Quin Ruan
Q: Where are you from?
I was born in China and moved to the Bay Area when I was 11.
Q: Where did you go to school?
I went to UC Berkeley, majoring in Architecture and minoring in Sustainable Design. I was the ambassador for the Berkeley Changemaker program for 3 years, which gave me the opportunity to connect with students from different fields and become more involved in the campus community.
Q: Tell me about your family.
My parents live in the Bay Area, but they travel back and forth between the U.S. and China. My older sister lives in China, where she runs her own ceramics business. Since the four of us rarely get to be in the same place, I really cherish the time we spend together.
Q: What is the most interesting aspect of architecture to you?
I’m interested in how architecture carries culture and history forward. Many things disappear over time, but buildings can preserve traces of the people and stories that came before us. Architects shape how people move through and experience a space, but the people who use that space also adapt and change it over time. I’m drawn to that relationship between architecture and the people who inhabit it.
Q: What makes our office unique?
The friendly and open environment—and the fact that our office used to be a fire station is pretty cool!
Q: What is the last show you binge watched?
I don’t really binge-watch TV shows, but The Grand Budapest Hotel is one of my favorite movies.
Q: What kinds of projects do you most enjoy working on?
I enjoy smaller-scale projects because they give me more opportunities to focus on the details. I also love working with natural light and exploring how the form of a space can shape the way light enters and moves through it.
Q: What’s your favorite part about coming to work? (in person or virtually)
My favorite part of working in the office is being around colleagues I can learn from. I can ask questions and get quick answers, and even listening to the team’s conversations teaches me a lot. Also I love the fact that we have a workshop for physical models.
Q: What are the top three things on your bucket list?
Travel around the world to see all the architecture on my list, design my own home, and go on an African safari.
Q: Favorite SF hidden gem?
Mijoté, an intimate French-Japanese restaurant that changes its menu every week, so every visit feels like a new experience. It’s definitely one of my favorite restaurants in the Bay Area.
Q: What are five features you would include in your dream home?
A model-making studio with a skylight, a gym, a kitchen with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean, a home library, and a cozy music corner where I can listen to my records.
Q: Where are you most excited to travel next?
Spain, France, and Italy next year for a graduation trip with my best friends from Berkeley.
