Isabel taught me during my second year of architecture school. I remember her to be an inspiring tutor, always encouraging us and having an infectious love for life.
Published on Archlosophy on 23 December 2022.
1. What inspired you to become a tutor? Was it an active decision or something that happened by chance?
I am a dreamer. I believe that the responsibility we have as human beings is to be socially engaged and active citizens that contribute to the world in meaningful ways to make it a better place to live in. I was driven by the idea of making a contribution to someone, to the world, to the Discipline, by dedicating to mentoring and developing early career professionals and by inspiring students to perform at their best. I believe in the importance of building a culture of engagement and inspiration and in the power of education to improve and transform lives.
It was an active decision after a long time questioning myself, my practice, my professional role in a world that needs much more bravery, empathy, kindness and critical thinking. Despite the precarity, among other things, tutoring brings joy and purpose to my life.
2. You’ve lived, studied and worked in many different countries. Tell us more about your architecture education and how that has helped shape your worldview.
Living in different countries, learning from different beliefs, religions, races, and ways of living influenced the person I am profoundly. We are made of experiences, I am made of my students, my colleagues, my loved ones, the new people I get to know every day, the music I listen to, the books I read, the conversations I have, the places I visit. I am the sum of these experiences that make me the person I am. These continue to influence and reshape who I will become. Life is an endless learning process, so is architectural education. The more you learn, the less you know.
My university years in Spain were very intensive, hard, challenging but rich and exciting. From this experience, I learnt how to use my wings.
My days studying in Italy showed me a different perspective and taught me that there is no unique way of understanding Architecture.
Being a postgraduate architectural student in Chile and back-packing across Latin America for one year made me feel the empowerment of an educated person- the freedom, the capability of adapting to different situations and living with very little. I learnt to appreciate what really matters and it was absolutely magical.
Australia gives me trust and appreciation. Happiness and fulfilment which I am very grateful for.
I still have a lot to learn, though. I am not the same as I was yesterday, nor will be tomorrow. My aim is to keep on learning, pushing and challenging myself to become not just a better professional but a better person, so tomorrow I will reshape a better version of the person I am today. Paraphrasing Socrates: “I know that I know nothing”.
3. Do you have a preferred style of teaching?
To be honest, I don’t know much about any specific style, I am myself when teaching. My aim is to inspire learning, strength of character and intellectual capacities by nurturing and creating sensitive and critical word-class thinkers who are rigorous scholars capable of leadership.
My students matter to me. My aims are to support and include them, always. Understanding the value of equity, diversity and inclusiveness, embracing the differences and celebrating the individual character of each student. My philosophy of teaching is that all students are unique, have specific learning needs and must have a stimulating educational environment where they can think critically, grow and learn according to their particularities.
The learning environment should be a place where they feel safe, supported and learn from each other, where they can meet their full potential and where they are invited to share their ideas, take risks and think out of the box while also accepting mistakes as part of the learning process.
Assisting students to express and accept themselves for who they are, help them in developing their own soft skills and achieving their highest potential, based on their individual strengths. As well as embracing the differences of others and celebrating the diverse range of cultural backgrounds.
‘To me it’s important, the responsibility I have as a tutor and an academic is to embrace everybody’s way of thinking, the diversity and uniqueness of ideas. I want you to be yourself.’
– Isabel Gabaldón Pérez
4. It is often said that an architectural degree is a generalist degree, do you agree? Is this a good or bad thing to have?
In my view, it should be a DEEP generalist degree, I am not sure if this is currently the case, though. The Bachelor Degree along with the Master of Architecture should give students a strategic, theoretical, ethical, technical, and professional overview. That is why it takes so much time to become and be an architect.
Instead of continuing to encourage greater levels of specialism, a more integrated process, with deep generalists from start to finish, is needed to realise the best outcome. That would form professionals able to help solve problems across a substantial number of issues. The deep generalist education of architects could connect multiple fields of knowledge and cross-disciplinary thinking. Architects should be involved in each function of the design and realisation process. We have to take this opportunity as it is, in my opinion, a good thing.
5. In your opinion, what is the purpose of an architectural education?
In these convulsive and challenging times, the purpose of an architectural education should be to encourage critical thinking, teach students to design with dignity and raise awareness among the new generations of the importance of our social role as architects, so as to create inclusive, respectful, and sustainable spaces.
Architects should create places that serve the higher purpose of social and ecological justice for all peoples and all species.
6. In architecture schools, students are encouraged to be ‘agents of change’ for a better future. How well do you see people in the industry living up to that expectation?
I am an optimistic person who believes in humanity as a source of honesty and justice. There are fantastic people doing amazing things out there, such as Anna Heringer who is not just an Architect, but a social worker and an activist. I love her idea of ‘Architecture in favour of Life’ and her philosophy to use architecture as a tool to improve lives; a medium to strengthen cultural and independent confidence, to support local economies, and to foster ecological balance.
I want to believe that there are more people in the industry having similar ways of thinking, the ones who understand the role of Architects differently.
7. What do you think is the most important skill one can learn while in university?
Critical thinking, problem solving, analysing and questioning, always questioning. Learning that the social responsibility of architects lies in part of believing that architecture can create better places, that architecture can affect society, and that it can even have a role in making a place civilised by making a community more liveable.
8. If there’s one lesson or advice you’d want to impart onto your students, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid of failing, believe in yourself and take risks. Sorry, there are three!
9. Is there something that you regret doing or not doing in architecture school? If you have the opportunity to get transported back to school, what would you have done differently?
Universities are sacred places where one is allowed to dream BIG. Higher education is one of the most exciting journeys, if not the most of our life. I don’t regret anything in particular but if I could get transported back to those years, I would make the most of each opportunity by putting my soul and my heart. I would get more involved in the leadership of the school and attend all events that relate to social awareness, well-being, justice, equality… I would make the school a safe place for everybody, a temple where all the voices are heard.
-End of interview-
Thank you Isabel.
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