I have done 50% I need someone to complete the work (Qualitative Research Coding -Interview Coding)

Yann Weymouth – “It’s About People”

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Yann Weymouth is an internationally known architect, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, and the designer of the Salvador Dali Museum. Early in his career, he served as Chief of Design for I. M. Pei on the Grand Louvre Project, in Paris, France. Over the years, Yann’s projects have garnered critical acclaim from around the world as well as from the many thousands of people who interact with his creations on a daily basis. For, in Yann’s opinion, the positive effect his work has on people is his key criteria for determining how successful his designs are.

The researchers had the good fortune to interview Yann on a Friday afternoon at the Muma College of Business at the University of South Florida. The dialogue, during which Yann spoke on his life, personal relationships, and professional experiences, was rich in humor and insights as Yann discussed how he approaches some of the significant issues facing business such as Ethics, Sustainability, Creativity and Innovation both personally and professionally.

· Research Method

The research method used the narrative study approach, consisting of an interview with the protagonist to examine his attitudes and approaches for integrating and dealing with issues like Ethics, Sustainability, and Creativity and Innovation into his everyday life and current projects. The interview was both audio and video recorded, which enabled the researchers to review the session during the coding process. Additionally, the audio recording was then transcribed, including time stamping, to allow the researchers to determine the timings and durations of the protagonist’s answers during the session.

During the interview, the main focus was on the protagonist’s current life and experiences. Of particular interest was how the protagonist addressed current business topics like Sustainability and Ethics, how he assessed the impacts of these issues on his personal and business relationships, and how his projects and architectural designs are executed to deal with these issues as they arose.

Once the interview was transcribed, the data was examined and the key elements in the protagonist’s stories were identified and organized in order to retell his experiences in a way that provides a logical order to the overall research. Additionally, common things faced by the protagonist, such as problems, actions, and resolutions were captured and correlated during coding.

The researchers reviewed the protagonist’s comments throughout the study in order to effectively convey the stories and outcomes from the interview in a collaborative way, so the overall narrative story is accurately communicated. The narrative story will then be written, highlighting common themes that may have been identified throughout the study. The research will also include an overview of any important narrative research-related findings that may be of interests to the readers.

Finally, the researchers search for any evidence about the protagonist that could impact the validity of the study. This is critical to ensuring the study is valid, accurate, and effectively preserves the credibility of the protagonist and his experiences. This will be performed after the interviews have been coded so that common themes that have been identified can be further validated. The researchers will then discuss their findings and draw conclusions from the broader analysis of the interview’s themes.

· Synopsis

Architecture can be defined as both the process and product of planning, designing and constructing buildings and other physical structures. It is an ancient profession spanning thousands of years that can be described as both an art and a science. Many people envision that the masters of this universe, the architect, as a blend of the prototypical engineer and artist with a splash of “mad scientist”. These professionals are responsible for creating functional structures that can and do span decades or centuries while simultaneously capturing our imaginations.

Successful projects should move us. We should feel something when we are in the presence of great architecture just as we should feel something when we are in the presence of a great piece of art. Examples of these types of structures include the Pyramids, the Parthenon, the Library of Congress, the Louvre, modern day homes, skyscrapers and everything in between. Yann Weymouth is one of the giants of this field and we had the opportunity to see this profession through his eyes with a specific focus on Sustainability and Ethics. The major themes that characterized our discussion included a focus on People, Passion for Work, Humility, Ethics, Professionalism, Sustainability, and Creativity and Innovation.

· People

Focus on the people you work with.

The rigor of the world of architecture and its exacting nature with a relentless focus on minute details would lead many to believe that the essence of architecture is more technical than people focused. To our surprise Yann Weymouth would not agree. Yann summed up architecture with one simple quote:

“It’s about people.”

In fact, a focus on people was the most common theme in our interview with Yann. Over and over again he stressed that the goal of each project was that it would be people-focused. That focus was how a project got started. For instance, how does that influence what a typical day is like?

“We talked to people. I do find-- yesterday, for instance, another typical day. Got up in the morning, did a lot of work on the phone on the James Museum. And then we were working also on an expansion for the Polypack factory in Pinellas, Pinellas Park. And it's well on its way right now, but we've had a lot of, you know, little glitches to deal with, normal ones. And we have wonderful clients there, but they're inventors and they're engineers and they're scientists. Three of them, father and two sons. And they don't always communicate with each other. They don't always communicate with us. And the best way to deal with that is to just be there as often as possible.”

People’s perception is also the currency used to measure the success or failure of a particular project. However, in Architecture, success or failure isn’t as easily defined as in other professional endeavors. For one to accurately gauge success or failure it requires time and the experience to know if the target audience is using the structure as it was designed. Does it fulfill its intended functional purpose and does it make a statement visually?

“You don't know about success. You don't know if you've had success until about maybe two or three months after a building is opened. …. But you don't know if it's a success until you go back and you see people using it. And you see how they handle it.”

“And the type of project that is the most rewarding-- there is one that touches the most people. And you see how they handle it.”

In our interview, focusing on people seemed to really be at the heart of what a successful architect does day in and day out. In Yann’s case it was more than just a check box that one considered when a project began and ended. It was a theme that was always present and it started early in his life. It was a part of the culture that shaped him as a young person and a part of the culture that he is shaping today for others. Ultimately, it is all about putting yourself in your client’s shoes and dealing with the client the way you would want to be dealt with as a customer. Where does one learn this type of behavior?

“Gosh, it's how you're brought up. It's that simple. Is it honest? Is it something that is good for you and for the people with whom you deal? Are you looking for a win-win? If you're doing that, you're on the right path. It is the golden rule.”

It is based on relationships and it has its roots in doing what is in the best interest for the client on a more holistic scale. It is creating a design with the end use in mind and where appropriate using compassion to guide your thinking. For example:

“As an example, a study done, I think 12 years ago or so, on health care in recovery rooms-- not the straight recovery room right after the operation, but for heart patients. Where do they stay until we can send them home? Where does the patient stay to recover until they're strong enough to go home? And it was in a very well, relatively new hospital, where the rooms were all identical, as you do when you're doing, you know, you make sure that the nursing station's the right distance. You make sure that the bathroom is easy to get to, et cetera. Very nicely designed. All of them had very similar windows. But they had slightly different views. Some of them were looking out-- because of the building orientation-- out into a park and nature. Some of them were looking at very attractive architecture with still good light.”

Many of his partnerships are based on strong personal relationships.

“However, if I've got my facts right from remembering the article-- however, it was found that the recovery was a day and a half faster, that the patient could leave the room in the rooms that had a view of nature, rather than of great architecture. And so if that's the case, then that's statistically important. Because it might be a five-day stay. It might be a three-day stay. Every stay in that room is thousands of dollars, which is not necessarily good for the hospital because then they can take less or fewer patients and help fewer people. So that's statistical. That's evidence. Therefore, whenever we design a hospital, let's make sure that there's a view of nature. So that's one aspect.”

For Yann, a focus on people also means connecting with others. It is not only the end customer that an Architect should be concerned with but the people on your team should be considered with the overall goal of being a contributing member of the larger community. It means helping to develop those people so that they can make their own contributions to society. It means rolling your sleeves up and diving into the action, working face to face with others and finding the right answer wherever it may reside and being comfortable enough with yourself to let others take the credit.

“So we had a two-and-a-half hour really interesting conversation, where they explained what their site might be, what were their options, how they would be negotiating with the city, with potential donors, with planners. And asking us questions as to how we work, what our methods are, how we would do this first phase of design work, which is really exploring options with them. Wonderful meeting.”

“Try to do as much as you can face-to-face with other people.”

“As much as possible, keep the same team engaged from the beginning to the end of the project.”

· Passion for Work

Grow your team’s skill.

One of the first observations that our team made about Yann was that he was very passionate about what he did for a living. In fact, he oozes passion and enthusiasm. His face would light up and he would physically lean in when we brought up a topic that he was especially interested in such as designing the Louvre, working on the Dali Museum or asking him where he found inspiration for his projects. The rare quality that we noticed was that his passion wasn’t rushed or frenzied such as the passion we commonly see in today’s fast paced world. It was thoughtful. It was relaxed but there all the same. We were most able to see this expression when Yann described how he and others in architecture looked to nature for design inspiration.

“We are also learning from nature much more. There's a wonderful field called biomimicry, in which an extraordinary woman, Janine Benyes, invented, I think, probably 15, 20 years ago, and who is leading a group, the biomimicry group. I think that's the right name for it. And has written several wonderful books on that. Where nature's been designing things on this planet for three-and-a-half billion years.”

“I raced down, drove down to, didn't race. Drove carefully down to Bradenton, where we are just kicking off a new project, which we won. And this was a first workshop with the executive director, the chairperson, the chairwoman of the board, of the Arts Center Manatee. Marvelous 80-year-old institution, right downtown, who have been so successful, and such an engine, such heartbeat of Bradenton, and the whole Manatee County, that they need a new building.”

“And I was fortunate. I arrived 40 minutes early. Gave me time to actually walk through their galleries. They have an extraordinary show right now, which I recommend to all of you. It's worth the drive. Of watercolors from all over the U.S. Really inspiring. Prize-winning watercolors by professional artists and amateurs that are truly quite magical. I like to use watercolors. I'd never be able to do what they are able to accomplish. And so that was a very inspiring meeting.”

“And it's done a really good job. And we are part of that job. And we're quite extraordinary. We still don't even understand how we work. But in terms of structure, nature designed bones, trees, leaves, eggs, everything, in the most rational way using the most local sources. Some of the hardest materials on earth are made by mollusks with their shells using water temperature that they're living in and minerals that they harvest right out of the water.”

Interestingly, looking to nature was not the only method Yann used to find inspiration. He also is a student of architecture and delves into the past to see what traditional tools and methods were used to solve some of the most challenging problems in the past.

“But what's interesting in all of that, all of those opportunities, is very often we will still find that we can have a great deal to learn from traditional architecture, traditional ways of dealing with things. We human beings have been building buildings for a long time. And it's interesting when you go to a different culture and a different climate, you discover, oh wow, they're doing big overhangs in this building, in this climate. There's a reason for it. Or their roofs are steeper because we're in Switzerland, which is for snow. And the roofs are less steep where you're just shedding rain. And there's bigger overhangs where you're looking for more shade. Those are all adaptations that you can learn from.”

In the modern day knowledge economy life-long learning is a given. The ability to apply that newly acquired knowledge in a timely manner is a must to be and stay competitive. All careers have moments of uncertainty when outside forces seemingly throw obstacles in your way. The road to success is paved by those that can most quickly adapt to the obstacles and create interesting solutions for the problem at hand. In Yann’s case the American Disabilities Act is one example:

“Well, as an example, I started architecture before the American Disabilities Act, ADA Act. And at that time, we didn't think twice about staircases at entrances to buildings. Just as the architect of the Lincoln Memorial did not. Now we have ADA. And at first, when we first started, oh my gosh, we're going to have to put in a ramp. How are we going to make that attractive? But very, very soon, we figured out, hey, we can have stairs and we can have ramps, and we can make them work together. But we've adapted to it. At first, it was, oh gosh, it's an extra regulation. Clearly now, none of us think twice about it. And it has affected how our buildings go, but it hasn't hurt the design or the quality of design.”

Yann has clearly reached the pinnacle of his profession. He is highly sought after in his field for his drive to succeed, his undeniable passion and enthusiasm for the job and most of all his relentless focus on people. Yann is an Architect that seeks to express himself through his work. He is inspired by nature’s design to create something that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. He is hands on and prefers to interact with team members and customers in person. Yann believes in building and maintaining relationships. He begins with the end in mind and if there is a conflict or a consideration that must be made, he follows the golden rule.

· Humility

It’s in your character.

As we spoke more with Yann, it became quite evident that he is a humble man possessing strong character. As he discussed some of the ways he finds answers to problems, he commented.

“The client can have the right answer. You do not always have an answer. You should not let it be an ego thing.”

With all the accomplishments and successes Yann has enjoyed in his career, his attention to the things his clients tell him and his willingness to accept and incorporate their recommendations and observations into the solutions of problems, speaks to that humility. It also shows that he is willing to put aside some of his own ego when it is in the best interest of the work he is involved in and the personal relationships he is cultivating.

His approach to problem solving in general also showed a similar strength of character. Yann had a long friendship with Buckminster Fuller, the American architect, systems theorist, author, designer, and inventor. One of Fuller’s observations on problem solving was that there are problems everywhere but, for every problem, there are many answers. You just have to find the right one.

Yann also spoke about his former colleague Patrick MacLeamy, who is the chairman and former CEO of HOK, the global architecture, engineering and planning firm. Patrick had an interesting method of problem solving that Yann liked very much. He summed up Patrick’s attitude running toward trouble because then you can often find the answers to the things that cause trouble more quickly. Such an approach only works when one has the character to persevere against such challenges.

By aggressively dealing with problems focusing on the needs his clients and their projects, Yann demonstrates that he places great value on his and his team’s abilities to quickly resolve issues in a collaborative way. By taking this tack, he and his team can not only show the tremendous value they add to their client, through strong personal and business relationships based on his humility and the nature of his character.

· Ethics

Let your upbringing guide your steps.

We spent time with Yann talking about the number of interesting projects he has worked on and the many interesting types of questions he has had to deal with. At this point, we asked if he had to deal with many ethical considerations in the design or implementation of a project. His response was:

“I think I've been lucky that I've not had to deal with a lot of ethical questions. I've been dealing with clients who are ethical, contractors who are ethical, and teams that are ethical. I've just been fortunate there.”

We then asked about how he found his ethical compass, in order to find out more about what shaped his values and standards of behavior. It is readily apparent that Yann’s ethical foundations are based on his strong family upbringing and how he has nurtured the friendships and other personal relationships in his life.

When we moved forward to discuss his impressions on the potential ethical issues facing the world based on the changes in such things as political systems and social norms, Yann was contemplative as he thought about how to answer this question. After some time, he said.

“I go to sleep at night with a prayer. And I wake up in the morning with a prayer. Right now, because of the situation in our country today, I don't want to go into that. But where I pray that that's not the case for us in our lives. But I hope that I and all of us will have the courage to deal with them directly if we do. I've been really lucky in my life in that the people who have been my leaders and my bosses and my colleagues and my partners have been good people.”

· Professionalism

Running toward trouble is a great work ethic to live out.

Professionalism is something you would expect from a world famous architect. His buildings stand tall and strong, always providing strength and opinion. His knowledge of architecture and art itself proves to be an asset to his legacy. What is no surprise is Yann Weymouth’s attention to detail. As every architect must convey and portray, it’s the details that make the difference. What differences that lie within the short discussion with Yann is his ability to take something important and strip it down to the bare minimum. Possibly that is how he compartmentalizes his projects, almost breaking down the hard core, to expose the softness inside.

“When I was working at HOK, one of the senior leaders, a man named Patrick MacLeamy had a motto: Run toward Trouble. And I’ve always remembered that. And I think one’s first instinct was oh my god. You know, you see some problem and you want to put it under the carpet. But you can’t.”

Yann is not one to give up. He sees the possibility of what can be by seeing the good in those he comes into contact with, his clients, his teachers, his patrons. His current day-to-day operations consist of putting out problem fires and making sure things get done correctly. When he speaks about his clients, he uses words such as wonderful meetings and wonderful clients. This is a man who loves what he is doing, and no job is too small.

“There’s always an answer. Buckminster Fuller said, and it was marvelous. He said there are problems, problems, problems. But for every problem, there are many, many, many, many, many, many, many more answers. You just have to find the right one.”

Most people have seen the Louvre if not in person, but in pictures. It has been the back drop of many movies and films, as well as major literary prose. I believe that after speaking with Yann, his work ethic is evolved through his respect and admiration to people. He believes that ribbon cutting is a fraud. The true measure of success is when you can stand back and view the people experiencing your building, and seeing the smiles on their faces.

For Yann, it is paramount for what is inside the museum to be safe and free of harm. It is also paramount that people appreciate his work, not for it being his work, but for the pure joy that is bestowed on them. It’s about the people who are going to use the building, rather than specifically the brick and mortar of the structure. While listening to the interview, I sensed that Yann treats every job as if he was designing it for his own family, and when people walked inside, they are entering his home. His care and attention to detail is witnessed in his professionalism and knowing that people are what make buildings important, not the buildings themselves.

“You don’t know if you’ve had success until maybe two or three months after a building is opened. Ribbon cutting is just a fraud. You don’t know you have success until you go back and see people using it, how they handle it. “

“For example, it’s a pleasure when I’m back in Paris. I go back always to see how the Louvre is working. And to see if it’s a success or not. What’s interesting is it’s been such a success that now it’s handling four times the number of people that it was originally designed for.”

“I remember long, long ago on the easy wing of the National Gallery, the day after the opening, standing on one of the flying bridges, looking down and seeing people walk in and look up and smile. That was a feeling of success.”

· Sustainability

Make a mark on the world that impacts the future.

Being an architect, it is evident that Yann puts not only his buildings first, but is very cognizant of what is being housed inside. In today’s turbulent times of terrorism, climate changes, and ever-changing threats of violence and weather instability, it is important to see the value of building something not for the 100 year event, but for the 500 year event. Museums that hold the Weymouth design are not only functional to every last detail, but must take into consideration what is being housed: priceless works of art that could never be duplicated or replicated if something devastating was to occur. This is a huge responsibility for any man. Yann discusses the importance of sustainability and design as being resilient.

“Global warming and climate change means more energy in the atmosphere, the sea, and in the climate system. More energy means that hurricanes are bigger. We do know that we are seeing more tornadoes than we saw before.”

“So you have to design buildings, as we did in the Dali for not the 100 year event, but for the 500-year event. And among that resilience is clearly societal change and the issue of potential terrorism, whether it’s local terrorism, or an attack.”

“Buildings have to be resilient and part of sustainable design is building resilient buildings.”

Yann is surprisingly humble even as the weight of this responsibility lies daily on his shoulders. His comparison to the artists who create water colors being magical and inspiring surprised me as he mentions he could never do what they do. He is a true patron of the arts, and has taken on the responsibility of protecting the fine jewels of art by making sure they are protected, yet highly visible allowing people to see what he sees: true beauty.

Appropriateness is something Yann speaks freely about. He is discussing the prioritization of the jobs at hand. Clients want things done a certain way, and he hopes to be able to deliver what they desire for their location. Appropriate design with sustainability at the forefront will determine what is put into his design. Yann is quoted speaking about how human beings have been builders for a very long time.

His experience on international travel throughout his life has provided a proper foundation for the ability to see deeper into what is being seen. His cultural interests and appreciation can been seen in many of his designs. If it was not for his greater admiration of what is culturally different, he possibly may not be able to recognize the simplicity of nature and what god has created in the simplest of organisms. Yann conveys a certain simplicity when looking at his goals, his work and his personal life. Building projects that last and are sustainable is more than just surviving an attack or storm surge. It is also about being relevant, yet timeless, as his designs will last a very long time in history.

“Of course you are trying to do all the goals. That means we can do it if we need to, if it’s appropriate. But only if it’s appropriate.”

“We human beings have been building buildings for a long time. It’s interesting when you go to a different culture and a different climate, you discover that they’re doing big overhands on that building in this climate. There’s a reason for it.”

“Nature, it’s done a really good job, and we are part of that job, and we are quite extraordinary.”

· Creativity and Innovation

Nature’s simple plan will inspire you.

Yann’s designs are arguably the most well-known and structurally creative and innovative. It is staggering to think how this process stays fresh and resilient, yet functional and sustainable. It is important to Yann that things be evidence-based, or able to be proven statistically. The sheer make up of mathematics and design creates many avenues of innovation.

“Well, there are a couple of streams and different intellectual approaches to it. One of them is obviously resilient design. One is flexible design. And one is the classic sustainable design. There is a school, which started in Texas, which is called evidence-based design, which started in healthcare, which is, does this work? Can it be proven statistically? And if so, let’s make sure that it finds its way into design.”

However, Yann is also a researcher. He believes in the power of research and does not take things at face value. He discusses a study done that focuses on patient recovery rooms in a hospital. As an architect, it is important to hear what people want, and being able to take what you learn and use it, is important to the creative process. It was learned that people heal quicker if they have a window facing nature, than towards architecture. This is important for a designer of a hospital, as your work will affect how the hospital can care for its patients, and also make room for more patients to enter. Feasibly, the rate of each room is the same regardless of what is inside, but it was more important to get patients out faster, allowing the hospital to serve more people, than just fill up hospital rooms and enlarge hospital bills. Again, Yann Weymouth tips his hat to mother-nature, allowing her simplicity of what is beautiful naturally take center stage to what architecturally he can creatively design.

“In terms of structure, nature designed bones, trees, leaves, eggs, everything in the most rational way using the local sources. Some of the hardest materials on the earth are made by mollusks with their shells using water temperatures that they’re living in and minerals that they harvest right out of the water.”

It is evident that Yann wants his architecture to withstand the test of time. Through his interview, it is exciting to see how passionate he is in regards to metals and glass in this day and age. The ability to cultivate changing designs with stronger metals and stronger glass opens up a huge door to what is now possible, that was not an option years ago. Yann discusses the ability to provide innovation through a deeper knowledge base of materials.

“We minimize solar load in Florida. You maximize solar load in Greenland, or even Denmark, or Minnesota. You change the way you orient a building where you put more glass, have less glass, where you can orient your roof, for the climate.”

“As we learn more, it’s affecting how we design.”

“Glass is getting stronger. We are less and less afraid to use it. Metals are getting stronger and better.”

Innovation and Creativity is somewhat of a buzz word that compartmentalizes the business end of goal-oriented people. Ever changing, always creating is how many professionals seek to gain a competitive edge or define success. After interviewing Yann, it is clear that Creativity and Innovation is not as important as knowing what truly is essential: your compassion for those and things around you. One large take away from this experience is not about leaving your legacy, but rather to whom you are leaving it. It was evident by his interview that Yann cares more about making sure his designs are resilient, to the changing race of human beings as well as the changing tides of climate, industry, and terrorism. His legacy of creativity and innovation as an architect is not one of metal and glass, but rather in the joy of the experience that was held in the hearts of millions. That, and to those who love him personally.

“I think we should always be innovating, but not for the simple sake of innovation, but for the sake of finding the most appropriate, most efficient, most sustainable solution for a particular problem or issue .”

Yann Weymouth is forever the student, the researcher, and the innovator. He is not afraid to admit that nature one-upped him over superb architecture or that a mollusk has the goods on being the more efficient and resilient in terms of structure. His soft-spoken demeanor and ever-seeking approach allows him to see the world differently than most people. His success is never discounting those around him. He checks his ego at the door, gets to work, and provides a service that is well beyond the average man’s resume. He is truly a creative being, and I am grateful to have learned so much from him in such a short time.

“I mean, we’re all curious beings. And when you see something happening, something that’s just been done that you didn’t know is possible, you say, wow, if they did that, how marvelous.”

· Discussion

Building strong personal relationships is the key to success.

The time we spent with Yann was many things; entertaining, inspiring, thought-provoking, and grounding. The interview became more of a mentor sharing his insights to the researchers. One theme was consistent throughout the interview: focus on how your deal with people – let your family, your co-workers, your clients, and, in Yann’s case, the public, and let that guide the way you live your life. The researchers found that in Yann’s humility and professionalism was a deep core that seeks to serve humanity in the elegance and usability of his designs, both now and in the future. That is perhaps Yann’s ultimate goal: to influence how people can live better together through the application of the intelligent design revealed in his architecture.

Being passionate about what you do can create passion in others.

Yann spoke about several passions in his work and how they led to some of the successes he has enjoyed. First, seeing how the public responded to his works stoked his passion to create other works that influenced people. Second, being able to train and mentor his team drove him to find other challenges for them to meet, so they could become more skilled and ultimately help guide other people as he had guided them. Third, his passion for friends and family was demonstrated in the way he spoke about how they impacted the way he works. From Yann’s perspective, these passions have helped create his work ethic and enabled him to find a great deal of passion in his life, which he can then share with others.

Let humility be evident in how you see yourself and others.

Yann expressed his humility in several ways. One of the comments he made regarding his admiration for the watercolor artists who were exhibiting at an area museum was revealing. For someone who has been involved with creating some very beautiful and recognizable landmarks, he understood those areas where he looks to others to provide expertise, such as painting. His statements about using client ideas in problem solving exercises showed that he is open to input from others and does not have any issues in including them in the solutions to problems. Also, Yann is heavily influenced by nature and its ability to show creativity in its workings. His humility when speaking about nature and the elegance of its designs was evident.

Ethical grounding should be foundational.

In the discussion on how he deals with ethical issues, Yann hearkened back to his childhood to explain his ethical compass, and explained how that firm grounding formed his current ethical views. By living in multiple cultures, with strong family role models, and friends who demonstrated personal ethics, he explained that there were few, if any, things that he saw in his life or work as particularly challenging ethically.

Being professional in how you approach work means you engage problems assertively.

One of the most interesting parts of the interview involved Yann’s comments on problem solving. The concept of “running toward trouble” is immediately counterintuitive; why would anyone want to do such a thing? As he explained the approach that was espoused by one of his colleagues, the researchers began to understand that this approach is what makes Yann the professional he is. Problems are ever-present in the architecture and design field and must be overcome for projects to succeed. By taking on problems in such an proactive way, Yann and his team not only have more time to solve them but, as mentioned previously, can have more options and opportunities to find solutions to them, such as using ideas from clients.

Building now to share with the future.

Yann’s thoughts on the sustainability of his designs were engaging. As the researchers asked about the recent terrorist attack on the Louvre and how the museum came through it. Yann commented about how buildings need to be resilient and survive societal changes, climate shifts, and even events like terrorist assaults. That resilience is not an afterthought; now, it is a principal design element. Yann is also strongly influenced by nature in how he develops designs. In his eyes, the better understanding designers have of the resilience found in nature, the more that resilience can be emulated in buildings and other structures.

Creating and innovating in the spirit of curiosity.

Yann is extraordinarily curious. Seeing his designs and some of the uses of materials shows how he has developed solutions that may not have been considered previously. His discussion of the use of glass in the Dali Museum was one example he cited. However, he also finds that, while nature’s ability to create and innovate seems simple, it is extremely complex and even elegant in what it yields. The example he shared of the mollusk was a very insightful and demonstrated his fascination with nature and its wonders. Nature’s creativity and innovation is all around, if one will take the time to search it out and then observe it at work.

· Conclusion

The fact that we were able to interview one of the world’s foremost architects and designers was not lost on the researchers. What we discovered during our time with Yann was his strong desire to touch, influence, and relate with other people through his exchanges with them as well as through his work. Our impression is that Yann needs such relationships because they help him validate that the buildings he designs work on a human level.

The researchers would have liked to hold follow up interviews with the Yann Weymouth before drawing specific conclusions about his life and experiences. However, there were many valuable life lessons in the narrative research that can certainly benefit and equip practitioners with tools to better navigate the competing priorities in their personal and professional lives. The researchers believe that many readers will appreciate and identify with the real personal and work challenges Yann identified in his recollections and with the very unique approach he utilized for problem solving. Yann is a world-known professional whose value system was shaped by his upbringing and the cultures he has lived in.

The anecdotes Yann shared with the researchers will contribute to promoting awareness of difficulties other professionals may encounter in the business environment. He was very open and candid during the interviews, which was perhaps an extension of his continued commitment to do influence others through his works and relationships. His personal and professional insights were shared in a way that drew the researchers in and challenged them. The researcher found that discovering the myriad of influences that shaped Yann’s personal and professional lives, using a narrative research approach to highlight the complexity of business as it deals with issues like Ethics, Sustainability and Creativity and Innovation, was the ideal approach to learning more about him. There is a growing recognition that a positive ethical outlook s can have a similar impact on business performance. This is evident in the reputation that Yann has built in his field and with his clients. Yann’s knowledge and experience should be used to create guidance for the professionals entering the highly competitive business landscape that is architecture and design.

· Future Research

Upon completion of the interview with Yann Weymouth, it was apparent that there was much more to learn from such a knowledgeable man in the twilight stage of a long and rewarding career. In light of a newly recent shooting attack in Paris, April 21, 2017, It became acutely evident that sustainability is a primary concern for what might be in the future for architects. Paris has sustained many terrorist attacks, thus being the target for even more aggression in the future. Mr. Weymouth designed the Louvre, and I am sure his concerns for the sustainability of that structure came to mind in an afterthought. The truth is we do not know what new terrorism will erupt in the future. It will be a primary concern for architects such as Yann as the structure projects they erect protect priceless art, as well as house thousands of employees and visitors. Future research might include the aspects of terrorism and how that will change his creativity and innovation in the future. Will there be future thought exerted towards the Louvre and other public structures that might be at risk due to the ever increasing harassment that has become common place? How will this change design?

Another very interesting topic that might require further research might include how nature was an influencer for creativity and innovation. Yann discussed that nature was ever present in many of his designs. Nature provided the threshold for stability and stimulation in many of his designs. His reference to the mollusks having the strongest material is a paramount discovery. We believe that going forward, future research should also include how nature played a key role in the design process. His reference that nothing is new, and that nature has created the best reference to design is a strong statement that embodies the future thought of the impact of this entity. How do other businesses use nature to provide opportunities for collaboration and shared community? What is the role nature plays with innovation? Knowing the importance of nature’s design seems to be a major topic of discussion that was noted, but does warrant further research. The impact on business would be crucial as creativity and innovation is a struggling point for many businesses to stay ahead of the competitive curve. Yann was discussing nature as if we are part of a bigger picture, and those fortunate enough to notice nature’s delicate balance between beauty and strength would benefit from its secrets.

Appendix 1 – Interview Questions

GEB6457 - Ethics, Law and Sustainable Business Practices

Group 2 Team Members: Tres Bishop, Ed Fulford, and Robyn Lord

Interview Questions for Yann Weymouth

Basic Interview Walk-in Question:

· Could you walk us through a typical day from the moment you awake until you go to sleep at night? What are the experiences you encounter on a daily basis?

Ethical Questions

· You have worked on many interesting projects around the world. Would you give us some insights on some of the ethical issues you have had to address and how you have done so?

· Are there any major ethical considerations that one should consider when undertaking a large sustainable project?

Experience Questions

· In a typical day, what are some of the things you do that you feel have contributed to your success?

· What does Success look like for you and your team?

· What do you tell yourself on a daily basis today to keep the creative momentum going and are there any “rituals” or organizational structure that helps to support the firm that you particularly use on a daily basis?

Relationship Questions

· In a day where you face challenges that you are dealing with for perhaps the first time, are there specific people you draw on for advice and inspiration? If so, would you give us some insights on those people and what you have learned from them?

Sustainable Business Practice Questions

· What does sustainability mean to you and how do you incorporate that into your work on a regular basis?

· In the light of the recent terrorist attacks at the Louvre in Paris, have you begun to reevaluate sustainability in your design work? If so, what changes might need to be made to improve the sustainable business practices?

· What are your thoughts on the direction of sustainable business practices in architecture and design? Could you share some examples of this direction that you are already taking place?

Legal Questions

· Architecture is very creative field. What current or emerging legal constraints do you think could significantly impact that creativity?

Appendix 2 – Interview Coding

Qualitative Research Coding – Yann Weymouth

Transcript for Interview 2

Major Themes:

· Key Theme - People

· People Focus

· Community

· Culture

· Family

· Connection

· Compassion

· Major Theme – Passion for Work

· Success oriented

· Enthusiasm for the job

· Passionate about work

· Major Theme - Humility 

· Character

· Humility

· Major Theme - Ethics

· Spirituality

· Major Theme - Professionalism

· Detail Oriented

· Work Ethic

· Major Theme – Sustainability

· Major Theme - Creativity and Innovation