International student

Tatu Gatere, a fifth-year architecture student from Nairobi, Kenya, earned a degree in architectural technology at the University of Washington, D.C.; she decided to pursue the professional degree at Arkansas because her professors recommended the School as “one of the most affordable and successful programs.” As a lab tech in the School’s visualization lab, Tatu helps faculty and students convert drawings into three-dimensional models. In her spare time, she designs jewelry using African glass, trade beads and semi-precious stones from around the world.

Current Research

I was awarded the John Williams Travel Scholarship this year, so I get to travel, to actually conduct research of architectural interest. My interest is in African architecture, so I’ll be traveling to Lamu, which is a small island off of Kenya, to study the origins, development and cultural context of Swahili architecture.

It’s a trade architecture; Swahili is a trade language. At the time the Ottoman Turks were traveling and conquering different cities and different states, they landed on the East African coast and developed a trade with the Bantu people. So Swahili architecture has a lot of Islamic influence from the Ottomans, as well as from the local architecture, using coral and mangrove poles as the basic materials. Spaces are very similar to the spaces that you would find in the ancient Ottoman dwellings in Iran, with the courtyard spaces, little prayer rooms set to the side, but the difference with the Swahili is that the local materials became a very strong point of the architecture.

Sustainable Design

I’m very interested in the environment, and how to use materials that don’t damage the environment. “Green” architecture is something that has come up a lot in the last couple of years, and it’s interesting to learn how to apply that, what that really means for your building as far as initial costs and maintenance costs are concerned, as well as the effect that will have on future generations. The more I learn about that, I think, the more successful my designs will be.

Studio Life

Studio is very busy. It’s actually my second home, sometimes my first home; I’m always in studio. It’s great because you get to work with other students, as opposed to my other education, where I had the option of going home. Here, when I’m tired, I just have to turn around, look at my neighbor, have a discussion, question their designs as they question my designs. It’s very helpful, to always have students in the same environment who you can work with. We have teachers who, apart from regular studio hours, actually take time to come out and see our work and discuss any issues or concerns we may have. So it’s a very friendly, but very demanding environment.

One thing I get surprised at more and more is how much peer critique or peer influence is important in this education. You’re so used to going to a class and the instructor is your main source of knowledge, but with studio, it’s almost as if we feed off of each other. We learn from each other, we question each other, we help each other. And also the competition that exists in studio always pushes you and motivates you to accomplish more – more than you thought you could, more than you thought you were capable of. And I think that for me is the greatest part of my education here, is learning how much we depend on each other. I think if we all take that with us into society, then everywhere we go will definitely be a better place, because we value each other more.

The other great thing is the lecture series that we have. In my former education I got to study about wonderful architects like Peter Eisenman and at this university I’ve actually gotten to meet them, because they come and give us lectures.

Future Plans

Travel has always been a very important part of my life, and coming to this country was what I considered a first stage of the travel I hope to make. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if I stayed here or moved on to another country. I want to learn architecture in every part of the world if possible, see what inspiration I can draw from different cultures, what lessons I can draw from that, and eventually take all of that knowledge back home and see if I can merge our local architecture with the architecture that I learned.