Alex Ianchenko

Proudest Moment: Cutting the ribbon on a project that our studio designed and built for Nathan Hale High School!

Thesis: No building is an island: the role of design in sustainability, stewardship, and culture

When I was accepted to UW, I wasn't sure which direction I was going to go - I decided to give architecture a shot as a compromise between science, art, research and action. Four years later, I have found a passion for built environments and their role in a rapidly-changing world. UW has given me the opportunity to hone an interest into a career path, while staying true to my values - balancing technical as well as theoretical aspects of scholarship and practice. I use the skills the Department of Architecture has given me every day, as I continue to negotiate between research and industry for sustainable future cities.

It takes a village - polishing my passion for architecture would not have been possible without my mentors and colleagues, who challenged me to think farther, broader, and deeper in every studio. I am extremely grateful to Kate SImonen, Gundula Proksch, Rob Peña, Jen Dee and Kristian Næsby for their guidance, patience and optimism - and to my classmates and friends for always lending their ears, advice, kindness and various drafting/modeling supplies that I forgot to bring.