovative and impactful design solutions.
Beyond her professional achievements, Michelle is deeply committed to giving back to the community, using her skills and influence to support initiatives that promote inclusivity, sustainability, and social responsibility in design.”
Adriana Rojas
Principal, Director of Interiors
Favorite Haworth Collection Piece:
Archibald Lounge Chair
What Is Special About It:
It checks all the boxes for me – the craftmanship is simply exquisite, the lines are curve-icious and when you sit, it feels like a cozy hug. The sophisticated design balances the contemporary modern lines with classic references to feel timeless and effortless. Bravo!
