Spotlight on Diversity June 2024
Nira Wattanchote Reflects, and Looks to the Next Generation
Nira Wattanchote
Senior Associate, Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design
When Nira Wattanchote moved to the US, her sister was able to provide a home for her here while Wattanchote practiced English and attended the MFA in lighting program at Parsons. Wattanachote recalled, “Living with my sister had so many benefits, but it meant I was somewhat shielded from American culture. And as a result, it took more time to adapt.” For quite some time, communication remained a challenge: “I’m a shy person and, in general, and in my opinion, Thai people from my generation are typically trying to avoid conflicts or showing different opinions, especially to seniors.”
Wattanchote admitted, “It did take courage for me to overcome that. I didn't participate that much in school. But through work and life experience, I realized that to get my idea across and get the job done, it’s necessary to engage in a debate or learn how to interrupt. There is a saying that it’s better to listen than speak, which is true. But in my case, I have to be able to share what needs to be said as well.”
Mentors set the example
Francesca Bettridge, principal of Cline Bettridge Bernstein (CBB), provided the ideal role model. “I would go to meetings and job sites with her and observe how she presented her ideas, engaged with the owner and design teams, and directed contractors on what to do. Working with people takes skill, and being a good communicator is very important. She's very vocal and very charismatic, so I try to emulate that. I’m still learning from her and working on my poise.”
Wattanachote believes that every project or situation has unique challenges and the most important thing is to be able to adapt and work through problems as a team. Discrimination still exists, even though we have come a long way. For someone who has been on the receiving end of discrimination, she is scrupulous to avoid being one who discriminates against others. Being in New York City gives her exposure to different cultures and a broader view, which works to minimize stereotypes.
Seeing the importance of lighting
Wattanchote earned an undergraduate degree in interior architecture in Thailand and worked there for about a year. She said she could see how important lighting was to interior design, but also saw that lighting knowledge was generally lacking in the field. Originally Wattanchote planned to earn her master’s in lighting design and return to Thailand with that skillset. However, one year turned into two. Then she decided to stay, and has been working as a lighting designer here for more than 20 years now.
“At first, I didn't even know that there was such a thing as a professional lighting consultant. Then after I graduated, I got to work with CBB, and found that it is my calling. I love the technical part as much as the design part. And at CBB there are varieties of project types that keep me interested. I always want to explore how to make the next project better than the last one.”
CBB supported Wattanchote through the H1B visa process, to Green Card (Permanent Resident) to US citizen. “They value people from different backgrounds and different skillsets. So thanks to them, now I have citizenship. They keep supporting other employees as well.” She described her 11 year path to citizenship, and how it’s even more challenging now. “At that time, everyone that I knew who applied for this visa, got a visa. But now, I think half of the people that apply don’t get approved because there's a lot more competition. The O1 visa for individuals with extraordinary ability can be an alternative, if your H1B is not approved.”
It’s different for young people now
Because CBB remains largely hybrid post-COVID, young hires have a different experience. “A lot of the people that started at the same time as me are still here. So, hybrid works well for us. But there's some challenges for new people. They don't have a chance to communicate face-to-face with us all the time. We use a lot of Teams and Zoom, but it's not the same as having someone with you in the office all the time. They are missing opportunities to develop important interpersonal skills,” Wattanchote said.
“But we have some people in the office a few days a week to help and [people new to the industry] are able to build relationships with the rep agencies and review samples in-person, that kind of thing. Honestly, we learn a lot when we visit job sites. Young designers visit job sites sometimes, but it's less often than before.” She encourages emerging professionals to visit job sites when there are opportunities, as seeing projects being built in-person is great experience.
Always learning
Wattanchote described her design work as varied and interesting. “Because I grew up in a small village with scarce resources, sustainability and conservation are in my DNA,” she said. “You can design anything you can imagine if you have the money. But is it worth it? Value engineering can be a bad term, but it can also be a reality check to keep you grounded. You have to balance both design and functionality. We always find a balance that keeps the key design elements and functional aesthetics. Everything has its purpose.”
Wattanchote has worked through the LED and digital controls revolutions, and praises CBB for their adventurousness in exploring new technologies. “Color changing is becoming almost the norm for LEDs, and controls are more and more important. We’re all learning to present lighting concepts over Zoom and learning other new tools as well. AI is the next big thing we’ll have to learn.
“When I get to work on new project types and travel to different parts of the country and the world, I’m learning about new cultures here and abroad…. You can't rest on what you know, because there's always something new to come around the corner.”
And teaching
Wattanchote’s decades of work in the field, and her immigrant experience, benefit her students at the Pratt Institute and the Fashion Institute of Technology. “I feel what they are going through, so I try to be encouraging. But I have to also be demanding when students are late turning in unfinished assignments. Everyone has to learn to balance and manage your time. Prioritize, but also make everything work.”
One upside to hybrid work is that Wattanchote is able to work from Thailand a few months a year, as her parents are aging. She is also able to provide some financial support for her family, and for her nieces who come to New York to pursue their education – the same way her sister did for her. “I have lived here more than half my life. Thailand is my roots and my home, but New York City is where I belong now.” She cherishes her “CBB family” as well as friends across the industry.
