Amber Banks is Building the Future in a Male-Dominated Field
By Maci England and Katelyn Allen on Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Amber Banks
Job title: Architect at Cromwell Architects Engineers
Age: 29 | Higher Education: University of Arkansas
Amber Banks was drawn to a career in architecture because of her love of art. A high school teacher first suggested Amber consider the field, though Amber admits she knew little about architecture or its career paths.
Wanting to gain a better understanding of architecture, she researched and realized that being an architect was exactly what she wanted to do.
“It was everything that I was already passionate about,” Amber said. “I simply did not know the name for it.”
"Growing in this profession has taught me so much about myself internally, while also gaining experience to become a better designer.”
“Architecture programs are known for being time-consuming and difficult, but if it is something that you are passionate about, just keep going!” she said.
After graduating, Amber was hired by Cromwell Architects Engineers in Little Rock and has built an impressive career. She’s particularly proud of her architecture plans for the state-of-the-art Arkansas Fire Training Academy at South Arkansas University Tech in Camden.
“Working with our clients has been incredibly rewarding,” Amber said. “When you spend countless hours trying to determine the best design solution for a problem, the project goes through construction, and then you join the client as you walk through the space that you created as a team—it is especially rewarding.”
The most important role of being an architect to Amber is having the ability to communicate with others.
“As architects, it is necessary to be able to communicate our design ideas to the design team, to our clients and the contractor,” Amber said. “The ability to properly communicate and manage constructive criticism is key to this profession and many others.”
As a young Black woman, Amber hopes to be an example for young people of all backgrounds who want to pursue a career in architecture and design.
“I have learned that even though someone may think that you are young and inexperienced,” Amber said, “it is important to be confident in yourself and your capabilities while acknowledging that you still have room to grow.”
