Mei-Yee Man Oram: creating inclusive spaces

Who are you?

My name is Mei, and I lead the Access and Inclusive Environments team at Arup. I was born and live in London, but my parents are originally from Hong Kong. Outside of work, I am involved in wildlife rescue, where I am currently rehabilitating bats and squirrels, and and enjoy travelling. My most recent trip before the pandemic was to the Galapagos and Amazon.

What drew you to creating accessible environments?

I was interested in the built environment and the impact that this has on society, and so when I completed my studies, I was delighted to find that there was something that combined both these areas of interest . I started off with some work experience at Arup, joined their graduate programme, and have never looked back since!

Your first full-time role was at Arup and you’ve grown within the company. Did you run into challenges finding the role and/or advancing in the organization?

I think this is all to do with the values of the firm, and the support of the colleagues you have around you. I have been very fortunate to have had very supportive team mates and leadership, and with a firm that shares similar values and ethics. Early in my career, I think I had a preconceived idea of what being successful meant – but was fortunate to be able to see role models around me that aligned much more with my own personality and communication and working style. This allowed me the space to develop in a way that was organic and natural to me.

It has been important to reflect on what success means, and to reassess priorities and objectives too, as this has, and will continue to, change over time and at different points in a career. For me, I think success in the early part of my career was about doing justice to the work that I was involved in, and having a social impact on the projects that are being delivered. Whilst that is still really important to me, as my role and responsibilities evolve, my priorities have also changed and success now also encompasses the happiness of the team around me; the impact that I have on the culture within the firm and the wider industry; and how collaborations can help to progress the journey into a more inclusive future.  

The Access and Inclusive Environments Team at Arup during the pandemic.

How do inclusive spaces tie to equity?

Without inclusive spaces, we cannot begin to create equity. The built environment is the stage on which we have our social interactions with other people, the backdrop to our home, work, and leisure activities, and so in order to provide people with equal opportunities to access this, we need to design inclusively. This includes consideration of physical access to space and facilities, the experience of this, and how this can adapt and respond to changing needs over a person’s life stages.

“This needs to become a standard part of how we design spaces and places, and we have a responsibility to challenge how things are designed and whether this is the right path going forward. For example, historic buildings have typically been viewed as problematic for accessibility, with the existing constraints and the heritage or conservation considerations. However, if the Acropolis can improve visitor experience as a building from the 5th century BC, then is there really an excuse? ”

Why do you think diversity in sustainability is important?

Diversity in sustainability is important to ensure that the solutions that are being implemented reflect the needs of our societies. This includes both diversity in the team, to make sure that decisions reflect a diverse range of perspectives, as well as the inclusiveness of the solution itself, in terms of who can use it, and how easily, safely or comfortably they can do so.

 Do you have a mentor? How have they helped you in your personal growth?

There are a number of people that spring to mind. At work, there are several people who I have looked up to as role models, who have supported and encouraged me throughout my career; they have been honest and generous in sharing their own experiences, and have coached and challenged me in my work.

In my personal life, there are two people in particular that have, and continue to inspire me – my mum, and my older sister. My mum inspired my siblings and I to embrace opportunity and challenge the stereotypes and barriers that we faced as women, and as first generation immigrants. Despite the incredible trials in her own life, she remains one of the most positive and selfless people I know. As the eldest, my sister not only stepped in as an amazing sibling and friend, but also as translator for my parents, and tutor and role model to my brother and I.

A young Mei with her mum and sister, two of her role models.

What has been your proudest moment to date?

I have been immensely proud of the work that my team in Arup have done over the past few years, from growing in size and reach, to the impact that they have had on our clients and on their projects. We have seen a change in attitude, from one of compliance or box ticking, to a genuine desire to create good design for all, and this has been through the incredible work from an incredible team!

I am working with a number of clients at the moment who share this ethos and commitment to inclusive design, and it really is a huge pleasure and sense of accomplishment when we see the solutions that have challenged the status quo, created aesthetically pleasing designs, whilst not impacting on the cost or programme, thus proving that if it is thought about early on in the process, then this really can be an integrated solution.

What advice/quote do you most live by and why?

Henry David Thoreau’s quote: “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”

This is similar to something that one of my work role models recently said to me, which was to ‘shape the world you want to see’.

This resonates a lot with the message that my family always lived by when I was growing up, and focuses on the importance and difference that we can each have as individuals.

Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future, and why?

I am feeling optimistic about the future. Whilst the past 12 months have been challenging for many people and have drawn focus to the inequalities that exist in our societies - from the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on BAME communities, gender and gender identity rights, and the Black Lives Matter movement - I am hopeful that the momentum from this will drive a change for a better future.

This includes rethinking the function of work and home spaces, public space for active travel, and how neighbourhoods are designed to facilitate a more flexible set of needs. We are currently working on, together with Sustrans and Living Streets, a research study on walking, and how streets can be made to be more inclusive and safer for more people, and in turn, impact on health, air quality, and other sustainability objectives.