Meet the Team: Q&A with Mary O’Dell, Lead Architect
We are sharing a Q&A with our very own, Mary O’Dell. For those of you who don’t know Mary, she is our lead Architect. Mary has 25+ years of experience in all phases of design and construction, particularly of high-end urban residences and single-family homes. She has experience working at firms in Chicago, New York City, and Fairfield County in Connecticut. Read below our Q&A where Mary describes her line of work, where she gets his inspiration from, and so much more!
What is your role and responsibilities at The O’Dell Group?
I am the Architect, available to advise on or completely design our clients’ projects. These may be small renovations, large-scale additions, or new homes.
How do you work with a client to define their needs?
For the most part, my clients know what they need, or want, but not how to get there. I work with them by listening and providing viable options for them to choose from. Together, we create the big picture idea, very schematically, and sharpen as we go.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I find inspiration everywhere—in our built environment, in print, or online as well as what works and what doesn’t. Sometimes I tap into a feeling a place gives me and translate it into built space.
When constructing a room or a home, what is the most important factor for you?
For a home, I take into consideration the site, its contours, and solar orientation- the sun plays a major factor in rooms. I consider flow, function, and aesthetics. For renovations, I respect what is there to maintain that conversation. I ask what does this house or this space want to be given the circumstances - the place, the client, and the budget.
What do you love most about your field of work?
I love the marriage between math and art in architecture. As a practicing architect, I love that I can envision creative solutions for my client's problems. These problems can stem from inadequacies or poor function in their residences which often, once eradicated, and tamed, transform what was just a house into a forever home.
