Meet Rebecca Barker

What attracted you to this profession?

With a passion for creativity, and a fondness of art and math, I became interested in architecture as a way to help others through the creation of impactful spaces and places.

What three words would you use to describe your job?

Creative Visionary. With the ability to transform the community through the built environment, I use problem-solving skills to transform the static into the dynamic – changing a once-avoided area to a desired space.

Precision-Focused. As Mies van der Rohe said it well, “God is in the details.” While designing, I don’t simply look at the big picture. Instead, I start with the ultimate level of precision and build on that until the compilation of the parts creates the overall grandeur of the whole.

Problem-Solving Collaborator. A good architect understands that the best work is the result of teamwork – each individual contributing their strengths and ideas for the greatest outcome. I enjoy working with the design team to merge our schemes to solve the clients’ needs.

What are the most important personality traits to have in your profession?

For me, it is very important that I am adaptable, creative, communicative, curious, an empathetic leader, passionate, and well organized.

What’s a typical week in your job like?

One thing that keeps this job interesting is that no two weeks are the same. Each week, though, I evaluate the status of my current projects and determine what tasks need to be done that week and evaluate priorities on what must be done first. For work that is distributed to my team, I check in to see how things are progressing and what they need from me. A typical week is also populated with client meetings and site visits that allow me to interact with the built environment for continual learning opportunities.

What do you like most about your job?

Working in the civic sector allows me the opportunity to impact a variety of building programs from courthouses to community centers. It is this variety that allows me to never stop learning.

Designing public buildings allows me to have an impact on spaces that can positively shape the community.

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

As an architect and project manager, I’m not only responsible for developing the design of buildings in production but I’m also in charge of team coordination, client meetings, and site visits. Time management is crucial to my success, but it sometimes gets very complicated.

What’s the coolest thing you’re working on right now?

I’m passionate about every design that I touch, but currently my favorite buildings in progress are the King George Courthouse and a proposed police station.

What have you accomplished at Moseley Architects that you’re proudest of?

Moseley has opened up the door with so many opportunities for me, but I think my proudest moment recently was becoming a licensed architect this year.

A close second was getting to see a local recreation center and library open that I designed and then later became the project manager on.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?

While I’m passionate about the built environment and creating unique spaces, outside of work I love getting lost in nature whether that be hiking mountain trails, riding horseback, or running 5Ks in new places.

What music are you listening to right now?

My playlist varies just as much as my work week, but currently I’m listening to the instrumental works of the Piano Guys and 2Cellos.

What’s your favorite film?

How can you choose just one? Little Women has a special place for me as my Grandma used to talk about it when I was little, but I’m also a fan of musicals like Mamma Mia, Daddy Long Legs, and The Sound of Music.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

Some gifts are material and fade away with the passing of time, but those that have a story or experience tied with them tend to mean the most. As a child, I remember making cornbread with my Grandmother. We’d always use a ceramic crock to mix the ingredients together. One year, I received the exact crock, and I still keep that in my kitchen as a remembrance of the times I spent with my Grandma.

What’s your motto or mantra?

Never stop learning!