Meet Our Team — What’s Your Favourite Building Of Impact? | Meet Verity, Our Operations Coordinator
What’s your favourite building of impact? It really gets us all thinking.
We often don’t think about the buildings that have truly impacted our lives. However, for many of us, when we think about some of the most amazing and memorable experiences that we’ve had, it’s often a building at the heart of those core memories. We come back to those buildings, or remember them fondly as a place where an incredible or beautiful moment occurred.
Sunshine in human form is Verity, our Operations Coordinator. We sat down and asked her this very question, as well as some questions on construction and being an Alchemist!
What is your favourite building of impact?
In 2014 I was back-packing around Southeast Asia and I was meant to be with a friend, but she had to go home for a family emergency so I was by myself. I was thinking about cutting my trip short but I decided to stay and get a boat to Laos. I’m so glad I did because on my trip, I went to the most beautiful temple in Chiang Rai, Wat Rong Khun.
From afar, the Wat Rong Khun looks like most other Buddhist temples, however, when you get closer you see how amazing it really is. The temple is only 25 years old and privately owned. It is designed by a Thai Buddhist artists Chalermchai Kositpipat, is painted completely white and has small glass features that make the temple glisten when the sun hits. When you go to enter the temple, you cross a bridge over the “sea of suffering”, it’s all concrete hands reaching out from the ground which is meant to represent desperation and greed and has a real eerie feeling to it.
When you enter the temple, it is covered in all traditional Buddhist art but when you look closer you see lot of modern-day symbolism. There are paintings of spaceships, planets, art from movies such as Neo from the Matrix, Superman etc they also have logos such as Coca Cola. The temple is meant to represent Buddhist teachings – to ignore modern day temptations and focus on the mind.
The temple is such an amazing building and really ignited my passion of travel and love of seeing amazing buildings and places all over the world.
“As you spend the majority of your time at work you should work with people who lift you up.”
Best bit of the job?
The best bit about Alchemy is everyone is super friendly and really cares for each other. We all want to see each other and Alchemy succeed.
The one piece of advice you wish you had received in your early days?
As you spend the majority of your time at work you should work with people who lift you up.
Something someone wouldn’t know about you?
I’m scared of driving on the freeway.
Best bit about being an Alchemist?
I have the flexibility to work across multiple departments and teams which gives me the opportunity to be exposed to different areas of the business! Also, our team is amazing!
What are you currently…
Reading – American Dirt
Listening to – Normal Gossip (podcast)
Watching – Starting X-files from the beginning (currently up to season 3 so going to take a while!)
You’re such an organised person! Is this something that you’ve mastered over your career? What are your tips?
Being organised in my career is something I have worked hard to master! When I started my career, I use to be very unorganised and realised work is so much harder when you don’t plan! I now make sure I always plan my day in advance, write lists and always set reminders!
Your favourite thing you do on the weekend?
I love getting out of Melbourne and going on weekend trips, I’m a big foodie so I love trying new restaurants / wineries all over Victoria!
A note to your younger construction self, what would you say? I came from a completely different industry and had a completely different view of what working in construction would mean. Since working in construction, I now know the career opportunities are endless especially for women and I am really excited to see my career grow.