Inspiring Design: Interviews with BNIM Women in Design

In our daily work, we often look to our colleagues and collaborators as we seek out and share inspiration. Our team members at BNIM approach our projects and initiatives with collective care, each bringing expertise, talents, and passions to create the best outcomes and a better practice.?In honor of Women’s History Month over the month of March, we are excited to share the stories from several individuals at BNIM who?inspire and energize our firm each day.?

For this?Inspiring Design?series, we connect with Beena Ramaswami, Fiona Bhuyan, Hannah Gray,?and Katie Nichols to learn more about their pathways to architecture and?design, their thoughts on the future, and?how their work is positively transforming our communities, environment, and profession.

Beena Ramaswami,?Associate Principal + Director of Brand Identity

Beena is BNIM’s Director of Brand Identity who brings three decades of architecture, design, and communications experience to her work. She leads the conceptualization and design of print and digital collateral that advance BNIM’s brand, overseeing a wide range of initiatives including publication design, project photography and media, and website design. Beena is a thought leader and mentor within the firm, supporting teams across BNIM?and elevating our practice through her collaborative approach and passion for architecture.

Fiona Bhuyan,?Designer

Fiona is a designer at BNIM whose empathetic, artistic, and human-purposed approach to design has guided her work on numerous projects for higher education, arts, community, eco-diplomacy, and more. Throughout her design career, she has performed rigorous analysis on the understanding of concept to transform design ideas into a successful reality, while focusing on the relationships and impacts her work has on the public realm. As a part of BNIM’s Women in Design Group, Fiona also helps elevate female voices in the architecture and design profession and engage BNIM in initiatives to create a more equitable workplace.

Katie Nichols,?Associate Principal?

In her 20?years of practice, Katie's focus has been on design excellence and advancing environmental restoration, resilience, and high performance across her work. She leads project teams in a collaborative and communicative process to create a collective vision for transformative project outcomes. Katie has also been actively involved in making our practice a more sustainable, equitable, inclusive place through?her work educating and supporting BNIM staff in implementing our Sustainability Action Plan and?guiding?conversations to advance equity and inclusion.

Hannah Gray,?Designer

Hannah joined BNIM in 2022 as a designer, following her studies at University of Arkansas where she completed her Bachelor of Architecture with a focus on Sustainability and History of Architecture and Design. Hannah’s design initiatives while in school included research and design for attainable housing in Northwest Arkansas and community development in Nampula, Mozambique. Her background in photography has also fueled her enthusiasm for better understanding the diverse backgrounds and experiences of people. At BNIM, Hannah brings her passion for sustainable design and the way physical environments affect human health and well-being to each of her projects.