Kansas State's Nicole M. Reimert Burró on Research, Unrepeatable Moments, and Championing Others
By Julia Gamolina
Nicole Reimert Burro, a native of Asuncion, Paraguay, is an upcoming graduate from Kansas State University with a Masters in Interior Architecture and Industrial Design. Her desire to study architecture brought her to the United States where she has had the opportunity to work on projects ranging from small-scale residential to cultural centers, art installations, material studies, and furniture fabrication. She approaches every project from a place of discovery and versatility, allowing the experience of the user and the context of the building to be the guiding principles.
Nicole’s interests lie in understanding affordances in architectural space to efficiently design for the human experience, architectural software and visualization, and making sustainable practices commonplace in the field. She aims to someday reach a position in a firm where she can collaborate with like-minded individuals and to implement what she has learned in projects that she could visit. In her free time, she can be found with her nose in between the pages of a book or behind the monitor of her computer.
JG: Why did you decide to study architecture?
NRB: This is going to sound very corny, but I decided to study architecture at a very young age — nine years old, to be precise. For some reason, I visited construction sites a lot as a child and there was something thrilling about the idea that this jungle of debris would someday be inhabited according to someone’s vision. Cliché as it is, I found an outlet for these interests in playing the video game Sims. I spent more time designing and furnishing buildings and imagining what the characters’ daily lives looked like than I did playing the game.
Ultimately, my decision at a young age to tell my parents that “I’m going to be an architect!” came from the illusion that I would be able to interpret people’s behaviors and create moments through design. Quickly after, I started toying with model-making, drafting, and even architectural software as a way to experiment with my newly acquired career path. My parents, supportive as they are, made it a point to show me architectural masterpieces when we traveled, gave me books, and took me to their friends’ studios and sites. Even in high school, when I was presented with a plethora of fields and possibilities, I was adamant that I had found what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. To this day, my love affair with the field continues in an intensified manner.
A snapshot of Nicole’s process.
What was the favorite project you worked on in school? Favorite paper you wrote? Favorite extracurricular?
Recently, I revised a residential project on Bainbridge Island from our second year. This was an incredibly rewarding experience because I used the parameters of the original project and the lessons I’ve learned in the years after to create a project that I am very proud of and that shows how much I have grown over the past few years.
My favorite paper I wrote for Dimensions of Space class during my fourth year. In class we discussed the phenomenology of architecture, and the paper was a reflection on the assumption that architecture is an event that is made of a series of moments. I learned how different interests of mine — architecture, psychology, and philosophy — intersect in a way that helps architects and designers fully grasp how space can influence people’s behaviors, perceptions, and emotions.
My favorite extracurricular has been attending lectures and talks both within and outside the college. I enjoy seeing design through the lens of designers with more experience and unique perspectives. I feel the best way to enrich our field is by sharing knowledge and learning from others, and lectures are a fantastic way to access this information.
What are some of the initiatives you’ve focused on in school, and why?
I’ve enjoyed mentoring in official and unofficial capacities. I’m currently a graduate teaching assistant, I’ve been a peer mentor, and I often am guest reviewer for underclassmen. I chose to become involved in this way because I’m very grateful for every peer, mentor, friend, and professor that has taken an interest in me. I believe the person and designer I am, as well as who I hope to become, is due to the people who have invested their time in me and cared about my growth.
I hope to be that person for others as a way to foster a welcoming environment and to support my peers. I believe people flourish when they are allowed to be themselves and when they feel their efforts are appreciated. Sometimes it takes seeing how passionate someone is about the field or your project to feel that way yourself. Other times, you simply need someone to relate to your feelings and difficulties. Ultimately, it is about helping others feel comfortable, capable, and seen.
“Sometimes it takes seeing how passionate someone is about the field or your project to feel that way yourself. Other times, you simply need someone to relate to your feelings and difficulties. Ultimately, it is about helping others feel comfortable, capable, and seen.”
When searching for internships and jobs, what are you looking for?
For me, it is essential to work for a firm that champions their employees. In my case, this would be championing my desire for continuing education in the form of research, professional events and lectures, licensure, and an additional terminal degree. Ideally, the firm would support the implementation of research in design as a way to further the field and improve the quality of work the firm is doing.
Additionally, it is important to be surrounded by a positive culture where uniqueness and authenticity are highly regarded as strengths. As someone who is a vocal advocate for mental health, I believe that being able to present yourself authentically, without filters, and be perceived as qualified is of the utmost importance. Working in a firm where you are surrounded by people who are supportive and understanding with each other is necessary to perform at our best and to be excited to come to work every day.
What’s important to you? What inspires you?
In a few words, I care about the human experience. To me, the beauty of architecture lies in being able to create unrepeatable moments for people to interact with. The challenge comes in understanding what factors go into creating that moment and what informs that unique instance. Parameters like environment, knowledge, culture, color, and light influence how the space may be received and utilized. For example, designing a multi-purpose room in an elementary school is a vastly different challenge than designing one for a high school. Approaching design from the perspective of learning from, and designing for, people is very important to me.
I am constantly impressed and inspired by people who challenge assumptions and who fight for their voices to be heard. The world of design allows for and embraces people stand up for their needs and desires, whether it be equal access or changing what the layout of a house might be. I always want to hear from a multitude of voices, particularly those who see issues from a different vantage point than my own.
One of Nicole’s favorite new skills: welding!
What do you hope to do in your career?
There are so many things I want to achieve in life! In the near future, I would like to get an MArch so I can be licensed in the fields of interior design and architecture. This would help me weave between both worlds in a way that promotes a holistic approach to design within the teams I am a part of.
I don’t want to stop learning and growing, and I don’t believe limiting the scope of what I am interested in is helpful. I’d rather pursue interests as they become relevant to the world at large. Hopefully, people will be interested enough in what I have learned that they will collaborate with me so that we can enrich the pool of knowledge. If I’m being very bold, I hope to grow to a position where I can elevate the voices of others and where our design solutions have a positive impact on society, environment, and collective knowledge.
Who do you look up to? Both in terms of women in architecture, and in general.
In the field of architecture and design, I have great admiration for trailblazers such as Kazuyo Sejima, Zaha Hadid, Ray Eames, and Florence Knoll, who have all paved the way for us so we can even be having these discussions. I also admire all of the women who worked with male architects and did not receive the credit and acclaim they deserved – Charlotte Perriand is a perfect example. My mentors and professors are a constant source of awe and admiration for me – they strive to inspire future generations of designers and find the genius in everyone’s set of skills. I hope to be able to do the same for others in the future.
I look up to women in any artistic pursuit, including the musician St. Vincent for her artful character portrayals and Hilma Af Klint’s foray into abstract paintings. It takes tremendous courage to make oneself vulnerable and share those results with the world. I hope to someday be good and brave enough to do so.
I also admire my family members, who taught me the importance of pursuing your interests with dedication. There has never been a task or hobby they have not encouraged me to dive into fully, and that guidance has molded me into the inquisitive person I am. In addition, I look up to them because they taught me the importance of empathy and kindness to all, which I hope to continue to practice as I transition to the professional world.
“I hope we continue to push for quality over speed and continue to acknowledge that health and wellbeing are important. I hope work environments encourage people to come as they are and promote collaboration in a way that recognizes and heightens people’s abilities. In short, I hope practice doesn’t feel like a competition of who can sleep less and speak loudest over others.”
What do you hope for, for the future in our industry?
I hope someday I get to work in an industry where architecture, design, and urban planning aren’t seen as the only solutions to issues of our time or as entities that live in a separate realm from them. I think it would be wonderful if the norm became people interacting with architecture and design in a way that allows them to help shape the spaces and have a more active role in the process and buildings interact with communities in a way that acknowledges they are part of a complex solution instead of the only solution.
Within the work environment, I hope we become kinder to each other. I hope we continue to push for quality over speed and continue to acknowledge that health and wellbeing are important. I hope work environments encourage people to come as they are and promote collaboration in a way that recognizes and heightens people’s abilities. In short, I hope practice doesn’t feel like a competition of who can sleep less and speak loudest over others.
What advice would you give to those in high school now, choosing their field of study?
My parents always said that everything you love is never in vain. In the context of schooling, everything we are passionate about is never lost time. I believe you can find ways to connect your main field of study to other interests in one way or another — and those connections will make you a stronger professional. Your college major doesn’t define you or what you are capable of, what you take from your education to build a career path is ultimately defined entirely by you.