Getting to know Hanee

Carl-Hanee “Hanee” Coquillon is a 2024 recipient of the WRNS Studio Foundation Scholarship, which she will use to pursue a 4+ track starting with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture at Columbia University. She graduated from Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School in New York in Spring 2024. We spoke with Hanee recently about her journey and her plans for the future.

What is your educational plan? What challenges have you faced along the way?

Having grown up in Haiti, I have witnessed first-hand the stark disparities between different social groups. The varying quality of neighborhoods, from slums to middle-class and upper-class areas, has shaped my understanding of how our environment influences our future. This has sparked my desire to address housing disparities and create homes that foster a sense of belonging, regardless of social standing.

My goal is to study at an esteemed institution, where I intend to major in Architecture. I am eager to delve into the evolution of communities and their concept of home, and how this knowledge can be used to improve housing conditions for all.

In addition to Architecture, I am keen to explore International Relations, Linguistics, and Computer Science, and plan to double major in one of these fields. I am confident that these areas of study will complement my primary major and expand my understanding of the global context in which architecture operates.

I am particularly excited about the opportunity to study and network abroad, as I am dedicated to establishing a career in a firm with an international footprint. This experience will provide invaluable exposure and insights as I strive to make meaningful contributions to the field of architecture.

Thinking of your cultural background and lived experience, how do you envision creating a more beautiful, sustainable, equitable built environment as an architect or designer?

In Haiti, where I grew up, beauty is often equated to expansive spaces, pristine as white marble, steadfast as gray concrete, or warm as a well-crafted cedar wood chest. This vibrancy and color, mirrored in our flag and people during the carnival season, were elements I too found beauty in. However, my fascination was often drawn to the neglected corners and unused spaces within our homes. To me, these were undiscovered treasures, spaces ripe with potential for simplicity and efficiency. I envisioned cozy corners with bookshelves or lush, green oases. This vision of transforming spaces is what fueled my aspiration to become an architect.

My life took a dramatic turn when I survived the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Witnessing the tragic consequences of unsafe infrastructure ignited a fire within me and strengthened my resolve to pursue architecture. I strongly believe that everyone, regardless of their social standing, deserves a safe and comfortable place to call home.

The earthquake revealed not only the vulnerability of our infrastructure but also the resilience, unity, and compassion of the Haitian community. In the face of adversity, these values shone brightly, shaping me into the person I am today and instilling in me a deep sense of empathy and inclusivity.

With my architectural studies, I am committed to creating innovative and sustainable housing solutions that prioritize safety, functionality, and resilience. I aspire to transform the future of housing, ensuring no one has to endure the hardships that come with inadequate living conditions.

What is a creative interest or talent that brings you joy?

My early years were marked by transitions - shifting between countries, adapting to different cultures, and learning new languages. This, coupled with my separation from my parents, forced me into a shell, a protective cocoon. I only dared to speak when absolutely necessary, haunted by the fear of judgment for my strong French-Creole accent, restricting my voice to whispers. However, joining my High School’s Choir was a turning point; it stirred within me a compelling desire to find my voice. Gradually, I became comfortable with the English language, which was once foreign to me.

While I grew more confident in verbal expression, I found a deeper, more profound comfort in conveying my emotions through my artwork - a tangible manifestation of my feelings, shaped by my own hands. My love for art is not confined by the boundaries of a single medium. Instead, I delight in the symphony of diverse materials, each lending its unique signature to the final piece, all harmoniously fused together. This year, in my AP 2D Art and Design class, I've explored themes of emotions, culture, texture, and identity.

I often find myself asking, "Has anyone thought of this before?" This question is born from my unconventional artistic processes and materials, from using my fingers as paintbrushes - ten tools that needn't be picked up each time - to sewing a dress onto a canvas, and even using cut up dried paint to depict people that looked like me, darker skin with a big poof. While I may not have tried all my imaginative ideas yet, my artistic journey is a continuous exploration. As I venture into studying architecture, I aspire to maintain this innovative spirit, always thinking outside the box, always pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

Art brings me immense joy as it provides a unique medium for self-expression. Each artwork I create is a journey of self-discovery, a tangible testament to my personal growth. It allows me to communicate my feelings, experiences, and ideas in a way words often can't. This connection between my inner world and my art is what brings me genuine happiness and satisfaction.

More about Hanee Coquillon…

Some of my favorite hobbies consist of going to the gym, listening to music, snowboarding, hiking, traveling, and drawing. To me all of these hobbies are freeing experiences and ways to clear my mind. I enjoy all types of music, and I like to find new songs from various genres. I find that music can be beautiful pieces of art that can really be felt. I have been to a few different places, some of my favorites being Malaysia, Barbados, and Utah. I like seeing new places, new sights, and different cultures. Traveling is not only fun, but it helps you gain a lot of perspective.

Getting to know Nashia

Dillys “Nashia” Olise is a 2024 recipient of the WRNS Studio Foundation Scholarship, which she will use to complete a Master of Architecture at Columbia University. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Architecture at the University of Kentucky. We spoke with Nashia recently about her journey and her plans for the future.

What is your educational plan? What challenges have you faced along the way?

I am currently pursuing my Master of Architecture degree at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation. It is a three-year professional degree program and by the end of the school year in May 2024, I would have completed my first year. During these years, my goal is to engage in critical thinking and build the technical skills necessary to create a positive impact in a rapidly changing world.

Since the age of 7, my aspiration to become an architect grew stronger. My family always supported my goals despite our financial uncertainty as we believe in hard work and determination. My undergraduate journey was challenging as I often faced microaggressions as one of the few black students in the University of Kentucky College of Design, it was difficult to find a mentor to guide me through this unfamiliar path. My accomplishments were attempted to be diminished, and I was made to feel like I was not worthy of being in that environment. I constantly reminded myself that I am deserving of all my accomplishments and that I am capable of achieving my dreams. Despite the distance barrier, my family remained a support system for me and my passion drove me during those difficult times. I successfully graduated and was admitted to the graduate program of my dream! I currently juggle my classes and projects with two on-campus jobs in an attempt to meet my educational expenses. This scholarship will go a long way in enabling me to achieve my educational goals and become a successful architect in future!

Thinking of your cultural background and lived experience, how do you envision to creating a more beautiful, sustainable, equitable built environment as a future architect or designer?

Growing up, my family was always conscious about the actions we took in our day-to-day lives and how it affected our environment. From reusing the packaging from products we consume, to growing vegetables around the house to regulating our water and electricity usage. These sustainable habits have stuck with me throughout my life. Simultaneously, I grew up in a community that was constantly flooded during the rainy seasons due to improper disposal of everyday waste and the poor drainage system in our community. This constant flooding coupled up with the lack of proper roads made our area difficult to access. It also led to the consistent flooding of many houses in my community. As a young girl, this made me wonder how other communities in our state had better infrastructure. 

I started to understand the politics involved in the allocation of resources for various communities, where some are favored more than others. As an architecture student, I want to confront these systems of oppression by engaging in these often overlooked topics and building for communities in need.

I also want to uphold the sustainable habits my parents imbibed in me and incorporate them into my design projects; to always be conscious about the cultural practices of various communities so that I can design to complement those practices rather than creating a one-size fits all design approach which is detrimental for minority populations. I plan to create sustainable structures that will stand the test of time.

Describe a design or research interest you plan to pursue. How will it help advance the profession and your community?

After this presentation, I felt more inspired to channel my educational journey towards learning how I, as a designer, can provide support for communities like Makoko that do not have the same access to resources and opportunities like others.  With this goal in mind, I plan to join the Center for Resilient Cities and Landscapes, a research center under Columbia University GSAPP that strives to combine research, planning, and design to tackle real-world challenges such as climate uncertainty, inequality, and urbanization that global communities face.

I am specifically interested in exploring how design can empower black communities without erasing their story but rather echoing it and celebrating their history. This can be through learning about the cultural and historic practices of a particular site, as a framework for restoration and advancement of their present-day community. More so, I want to research various sustainable materials that are local to a community, how they interact with the climate, and how to build in a way that celebrates their cultural heritage while ensuring ecological sustainability.

I believe this research will contribute to the profession as it will encourage architects to push beyond the boundaries of our discipline by challenging designers to engage in discussions about inequality and lack of access to resources, and to explore new materials and methods. This research will contribute to the advancement of my community because it would shape my design thinking and propel me to design spaces that resonate with the identities of black communities across the United States and the African diaspora.

How will you leverage your career as an architect or designer to pay it forward to future generations of architects and designers?

Growing up in my teenage years, there were no readily and easily accessible tools and resources for rising future designers like myself who are interested in learning about the field and head starting on gaining those hands-on technical skills. I would like to increase the accessibility to the essential resources, training and workshops that can provide aspiring architects and designers with an early start on developing themselves as a designer.

I also aspire to give talks and presentations to black students across the United States and the African diaspora, especially in locations that lack diversity; locations where it may be difficult for black students to have a black mentor or tutor. My goal is to spread awareness about the impact they could make in our world through design, and that their talent, lived experiences and cultural background are valuable tools for informing their designs. To never shy away from challenging the norm and experimenting with unconventional tools and materials. I want to instill a belief that we as black designers are capable of healing communities and creating a welcoming environment for future generations.

In the long run, I also hope to provide travel awards for black students who wish to travel in order to conduct research that would contribute to the betterment of communities that are vulnerable and often overlooked. I believe that travel is a powerful educational tool that shapes a person's perception of the world.

More about Nashia Olise…

I completed a 12-week architecture internship at JKS Architecture where I majorly produced renderings for projects which include Florim USA warehouse in Clarksville, Tennessee and First Methodist Church. I also completed a 2-week architecture externship at Buro Koray Duman architects in New York City. I currently work as a student assistant for the Columbia GSAPP Audio and Video Office and a student worker for the Events Office.

At my university, I am the incoming Events Chair of our GSAPP Black Students Alliance (currently shadowing). I am highly passionate about contributing to this organization as I love its mission. They provided a sense of community and belonging when I recently joined the university and continue to create a safe space for the many voices of the black GSAPP community, a space where we can support each other and strive to improve our experience at GSAPP.

Prior to my masters program, I served as a Resident Advisor in my sophomore, junior and senior years of college. Throughout those years, I hosted several events to give my residents a space to destress and bond with other members of our living community.

I was also an International Student Leader. During these two years, I helped facilitate orientation, provided mentorship to new international students, and planned many events with the goal of building a community and spreading cultural diversity at the University of Kentucky.

In my free time I enjoy meeting new people and exploring new places. I also enjoy photography and painting!

Getting to know Craig

Craig Thompson is a 2024 recipient of the WRNS Studio Foundation Scholarship, which he will use to pursue a Bachelor of Architecture at New Jersey Institute of Technology. He completed his associate degree in Drafting at Bergen Community College in New Jersey in 2023. We spoke with Craig recently about his journey and his plans for the future.

What is your educational plan? What challenges have you faced along the way?

I plan to complete my Bachelor of Architecture at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in the Spring of 2028. One of my earliest challenges that I went through was the divorce of my parents when I was five. I had trouble connecting with my feelings, I was unhappy. I started rebelling in middle school, and I fell into the wrong crowd during high school. I was unable to focus on my life’s goals, so I didn't progress with my education. I was fortunate to come to the realization that my life and the people in it are important to me and I continue to work hard at keeping myself healthy and building relationships that are good for me and that I can have a positive impact on. I am also proud of what I have achieved so far in my educational journey and look forward to continuing this rewarding process.

Thinking of your cultural background and lived experience, how do you envision to creating a more beautiful, sustainable, equitable built environment as a future architect or designer?

Ethnic minorities often live in areas that lack green spaces and are close to toxic waste dumps. However it comes about, these environmental injustices have a huge impact on human health, happiness, and quality of life. We need to turn toxic, ugly sites into green spaces and community centers. The Superfund site near my house was turned into a dog park after I had lived there for 9 years. Many high-rise apartment complexes are miserable, ugly, lonely places. Community interaction is important in public housing, and I would focus on building this into my designs. I want to see dedicated communal areas for gyms, playgrounds, and flower and vegetable gardens that residents can interact in. Elevated rooftop solar panels could double as shade for people to gather and even shade gardens that can be sustained with water-gathering technology up on the rooftop. Food halls can be located in these apartment complexes with communal tables for eating at. Loneliness is a killer. It leads to anxiety, depression, online addictions, substance abuse and crime. I feel that there is a lot that can be done in architecture and design to address these injustices.

Describe a design or research interest you plan to pursue. How will it help advance the profession and your community?

Poverty and poor physical and mental health plague many black families. It is a vicious cycle. I would like to improve the design of apartment complexes by taking advantage of the fact that there are stairwells.

Climbing stairs is one of the best physical exercises that almost anyone can do. Stairwells in apartment buildings tend to be dark, windowless places; an afterthought everyone avoids. What if we could build in such a way that stairwells are bright with natural light? Prioritize and carve out space for bigger landings with “attractions” on each landing such as sitting areas with low tables, fitness equipment such as stationary bikes, pull-up bars, games, potted plants, space for small yoga groups. The possibilities are endless. The stairs could become a destination!

This will go a far way towards getting their steps in and building community right at home. They will have an opportunity to get to know their neighbors and build friendships, helping them mentally and physically.

How will you leverage your career as an architect or designer to pay it forward to future generations of architects and designers?

I would become a mentor to aspiring architects. I would not be here today if not for my mentor at Bergen Community College. I was going to get a job after getting my associate degree in Drafting. My professor is the one who convinced me that I should apply to a 4-year college and pursue a bachelor's in architecture. I am so grateful to him for believing in me and getting me to believe in myself.

More about Craig Thompson…

Some of my favorite hobbies consist of going to the gym, listening to music, snowboarding, hiking, traveling, and drawing. To me all of these hobbies are freeing experiences and ways to clear my mind. I enjoy all types of music, and I like to find new songs from various genres. I find that music can be beautiful pieces of art that can really be felt. I have been to a few different places, some of my favorites being Malaysia, Barbados, and Utah. I like seeing new places, new sights, and different cultures. Traveling is not only fun, but it helps you gain a lot of perspective.