Archinect
Karen Rios

Karen Rios

Atlanta, GA, US

 
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About 

Elsewhere:

Employment 

Jaklitsch/Gardner Architects, New York, NY, US, Project Architect / Project Manager

PROJECT LEAD & MAIN POINT OF CONTACT; DEVELOP, MANAGE, & LEAD ALL PHASES OF DESIGN (CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
TO CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION); COLLABORATE DIRECTLY WITH CLIENT & PRINCIPALS TO DEVELOP, MODEL, AND
RENDER DESIGNS; PRODUCE & LEAD BI-WEEKLY CLIENT PRESENTATIONS INCLUDING MEETING AGENDAS, CONCEPT
DRAWINGS, & DESIGN MATERIALS; SET UP, MODEL, MANAGE BIM 3D MODELS & ASSIST STAFF THROUGH REVIT
LEARNING PROCESS (BIM MANAGER); PRODUCE SETS AND PRESENTATIONS FOR HISTORICAL COMMITTEE REVIEW (LPC,
SHPO); DEVELOP & MANAGE PROJECT SCHEDULES; SOURCE & COORDINATE FF&E PER BUDGET & DESIGN INTENT;
PRODUCE & MANAGE DESIGN DOCUMENTS & DRAWINGS; COORDINATE WITH CONSULTANTS, PARTAKING IN MEETINGS &
REVIEWING DRAWINGS AS REQUIRED; MENTOR & LEAD A JUNIOR STAFF

Nov 2023 - current
 

Portman Architects, Atlanta, Project Designer / Project Manager Assistant

DEVELOP & ASSIST IN ALL PHASES OF DESIGN (CONEPTUAL DESIGN TO CONSTRUCTION ADMINISRATION); COLLABORATE
WITH CLIENT & TEAM TO CRAFT CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR PROJECTS IN CHINA & THROUGHOUT THE USA; PRODUCE
DESIGN MATERIALS FOR BI-WEEKLY CLIENT PRESENTATIONS & MEETINGS; DEVELOP DESIGN DOCUMENTS &
CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS; PREPARE & COLLABORATE ON 3D MODELS, RENDERINGS, & FINAL SUBMISSION DOCUMENTS
WITH US OFFICE & CHINA OFFICE; REVIEW, MARKUP, & COORDINATE CONSULTANT DRAWINGS

Mar 2023 - Jan 2024
 

Chipman Design Architecture, Chicago, IL, US, Project Manager

MANAGE PROJECTS FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION: PROJECT LEAD & MAIN POINT OF CONTACT FOR MULTIPLE
PROJECTS AT DIFFERENT PHASES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES; RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL PROJECT PHASES FROM
SCHEMATIC DESIGN (INCLUDING TEST FITS) TO CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION (INCLUDING RESPONDING TO RFI’S);
LEAD & MENTOR JUNIOR STAFF THROUGH PREPARATION OF DRAWINGS; REVIEW CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS & SUBMIT
FOR PERMITS; CREATE & FOLLOW PROJECT SCHEDULES; PARTICIPATE IN WEEKLY CLIENT CHECK-INS AND COORDINATION
MEETINGS; REVIEW & APPROVE SUBMITTALS, SHOP DRAWINGS, & PAYMENT APPLICATIONS

May 2022 - Mar 2023
 

Office Of Design, Decatur, GA, US, Architectural Designer & Interior Project Designer

PARTICIPATE IN ARCHITECTURAL PHASES FROM SCHEMATIC DESIGN TO CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION AND
PERMITTING FOR BOTH INTERIOR DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF PRIMARILY GROUND-UP CONSTRUCTIONS;
CREATE RENDERINGS, DRAWINGS & BOARDS FOR CLIENT PRESENTATIONS; COLLABORATE WITH PROJECT MANAGERS &
COLLABOARATE WITH ENGINEERS IN REALIZING DESIGNS; PRODUCE DETAILED 3D MODELS FOR USE IN CD’S AND
RENDERINGS; RESEARCH & SOURCE FF&E AND INTERIOR FINISHES WITHIN BUDGET TO FIT DESIGN AESTHETIC

Feb 2020 - May 2022
 

Sims Patrick Studio, Atlanta, GA, US, Interior Project Designer

Work focused primarily on hospitality. My role focused primarily on the creation of renderings for project presentations (from conception to final) in addition to the completion of construction documents. Occasional 3-D models required for CD, sketches, renders, and visualizations. Furthermore, my design input primarily focused on fixtures, millwork, and hardware.

May 2019 - Mar 2020
 

Lyman Davidson Dooley, Marietta, GA, US, Architectural Drafter and Interior Project Designer

Work focused primarily on healthcare and commercial buildings. As an architectural drafter, my role included completion of 3D models and their subsequent construction documents in Revit. Occasional site visits for measuring and existing document completion were also performed. In the interiors department, construction documents were completed using AutoCad. My design input generally consisted of furniture design including custom separator panels and millwork engraving patterns with an occasional need for 3-D visualizations.

Apr 2016 - Nov 2017
 

Atlanta Design District, Norcross, GA, US, Architectural Drafter and Construction Management Assistant

Work focused primarily on commercial and residential buildings. My role as an architectural drafter included completion of construction documents and renderings. As a construction management assistant, I was to oversee the construction process, ensuring timely and orderly completion of each construction or renovation. Inclusively, analysis of given construction documents for material count and scheduling was required alongside occasional client meetings.

Feb 2015 - Sep 2016
 

Education 

Kennesaw State University, Marietta, GA, US, BArch, Architecture

Jul 2012 - May 2019
 

Awards 

DCA Exhibition Competition, Other

The competition called for hand-drawn and computer-generated architectural drawings or renderings under two distinct categories. Several of my drawings under each category will be featured in the 2020 exhibition.

2020
 

Archi-Prix Internationa, Nomination

Biennial international competition in which one thesis project per year is chosen to represent their school. Award is then given to the best graduation projects worldwide.

2020
 

Hunter Museum Undergraduate Symposium, Other

We the People. Panelist.

2020
 

Critical Mass, 1st Place

I represented the Kennesaw State University School of Architecture at Crtical Mass, presenting my thesis to various professionals including DS+R's Charles Renfro.

2020
 

Portman Prize, Honorable Mention

Final thesis competition among Kennesaw State's top architecture students.

2019
 

Skills