Julie Michel
In an American architectural firm in China
"In France, architects have people who inspire them and influence their work, in China architects have people who are role models."
Julie Michel, has a Master's degree in architecture, she has been working as an architect for the Chinese subsidiary of the American architectural firm Philip Johnson Alan Ritchie Architects since April 2010 where she is involved in the design phase of architectural and urban projects. "You have to be extremely proactive. In less than half a day, I have to be able to define the broad outlines of a proposal," she explains. In fact, in China the needs are such that you have to be able to formulate a response quickly. "A small scale project can cover 20,000 square meters and a large scale project can involve several million square meters," she adds. With its reputation and experience, Philip Johnson Alan Ritchie Architects has the resources to carry large scale projects through, from design to completion of construction. The team at the Shanghai office is made up of some forty individuals, including ten American and European architects. As it is often the case in China, foreign architects are the ones who handle the design phase and the design plans and the Chinese architects oversee the construction work and interface with clients, contractors and government agencies. China has less urban regulations than Europe. In some cities, for example there are no regulations governing building facades. "Therefore, I have more creative latitude that I expected. In fact, the Chinese are open, very inquisitive and they have a great deal of respect for architects' expertise," she says enthusiastically. This situation makes it possible to give young architects a lot of responsibility; their design and drawing work is the firm's hallmark. How did this young architect become a talent at one of the world's most prestigious firms?
With a keen interest in science and a sense of creativity, Julie decided to study architecture. In 2001, she entered Versailles School of Architecture. As soon as she got the chance, she applied and was accepted to the Erasmus student exchange program in 2004 to study at the Technical University in Berlin, Germany. Undeniably, Julie's second passion is traveling and learning about other cultures. For her, languages are a tool. "Speaking a foreign language is a good way to broaden your horizons but it's not a goal in and of itself. But I wouldn't have wanted to make it my job," she explains. That year, she became very interested in urban development and planning: "The urban reality in Germany is very different from the situation in France. In Germany, the population in some cities is on the decline so they have to tear down buildings and rebuild smaller areas with greater population density in order to revitalize regions," she analyzes. Specialty areas in German, urban development and planning fascinate her so much that she decided to begin research on the reconstruction of two neighborhoods in Berlin, Hansaviertel and Stalinallee, in the 50s, which culminated in a master's thesis and a master's degree that she achieved in 2007. She also incorporated her interest in urban development and planning in her graduation project a year earlier. Her project focused on providing a response to a program that was actually posed by the city of Dijon, in France, at that time: how to convert a neighborhood with industrial businesses into an area centered around a train station. It therefore seemed natural for Julie to join a large unban developing and planning firm. But, she had other plans: "I had interned for an urban developer and planner and found that I was somewhat put off by all the red tape involved. So, I thought it was better to try to find a job at an architectural firm that specializes in designing and building public facilities."
Julie got a job with 3SD, an architectural firm that specializes in hospital facilities. There, she learned about the regulations applicable to medical facilities and to incorporate them in the planning of a project. In 2007, she was hired by Rombaut architectural firm which made its reputation designing and building schools. Julie threw herself into her work there. "It was great because I learned to handle all the phases of a project, from design to delivery," she explains in a smile. " While working there, I gained sufficient experience to become licensed to practice and take the lead on project management teams," she proffered. Promoted to project manager, she then coordinated the building of a kindergarten and the renovation of a police station in Paris. "These projects taught me to work alone and to prove that I could be proactive," indicates Julie.
In 2010, the travel bug bit her again. "The time was right to look for a job abroad. I have a bit of work experience and I did not have any family obligations," she says. As luck would have it, Julie got a job with Philip Johnson Alan Ritchie Architects the week she arrived in Shanghai. " They told me that my experience in urban development and planning and with public facilities made the difference. From my standpoint, I think there are lots of opportunities in China these days but few people dare to go after them," she suggests humbly. While it is true that the commute takes longer—three hours a day for Julie—but she works the same number of hours as in France: 39 hours a week.
And this experience also offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn about another culture. "It's absolutely fascinating. All the time, I find myself questioning my own preconceived ideas, especially about the poor quality of building constructions. Here, the land belongs to the government which gives 70-year leases. Given that situation, it makes sense that buildings cannot be designed to last," she explains pertinently. Julie never misses out on a chance to visit this vast country and is constantly trying to decipher local customs and traditions: "In China, there are copies of everything, even architectural books. It's really part of the culture. When they like something, they copy it. Partly because of that, the Chinese are fairly knowledgeable people ".
What inspires her? "In terms of architecture, Rem Koolhas without a doubt, and in terms of movies, Jim Jarmusch, Wim Wenders, Wong Kar-Wai for the way they portray cities."