We’ve got some exciting news to share with you this month! Keep reading for an inside look at what’s happening at our firm. 

Spoiler: All of our staff members are hard at work on several projects, but we’re highlighting two people in this article for their recent “wins” in the field…

Gisele El-Baaklini Joins Us After a Big Win

We’re excited to introduce Gisele El-Baaklini, Associate Architect, as our newest staff member at George Armour Ewart Architect. Gisele is no stranger to design and architecture. After gaining extensive experience in the field in both Lebanon and France, she came to the U.S. in 2017 for her graduate studies at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

There, she continued to acquire more valuable skills from the School of Architecture, before being awarded the Robert B. Church Award for her project on Beirut in May of this year, entitled “Beirut: At the Edge of Land and Sea.” 

Here’s what UTK’s College of Architecture and Design had to say about Gisele’s work:

“Today, we saw incredibly memorable work in our Robert B. Church III Graduate Award Reviews, which featured 14 students in our Master of Architecture Project (MAP). The winner of this year’s Church Graduate Award went to Gisele El-Baaklini, who projected Beirut into 2030 and looked at the trust architecture can engender.”

Gisele says receiving this award was “unexpected, but boosted her confidence.” She was lucky enough to be the only recipient in her graduating class and is humbled by the honor.

Pictured: Gisele in front of her project’s display.

Pictured: Samples from Gisele’s project.

Andrew Keys & Classmates Receive Annual Research Award

On April 25th, GAEA design intern, Andrew Keys, and his fellow classmates—a group of 18 interior architecture students total—received the 2nd place award in Undergraduate Research from the University of Tennessee’s School of Interior Architecture at the annual Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement (EURēCA).

The students received the award for their work on a design-build project called V.E.L.M.A (Vehicle for Engineering, Light, Mechanics, and Acoustics), which is a lab trailer that serves as a prototype for multi-disciplinary innovation that enhances student STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics).

Pictured: Andrew (far right) with his fellow classmates.

VELMA is a mobile STEAM classroom that Andrew and his classmates designed and built for Lenoir City Intermediate / Middle School (LCIMS). It uses interactive elements, reactive sounds and colors, and hands-on activities to enhance student learning experiences and generate interest in STEAM fields.

Pictured: Samples from Andrew’s group project.

Here’s what this school’s faculty have to say about the importance of STEAM learning:

“We believe that in the intermediate / middle grades, students already have foundational experiences which allow them to choose projects that further develop both their passion for and understanding of an area that has sparked their interest. These projects are not limited to only the IT lab and media center and are most valuable when they happen in collaboration with what is being taught in the classroom.”

Big Things to Come

Congratulations to these stand-out designers on their recent achievements! We’re honored to have you both as part of our team. You can expect big things and bright futures from these two!

Looking to start or continue a career in Knoxville architecture and design? We welcome interest from architects, designers, and project managers at any level. If you work best in a fast-paced environment and enjoy being part of a winning team, we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch on our site here or email us at info@georgeewart.com to learn about any open positions and see if a role with us is right for you!