Q: What drew you to study Architecture? A: My undergraduate degree is in art history, and my
favorite part of that was the history of buildings. It took me a while, but I graduated with my degree and I figured I need to do something more. Thinking about it, I thought about how I spent my childhood with saws and wood in
the garage making things, and then again about how I
enjoyed architectural history. So, then I applied for what was known as the Track Three program and from my very first lecture I knew right away it was the right decision. Q: What attracted you to teaching? A: I never thought I would be a teacher, it was never on
my trajectory. I was working for a large engineering firm and the opportunity came up to go teach structures in
France. It was a very good time in my career for a new transition, and I went to teach in Versailles. I thought I
would try it out and see if I liked teaching. Turns out
“ Even for those who don’t
focus on it, structure is everywhere. And I saw the impact that structure has on different types of forms on the way that we develop as a society. For example, the introduction of the steel frame in skyscrapers has changed the way we view the world, right, so we now have tall buildings, we now have supertall buildings.”
I loved it. I love inspiring students. I love asking big
questions. I love asking students to ask big questions
and to think critically. I know it sounds cliché, but you
see how the people react. Because, you know, every place
to get up, because I practiced as an engineer and I have
react to the same challenges that other people have? And
morning saying, “Am I in the right place? Maybe I should
of that is an experiential thing and we can’t get that from
all are the next generation, the future. In practice I used
you go has a different culture, so how do they culturally
a graduate degree in architecture I would get up every
then what sort of site, are we on a river, in a desert? All
go do architecture rather than be an engineer?” I don’t
magazines. We can only get that from being there.
single day and fulfilling every single day.
Q: How did working for a structural engineering company
Q: As a visiting lecturer in Versailles, what would you say
architect and the structural engineer?
design for?
A: When I graduated, I went to work for a very large
A: We’re not designing images. We’re designing 3D
architects. I always tell a story that on the first day I’m
whether it be for employment or housing or cultural
and curses out an architect. Right, and so I thought, “Here
designed, you need to experience them. How does the
architects and there is still this gap between architects
have those questions when I teach. Its challenging every
is the importance of travelling to the places we study/
change your ideas on the relationship between the
international company that is known for working with
objects. We’re designing whole spaces that hold people,
setting my books up on the desk and somebody walks by
spaces. We need to go see the things that are being
I am, I’m at an engineering firm that works very well with
light come through? How do they use it [the space/
and structural engineers.”
site? You also need to go see the site and you need to go
This is one of the reasons I’m glad to be in academia, so
building]? How does it react to the other buildings on the
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