Angela Tam

While obtaining a degree in Architecture at the University of British Columbia, Angela quickly realised that she loved design but had no interest in designing buildings. Specifically, it rubbed her the wrong way that architecture school seemed obsessed with the idea of the “genius architect” who, after only a couple of site visits, concocted their magnificent designs behind closed doors, largely overlooking what the existing community’s needs might actually be.

Inspired by a d.studio course she took at UBC’s Sauder School of Business, modelled after the Stanford’s d.school, she found a space to use the skills she had learned in design school to solve larger complex problems. This was exactly what she wanted to do - she just needed to find out what this field of study was called.

After working for several years in various sectors, from fashion retail, green economic development and community building, to stock photography, she moved to London, England to pursue a Master’s in Service Design at the University of the Arts London, a world-leading program that places particular emphasis on social and purpose-driven design. Service Design, a flourishing field of study in Europe and only just burgeoning in North America, is the perfect intersection between human-centred design, systemic design, and research.

From there, she won the pan-European Student Service Design Challenge 2020 with a team of friends from her cohort, which resulted in a design-in-residence with Philips Experience Design, meant to be held in Eindhoven but conducted remotely due to COVID. At the same time, she also worked as a Service Designer with the Camden Parent Changemakers Project with Camden Council’s Early Family Help Service.

Her varied experiences have shaped her to be a well-rounded and empathetic researcher and designer, who thrives in understanding and making sense of complexity. On her free time, she is a picture taker, doodler, writer, and an ocean and forest dweller. She currently resides in Victoria, BC, but is open to meaningful work everywhere.