Jess Hogue

Facility Design Specialist

 

Jess is an artist and architect with nearly 20 years of experience designing and overseeing the construction of commercial buildings across the mixed-use, hospitality, and workplace sectors. She deeply believes that the spaces we inhabit shape our lives and approaches her work with a commitment to thoughtful, intentional design. Having collaborated extensively with developers, she understands the delicate balance between design integrity and the practical demands of efficiency.

A dedicated leader and mentor, Jess has guided large teams and nurtured young architects, fostering a culture of curiosity, dialogue, and design excellence. Her meticulous attention to detail extends beyond her work—she admits to an inescapable habit of visually scrutinizing the world around her for the alignment of joints, edges, fasteners, and outlets.

Before and beyond architecture, Jess has a foundation in ceramics and now channels her creative energy into work that blurs the line between sculpture and architecture. Using parametric modeling and digital fabrication, she explores the interplay of materiality, geometry, movement, and somatic experience.

After 15 years in Chicago—following earlier chapters in Philadelphia and Boston—Jess returned to her home state of Indiana. She and her son spend most of their time in Indianapolis, though summer finds them on the small farm where she grew up, reconnecting with the rhythms of the land.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Whatcom County Food System Plan

In 2021, the Whatcom County Food System Committee conducted a community food assessment that pointed to key opportunities to build a more robust and resilient regional food system. New Venture Advisors partnered with Whatcom County staff and the Food System Committee to draft a Whatcom County Food System Plan that builds upon these findings. This Plan focuses on five key goals for building a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient food system, and was informed by an inclusive community engagement process. The Food System Plan will provide the county with a policy roadmap that will strengthen the local food system for years to come. (2023)

 Whatcom Local Food Campus

The Whatcom Community Foundation invests in activities and organizations that improve the ability of people to help themselves, increase connections among people, and take cooperative approaches to community issues. WCF is exploring the development of a local food campus on a waterfront property that would become a multi-tenant site, anchored by a collaborative production kitchen benefitting food access, school system, and community organizations. The goal is strengthening Whatcom County’s local food system by promoting health equity, forging tangible strategic connections between food production organizations, and helping farmers connect with institutional markets. The facility will also feature an incubation kitchen, demonstration kitchen, event and classroom space, collaborative office and conference facilities, and housing.  New Venture Advisors developed the business case for this ambitious project and continues to support its development through engagement and operational development. (2023)