By Kathryn Horne, FAIA
From Traditional Practice to University Architect
As director of planning design and construction at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the state’s second largest public university, I am responsible for overseeing planning including development and implementation of the campus master plan, development of the capital plan, managing the design process for all building projects, and overseeing new construction and renovations of existing space and infrastructure.
My job is to connect people, needs and ideas to create a campus environment that reflects the mission and values of the university. That entails:
-
connecting the needs of students and faculty to the design of spaces and buildings
-
connecting planning with funding to create long-range plans to be executed over time
-
connecting future developments and trends in higher education with long range plans for the campus’s development.
My career began in traditional practice in architectural firms, working on projects for educational institutions – K12, community colleges and universities – from programming and planning through design and construction. I began my career at Gantt Huberman Architects, one of the most diverse architectural firms in the country, and later became a partner at The FWA Group, a regional firm with offices in three states.
I left private practice to join Georgia Tech’s Planning and Space Management department after 25 years. The career change presented a wonderful opportunity to use my experience and skills in new ways. I joined UNC Charlotte in 2015, when the university was experiencing tremendous growth and changing circumstances to position UNCC to achieve new levels of academic excellence and enhanced student life experiences. UNCC has become the fastest growing university in North Carolina’s 17-campus system, and, during my tenure, the institution has seen a 19% increase in graduation rates, a 2.8% increase in retention, and dramatically increased research funding. These factors have successfully met the university’s goals for academic excellence and raised UNCC’s profile nationally.
Image: UNC Charlotte Admissions Center (designed by Watson Tate Savory, image provided by Jana Hartenstine, AIA)
A Deeper Understanding
In private practice, I worked on projects for several colleges and universities, often taking on individual projects at different institutions simultaneously. The most significant difference between my work as an architect with a firm and my work with the university is that today I have a long-term relationship with a single institution. This allows me to develop a deep understanding of the institution and to work on many projects over an extended period, guiding the development of each project from the perspective of how it contributes to and supports the campus’s long-range goals.
My education and training as an architect give me an ability to work with constituents to find solutions to complex problems. Architectural education and training uniquely position us to consider the many facets of campus development, design and capital planning faced by higher education while integrating technical, operational, financial, and spatial programmatic requirements.
Image: Cone Center Sector Study (Architect: Hanbury with MHTN planners)
As an architect, I bring a unique understanding of how architecture and design facilitate connections between students and faculty to reinforce the educational experience. The role requires not only the understanding and commitment to integrate design principles to improve the physical environment but also knowing how the environment itself has the potential to enrich the experiences of the students, faculty, staff and visitors.
My role also entails recognizing that the approaches of the past will not solve problems of today. I work with others in the constant development of new models to address exponential growth, changing pedagogy, student expectations, limited funding and aging buildings to shape facilities that continue to foster the education and growth of students. As an architect, I am positioned to challenge the status quo and encourage academic leaders and consultants to think broadly about the role of the physical environment in achieving the university’s central mission—supporting students’ academic achievement.
Challenges and Rewards
Image: UNCC Science Space Utilization Study proposed districts (Planner: Dober Lidsky Matthey)
Working as a university architect presents the opportunity to implement a long-range vision, influence decisions about planning, development and design for a variety of building types. However, impacting student success is one of the most rewarding aspects of this kind of work.
The role of a university architect is not without its challenges. I must constantly represent the diverse (and sometimes competing) needs of all campus stakeholders, but this challenge is also exciting. The reward is witnessing how the physical environment of the campus makes a difference in the lives of the students, faculty and staff every day. For example, I led the first comprehensive campus science space utilization study, reaching across departments to elevate the interdisciplinary nature of learning and research. The data collected highlighted critical needs and priorities for a new science building, created a tool for assessing space needs, and proposed holistic, phased recommendations to increase STEM instruction and research space over the next decade. Another study compelled stakeholders from multiple departments to rethink outdated models and abandon territorial thinking to leverage shared goals to develop an actionable vision for creating spaces that focus on student success rather than department silos.
For every university, architecture’s purpose is to build better learning, teaching and living environments. Architects can find many opportunities to use their skills in higher education settings to support student success, foster community and create impactful experiences through planning and design of exceptional spaces and places for learning.
_____________________________________
Kathryn L. Horne, FAIA, is the campus architect and director of Planning, Design and Construction at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she leads the development of the campus and oversees implementation of the master plan. Kathryn has over 30 years of experience planning and designing projects for education. She holds a bachelor of environmental design from NC State College of Design and a masters of architecture from Clemson University, is a LEED accredited professional and is licensed in NC and SC. She served as the first woman president of AIA Charlotte, chair of the Society of College and University Planners Southern Region Council and is a member of the Association of University Architects.
(Return to the cover of the July 2023 PM Digest)