The Architect – Equity in Architectural Research
Global information travels fast. As I was waking up Sunday morning, I saw the result of the US Open Women’s championship game. Serena Williams lost and Naomi Osaka became the first Japanese-Haitian woman to win the US Open. Between social media, international news networks, and numerous articles and thought pieces, it was easy to decipher what happened: equity for men and women is still an issue. And new mom Serena Williams’ attitude about fighting for equity is a perspective that resonates with me. Being a mom to a daughter has shifted my thinking on the way that I react to inequity because, like Serena, I don’t want my daughter fighting the same battles of fairness in her adult life. Stepping away from architectural practice and beginning research as a Fulbright Grantee with a focus on the marginalized is a part of my transformation. Architecture is a male dominated practice and many firms struggle with diversity and inclusion. Architecture has historically served the rich and the powerful which means the perspective of white males has been largely the only history documented. I want my research to step away from that very limited scope of what has been deemed acceptable. Innovation can be observed and studied beyond the scope of the rich and the powerful and we’ve certainly seen this in other creative professions. So when Leila arrived at Taipei Taouyan, I was ecstatic because it symbolized the beginning of our new adventure together and of the way that I visualize myself in the context of the architecture profession.
“I have been in Sorrow’s kitchen and licked out all the pots. Then I have stood on the peaky mountain wrapped in rainbows, with a harp and a sword in my hands.”
― Zora Neale Hurston, Dust Tracks on a Road
The Matriarch – Reunited. . .
Leila and Len arrived on the same 5:00 am flight from JFK to Taipei (Taoyuan) on China Airlines. They arrived with much more energy than me and it’s a good thing because we had to handle some immigration logistics immediately. Applying for our Alien Resident Card, directly impacts the timing of our healthcare access. Taiwanese residents have universal access to healthcare and those applying for a Visa receive access after six months of residency. I’ve heard really positive things about the Taiwanese healthcare system mostly from my doctors in the United States. In addition, to Healthcare once you have access to get a Taiwanese phone number, you have free access to the countries WiFi. WiFi and healthcare are covered. This is amazing on so many levels.
I didn’t hesitate getting Leila acclimated to her new schedule. She arrived on Monday morning and was attending her first (half) day of school on Tuesday. I questioned myself on whether or not it was a good idea, but when we picked her up after her first day, we had to coax her out of the school. She seemed beyond happy with her new environment. Leila has been fortunate to attend Ms. Lam Montessori Brooklyn since it began when she was two. She will be attending the Ms. Lam Taipei Xinsheng Branch for her kindergarten year. This means that when we arrived at the Taipei Branch on Tuesday she had an established comfort: the learning materials were the same; the daily routine was the same; and her teachers made sure she knew they had friends in common. Moreover, the school is absolutely beautiful! It has a water feature in the front, plenty of natural light, plants and greenery throughout the building, and a thoughtful use of materials on the interior that creates a warm environment. Leila’s favorite space is of course the indoor playground.
Additionally, good friends have made my transition easier. Alice Yinghu Chen and I graduated from University of Pennsylvania School of Design in the Master of Architecture program in 2008. Ten years later we reunited in Taipei. She is teaching and working here in Taiwan within the design profession. She has a six year old son with her husband who studied at University of Washington with my co-professors Doctor Shu-Mei Huang. The world is small and the architecture and design profession is even smaller. Arriving a week before Leila, I wanted to make sure her space was ready for her and that she felt comfortable and that I had some things figured out. Alice helped me pull all of this together. There is literally no way I could have gotten it done without her. It doesn’t hurt to have a friend (a fellow mom) in the design profession helping you pull together a living space. Culture shock, homesickness, and jet lag are real issues and I wanted to make Leila’s transition as comfortable as possible. While I believe this experience will be mostly positive for her, I know that there will be challenges.
The Research
Last Friday, I heard from the other Senior Scholars, fellows, and MA candidates on their research proposals as well as presented my own work here in Taipei. I’m anxious to begin the research. This week, I received my office, signed up for intensive Mandarin lessons, and mapped out my research plan for the semester. More to come.
