Pauline Dolovich: Be Wholeheartedly Engaged
Principal of Reich&Petch
by Elizabeth Lavis
|04 Sept 2024
The best advice that Pauline Dolovich, Principal and unofficial Air Traffic Controller of Reich&Petch, ever heard is, “I belong at the table and have something to say.” Dolovich credits the halls of the Smithsonian, where she worked on projects for two decades, with shaping her design philosophy more than anything else. “Spending time in the galleries, with their amazing staff and curators in their incredible collection spaces, has fundamentally shaped my understanding of our work,” she says.
She advises aspiring designers to be wholeheartedly engaged with their work. “The young designers I love to work with are curious and interested,” Dolovich says. “I love it when the stories and narratives capture the attention of the junior team we work with.”
Dolovich credits her upbringing with shaping her work profoundly and positively. “I was born and raised just outside of Toronto, Canada, with a family of mostly doctors and professors. That environment instilled a strong sense of personal and civic duty and compassion in me early on. Almost all of my work has been influenced by those values,” she says.
Dolovich fosters transparent communication, collaboration, and honesty with her clients in her day-to-day work. “For us, the client participation in the design process is essential,” she says. “We work with clients who are subject matter experts, educators, and experienced museum leaders. They work closely with us to shape the projects so that they are suitable for the culture of the place. Our projects become iconic experiences for the institutions that we work for.”
"Toronto Holocaust Museum", Reich&Petch
Regular communication and consistent online and in-person meetings are hugely important to the process, as is figuring out each client’s unique work culture. “Each group is so different, and we try to fold ourselves into their process so that the way we work is comfortable for them,” Dolovich says.
For the design itself, Dolovich starts with a wide-angle lens approach that encompasses the complete vision, then hones in on specific details to flesh out the project fully. She doesn’t see strategy and creativity as mutually exclusive but necessary components to reach a desired goal. “There are so many interesting and creative design solutions for any given space or project,” Dolovich says. “Strategy gives a reason for which solution is the most relevant and the best choice for the particular situation.”
Dolovich aims to create an emotionally and intellectually accessible space with beautiful design. “If people can connect with those aspects of my work, I feel like I’ve succeeded,” she says. Campaigns can range from one to ten years and sometimes can be on hold for some time. “Our projects often start and stop for fundraising campaigns or are phased,” Dolovich says.
Dolovich also deals with the inevitable burnout by compartmentalizing each project and stepping away from the noise when she needs a break. “I try to isolate myself, even if it’s just momentarily, long enough to see a project for its uniqueness and build on that,” she says.
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