By Veraliz “Rose” Biedka, Facilities Division, ICT
Veraliz “Rose” Biedka is the first person we all see when we get to ICT’s HQ in Playa Vista. Rose is our receptionist and front line, ensuring the building is secure and only visitors cleared on the ENVOY system, or staffers with current badges swipe in and go upstairs. She also handles many administrative tasks, including managing the calendar, ordering supplies, filing door scan reports and organizing the monthly birthday celebrations in our 2nd floor canteen, complete with balloons, cake and snacks. We even persuaded her to make a cameo in our most recent ICT Overview Video, participating in a research demo. In this essay, Rose shares her perspective on our Silicon Beach campus in Playa Vista.
As the receptionist at ICT, I’m the first point of contact for many who come to visit us at the institute.
“No, we’re not on the main USC campus,” I have to say (a lot) on the phone, or when answering our main contact email in-box. “We’re in Playa Vista, on the Silicon Beach Campus.”
Then I give them the address, and directions, usually from the nearby airport (LAX) or one of L.A.’s main arterial freeways. When they arrive, they’re always surprised at how wonderful our campus is.
Playa Vista is a special place, and a beautiful location for ICT’s HQ. Originally, it was known as The Ballona Wetlands and of deep historical reference to Native people, as the ancestors of the Gabrieleno (Tongva) Band of Mission Indians inhabited these lands.
Then, during WWII, the Hughes Aircraft Company started to buy up what was then farmland at the edge of Culver city and built a massive runway that became the longest private airstrip in the world. This was to support the creation of the H-4 Hercules, more popularly known as “Spruce Goose” which flew only once, on Nov 2nd, 1947.
This 300-acre area, on the former Hughes Aircraft Company site, has been re-developed into a technology campus, and is considered part of Silicon Beach (a play on words for our cousins up north in Silicon Valley). The Campus at Playa Vista, where we are, is managed by Hines.
ICT and Me
I started working at ICT in Oct 2021, during the pandemic. Of course, back then, we had a hygiene protocol in place, and precautions to keep everyone safe during COVID. This made having somewhere beautiful, and outdoors, to escape to, all the more necessary, and helpful.
Here’s what it’s like to work at ICT from my perspective:
I arrive at ICT early in the morning before we open for business at 8:30 AM. As I approach the entrance, I enjoy the reflection of the ecosystem along the glass building. The main entrance has a very modern and luxurious feeling. The front desk has two wall panels of glass, giving me a direct view of the park.
My favorite part of our building is The Terrace. The Terrace is our picnic area located between buildings 3, and 4, on the second floor. It has a glass paneled railing that connects from one building to the other. It also has olive trees, grass, succulents, and modern picnic tables. I also feel very proud when I walk the hallway on the second floor because it has five monitors, with the most recent announcements from our institute.
During my breaks at ICT, I love taking a walk in the Playa Vista park just outside our building, to reboot my mind. At the park, I like to see the family of ducks hanging out by the water fountain. The park has modern, long wooden benches to sit and relax. One of my favorite perks of working at ICT is the usage of Hines Property Management gym. They have a large gym with glass panels, modern equipment, and great music.
One of my favorite annual events at ICT is the Family Day BBQ. This is where we celebrate our work with our families and friends. It takes place during the first week of July, when our interns, who come to ICT from around the world, are with us. We play a movie to start the day, followed by games, food, and Randy Hill’s remarks. He always begins by giving “Thanks to everyone!”
I love it!
My ethnicity is Hispanic, and I enjoy every opportunity to explain to Spanish speakers, who visit us, the types of research that we do, because I am extremely proud to work at the USC Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT).
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AUTHOR:
Veraliz “Rose” Biedka is the first person we all see when we get to ICT’s HQ in Playa Vista. Rose is our receptionist and front line, ensuring the building is secure and only visitors cleared on the ENVOY system, or staffers with current badges swipe in and go upstairs. She also handles many administrative tasks, including managing the calendar, ordering supplies, filing door scan reports and organizing the monthly birthday celebrations in our 2nd floor canteen, complete with balloons, cake and snacks. We even persuaded her to make a cameo in our most recent ICT Overview Video, participating in a research demo.