Auburn and Syracuse's Kate Mazade on Architecture, People, and Writing

By Julia Gamolina

Kate Mazade is a writer, designer, artist and traveler, exploring the connections between architecture and community. Her passion for people-centered projects has prompted travels through North American, Europe, Africa, and Asia that have helped me understand how geography, climate, and culture influence design. Kate has earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Auburn University and Master of Arts Journalism from Syracuse University. She formerly served as the associate editor of the AIAS CRIT Journal, and her work has been featured in The Architect’s Newspaper, Architectural Record, Madame Architect, American Theatre, the Syracuse Post-Standard, and the Charleston Post and Courier.

JG: Why did you decide to study architecture?

KM: When I was a freshman in high school, my parents decided to remodel our house. Every day after school, I would run upstairs and peak into the attic where the construction crew was my future bedroom. I loved seeing all of the materials and pieces that go into creating a space. So when it came time to pick a major at Auburn University, I didn't really think about it. I just picked architecture.

What are some of the initiatives you’ve focused on in school, and why?

While I was in undergrad, I worked for a program called DESIGNhabitat. We developed new affordable housing models for the local Habitat for Humanity chapter. Between DESIGNhabitat and my participation in Auburn's Rural Studio program, we designed and built a net-zero house, a 20k family home, the first certified Passive House in Alabama, and developed plans for aging-in-place cottage housing. When I joined those programs, I thought, "Oh, I'm just getting involved. I'll draw a bit and swing a hammer." But it turned into a real passion for affordable housing and the community that resides within it. Whether or not, I work professionally in that sector, I will find some way to be involved again.

Pages from Kate’s sketchbook, Florence 2017.

Section perspective of Kate’s thesis project - a mental well-being community center in Tokyo, Japan. 2019.

What was the favorite project you worked on in school? Favorite paper you wrote? Favorite extracurricular?

During the spring of 2017, I studied abroad in Rome. Traveling and learning about other places and cultures turned into my favorite project, assignment, and pastime all in one. I took a travel writing class while I was there, and it really sparked my interest in journalism. Each day, we would meet at a different location in the city and walk through the neighborhood, learning about it's history and what made it unique. Then, we would sit on a bench and draw the buildings that surrounded the piazzas. In the margins I would write about the people that filled them, what they were doing, what I could hear or smell. Those sketchbooks are some of my most-prized possessions.

When searching for internships and jobs, what are you looking for?

After architecture school, I moved to Syracuse, New York to study journalism at Syracuse University. I've just completed my master's in Arts Journalism with a concentration in architectural writing. So I've shifted a little from the standard career path, but I'm looking for jobs or internships that combine all of my interests: architecture, writing, and people. Luckily, my education has afforded my a lot of transferrable skills, so I can work in many different capacities, whether that's at an architecture firm, in a newsroom, for a design publication, or at an non-profit.

“I wish someone had told me not to be so hard on myself when making decisions. Just do what you want to do next. People’s careers last a lot longer and are more fluid these days.”

What’s important to you? What inspires you?

That's a hard question. Or maybe it's not so hard.

People are important to me—their stories, their environments, their communities. I've seen people create homes out of nothing, maintain relationships in in situations where I would be totally overwhelmed by my circumstance, and build each other up when it would be easier to tear each other down. Their resilience inspires me, so that's what I want to be a part of. I want to help tell their stories, to help create safe environments, and to help preserve communities.

What do you hope to do in your career?

I just want to do the next thing. And I want to learn all the time.

20k Passive House, Opelika, Alabama. Photo by Matt Hall, 2018.

Kate’s first article in a professional publication, about the local weatherman turned furniture builder. Syracuse Post-Standard, December 2019.

Who do you look up to? Both in terms of women in architecture, and in general.

Oh, that's an easy one. Danielle Willkens. She was one of my professors in architecture school and has become more of a mentor and a friend. My favorite thing about Danielle is that she believes that there isn't one right way to be an architect or be involved in architecture. When I decided to pursue journalism during my last year of architecture school, I went to her office - there was a fair amount of crying because I felt like I was letting a lot of people down for changing my mind about what I wanted to do - and Danielle suggested that I create my own class, and she'd be the teacher. So my best friend, who took the class with me, and I sat down and wrote a syllabus for an architectural criticism class. We made a reading list and some pseudo-assignments, and then we just explored. We read and wrote and talked and learned that there are lots of ways to do things and lots of ways to think about buildings and space. Danielle helped me see that. Plus, she has some killer shoes.

What advice would you give to those in high school now, choosing their field of study?

I feel like this isn't the best advice or maybe the most common advice, but no one told me this when I was deciding - it's okay to change your mind later. You're going to find the thing you're really passionate about, that you feel is what you were supposed to be doing, but you might not find it right away. Yeah, it might slow you down a little bit—you won't be the youngest person to win the Pritzker—but you will gain a lot of skills along the way. Your skills and your flexibility will help you in whatever you end up doing. I wish someone had told me not to be so hard on myself when making decisions. Just do what you want to do next. People's careers last a lot longer and are more fluid these days. The chances of finishing your career in the same way you started are pretty slim, but that's OK. Just go out and learn about the world and the people in it.