Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, AC Martin's Inclusive Design Employee Resource Group is shining a light on the AAPI creatives who inspire us. Let’s celebrate the brilliance, diversity, and creativity of the AAPI community together. Enjoy these features from our staff.

Thanks to our BIM Manager Tanjhid Choudhury for sharing his admiration of Fazlur Rahman Khan — a visionary Bangladeshi-American structural engineer whose groundbreaking designs transformed modern architecture. Known as the “father of tubular designs,” Khan pioneered the structural systems behind some of the world’s tallest buildings, including the Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) and John Hancock Center. Tanjihd’s Bengali family says Khan’s tubular designs were inspired by jute plants in Bangladesh! His innovative thinking, resilience, and passion for building a better world continue to inspire us every day. Here’s to honoring trailblazers like Khan — and to the AAPI individuals who shape, uplift, and inspire our communities. Read more about Fazlur Rahman Khan: https://lnkd.in/gWsAvBRh

Next, we hear from Jalisa Joyner, who works in our planning studio and also co-chairs our Inclusive Design Employee Resource Group...

In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, I want to spotlight Maya Lin—architect, designer, sculptor, and environmental artist whose work bridges architecture, ecology, and storytelling. Her ongoing project 'What is Missing?' reframes ecological loss as a call to collective awareness and regeneration. It’s a compelling example of how design can hold memory, prompt reflection, and advocate for long-term environmental and cultural change. As someone in the planning field, I’m continually inspired by practitioners like Lin who lead with clarity, systems thinking, and purpose. -Jalisa

More on Maya Lin's What is missing? | A Memorial to the Planet A global memorial to the planet: https://lnkd.in/dxAN84wj

photo from Maya Lin Studio by Jesse Frohman

As we close out Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month, we hear from Shawna Upp, Senior Planner and co-chair of AC Martin’s Inclusive Design Employee Resource Group... When I first learned of the artist Ruth Asawa, I was struck by many things. Not only did she make beautiful, organic woven wire sculptures, but she did so at her kitchen table, demonstrating for her children the importance of weaving art and creativity into daily life. Despite facing the challenges of being an Asian American woman, once held in a Japanese internment camp, and working in an unconventional medium, she continued creating her art with unwavering dedication, regardless of external validation. Her genius is demonstrated by her art and her drive to bring something beautiful and meaningful into existence, without seeking immediate recognition is inspiring to me. -Shawna

Photo of Ruth Asawa circa 1970's by Lawrence Cuneo from Glasstire: https://lnkd.in/g8ATxgUh