Caitlin is from Mooresville, North Carolina, and is a 5+1 student in her final year of the program.
1. What was your undergraduate degree and how did it influence your decision to pursue a MLA?
I hold a Bachelor of Architecture from The University of Tennessee. Before I ever started my first day of class as a freshman, I knew I wanted to pursue the 5+1 program. The work I saw students of the program produce was truly inspirational and something I wanted to be a part of. The work I produced for my undergraduate studios and projects gravitated towards the junction of architecture and landscape architecture. The MLA program was a natural fit for my desire to become a well-rounded, multi-disciplinary designer.
2. What was your favorite class? What did you like about it?
My favorite landscape class so far has been Professor Scottie McDaniel’s Contemporary Landscape Architecture history class. The class covered landscape works from the 1850s on and featured great lectures and great reading discussions. The class was incredibly thought provoking not only on what landscape architecture is, but how I see myself practicing in the future. A year on from the class I still find myself thinking back to Professor McDaniel’s lectures and I doubt that will change anytime soon.
1. What was your undergraduate degree and how did it influence your decision to pursue a MLA?
I hold a Bachelor of Architecture from The University of Tennessee. Before I ever started my first day of class as a freshman, I knew I wanted to pursue the 5+1 program. The work I saw students of the program produce was truly inspirational and something I wanted to be a part of. The work I produced for my undergraduate studios and projects gravitated towards the junction of architecture and landscape architecture. The MLA program was a natural fit for my desire to become a well-rounded, multi-disciplinary designer.
2. What was your favorite class? What did you like about it?
My favorite landscape class so far has been Professor Scottie McDaniel’s Contemporary Landscape Architecture history class. The class covered landscape works from the 1850s on and featured great lectures and great reading discussions. The class was incredibly thought provoking not only on what landscape architecture is, but how I see myself practicing in the future. A year on from the class I still find myself thinking back to Professor McDaniel’s lectures and I doubt that will change anytime soon.
3. What will you miss about Knoxville?
I am going to miss everything about Knoxville. I love the arts district, the amazing restaurants, the beautiful parks (and campus) but the thing I will miss most is the beauty of the landscape in and surrounding Knoxville. Almost every morning for 5 years I have walked up the sidewalk on Volunteer Boulevard; I always stop and look down Lake Loudoun Boulevard. That intersection lines up perfectly with a beautiful view of the mountains. I have more photos of this than I can count. Winter, spring, summer, fall, sunrise, sunset- you name it and I bet I have a picture of those mountains. Starting my day with this view has always been something that has helped ground me and I am going to miss it dearly.
4. What’s your favorite place and why?
My favorite place is Barcelona. I spent a semester living and studying in Barcelona as part of the B. ARCH curriculum. The city was so beautiful, and I still think about the time I spent there. There was beautiful art, amazing culture and history, fantastic food and so much more. I spent as much time as I could traveling around Catalonia and experiencing everything I could. I learned so much living in Barcelona and I hope to be able to return someday soon.
I am going to miss everything about Knoxville. I love the arts district, the amazing restaurants, the beautiful parks (and campus) but the thing I will miss most is the beauty of the landscape in and surrounding Knoxville. Almost every morning for 5 years I have walked up the sidewalk on Volunteer Boulevard; I always stop and look down Lake Loudoun Boulevard. That intersection lines up perfectly with a beautiful view of the mountains. I have more photos of this than I can count. Winter, spring, summer, fall, sunrise, sunset- you name it and I bet I have a picture of those mountains. Starting my day with this view has always been something that has helped ground me and I am going to miss it dearly.
4. What’s your favorite place and why?
My favorite place is Barcelona. I spent a semester living and studying in Barcelona as part of the B. ARCH curriculum. The city was so beautiful, and I still think about the time I spent there. There was beautiful art, amazing culture and history, fantastic food and so much more. I spent as much time as I could traveling around Catalonia and experiencing everything I could. I learned so much living in Barcelona and I hope to be able to return someday soon.