When she was six years old, Monserrat Vázquez Fonseca could be found drawing houses, bedrooms, kitchens — anything with structure — from her childhood home in La Piedad, Michoacán.
“I was just so attracted to the design process,” Vázquez Fonseca says. That attraction followed her until college where she ultimately majored in architecture. She was further inspired to apply to PSU’s Master’s of Architecture program when she learned a shocking statistic: 80% of deaf children lack access to education.
“It reminded me actually of me as a kid when I was growing up in Mexico,” says Vázquez Fonseca, who is deaf. “I didn't see a lot of educational opportunities for folks like me, just until sixth grade school and education stopped there. That potential is something that inspired me to become an architect.”
Designing for deaf students and other traditionally disadvantaged students further inspired Vázquez Fonseca to design a Living Education Center as part of the PSU CleanTech Challenge. Her entry won second place and is headed to the statewide Invent Oregon competition in June.
“It would be a public school for BIPOC folks and low-income families,” she said. The project mimics her thesis project as well. “The classrooms that I designed they're more connected to nature. The focus of the school itself will be on farming and hydroponics.”
Looking forward, she hopes to integrate these concepts into designing deaf spaces — particularly schools. Specific elements could include allowing more space for arm movement, ensuring lighting is adequate to see one another and that the physical space is set up in a way to allow each individual to see everyone.
“Working with diverse communities, and focusing on that education piece that’s crucial for deaf children is something I would love to pursue,” she said. “Getting them up to speed and focusing on their education and creating that learning opportunity for them — that’s the goal.”
What was your journey to PSU?
I graduated with an associate's degree from Sacramento City College with a focus in humanities and the arts at the same time taking architecture courses at Cosumnes River College. I then transferred to PSU to finish my undergraduate degree. The master’s in architecture program really interested me with its unique thesis component. The thesis piece at PSU allows us time to investigate and research and analyze our own dreams and desires and you can do that for almost an entire year.
What are your goals post-graduation?
I just had my first job interview ever a couple days ago, and I got called back with a job offer! I am so overjoyed and excited to work at Holst Architecture in Portland! I am looking forward to my next journey which is officially starting my architecture career. I hope someday I could set up a foundation which focuses on building a non-profit organization to help and to build deaf schools around the world.
What is your favorite memory of PSU?
I was packing everything and getting ready to move to Portland and make that big step. Before I said goodbye to everyone my abuelita started crying. I had never seen her act that way. It was impactful, it touched my heart in a way I hadn't experienced before and I think it was a proud moment for me. All of my family felt so proud that I'm going to college. I was the first person in my family to make that journey.
What would you like to share about navigating the pandemic while completing your degree?
Right before my final presentation was the day that they canceled everything. I remember that moment was mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting. I didn't really know how to control that situation, people didn't know what was going on with COVID, so we had to learn the whole technology piece together. How to communicate through technology, how to show the work we were doing, how to make models, all that kind of stuff.
I guess the hardest part for me about remote learning is thinking about work. I used to always be focused and motivated and now I just don’t feel that as much. It's not as motivating to be working alone.
What’s the best piece of advice you would give to future students?
I would say just be yourself, be open minded. Let yourself really get immersed in the work. Sometimes it can be frustrating, but it's okay to fail. They'll get up and learn again.
Director of the School of Architecture Jeff Schnabel gave me this advice: Don't fall in love with it, until you fall in love with it. And for me that meant: You're going to be working on an idea, whether it's a project, whatever it is you might love it, but you have to modify it and change and adapt it until you fall in love.