Image courtesy of Dan Pitera

The Deans List is an interview series with the leaders of architecture schools, worldwide. The series profiles the school’s programming, as defined by the dean—giving an invaluable perspective into the institution’s unique curriculum, faculty, and academic environment.

For this installment, Archinect spoke with Dan Pitera, newly appointed dean at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture. An influential leader in architectural academia, social justice practices, and community engagement in the city of Detroit, Pitera brings a passion for education and dedication to creating "practice-ready graduates." According to Pitera, "design is really an issue of social justice, which our School defines as the distribution of both advantages and disadvantages across the full cross-section of society."

What would you consider to be your own pedagogical stance on architectural education?

I like this first question because I have consistently attempted to answer it throughout my career. In doing so, I ask myself three other general questions: 

1. Who is Learning? 
2. What is being taught?
3. How is it being taught? 

Though I do not answer these directly, they linger behind in my answer below. My answer is also firmly grounded in the fact that I have always oscillated simultaneously between being a practitioner and a professor. I do not see them as separate but dynamically connected.

Strong teaching environments are formed through mutual trust and knowledge sharing. In other words, I do not enter the educational process by telling the students what questions they should ask. I work through processes that help the students formulate their questions and guide them through a process of answering them. This perspective begins to align the value of a professor as someone who works with and along side students. This more reflexive relationship in turn provides room for mutual learning and growth, where both the students influence the professor and the professor influences the students. We can and do learn from each other. Failure is an Option.

This may sound like a cliché, but I truly believe that professors should strive to put the student in an environment where they feel free to fail—where students are provided a nurturing context so they can spread their wings and fall now and then. 

How would you characterize the program at Detroit Mercy? What makes it unique?

The Detroit Mercy School of Architecture’s points of history have changed over its 55 years, its faculty, students and leadership have the long tradition of critically engaging the opportunities Detroit has to offer. Detroit Mercy School of Architecture was all about Detroit before Detroit was cool. Secondly, the School of Architecture has also had the tradition of understanding the profession as encompassing both the academy and practice. One does not feed the other. Instead, they learn from each other—education inside and outside of the classroom, where education includes learning by doing. Lastly, the School of Architecture’s heritage is grounded in understanding that each student must be a citizen of the world and not merely of Detroit, Michigan, the Midwest or the United States. 

These three points have, in turn, shaped a school that has consistently focused on justice and equity in our built environment. We submit that we do not need to abandon the tools of our discipline to engage a wider variety of people in a collaborative way.

With the politics that exist today and the changing of the licensure process, it seems like that practice is moving into education. Do you see this happening more?

I can read this question from two points of view: "How does national politics in general affect architectural education?" and "How does the national politics of licensure affect education?" 

Being on the boarder between the USA and Canada has led to a very unique international dual-degree program. Students from Canada can enroll at the University of Windsor and University of Detroit Mercy simultaneously and receive a BFA from Windsor and a M.Arch from our School of Architecture. The current immigration debate and policies have directly influenced Canadian student participation. 

One of the greatest expertise that an architect can bring to the table is our ability to see connections and relationships that other people either ignore or dismiss. 

Working in Detroit, where there exists roughly 24 square miles of undesignated open space (Manhattan is 22 square miles), the issues surround the topics of blue and green infrastructure. Also we currently have dynamic young faculty who are working locally and nationally to affect the agenda of climate change. It is difficult to build momentum to develop creative ways to address the built environment and its contribution to carbon emissions and climate change, if the national political climate tends to reject the urgency.

With regard to the national policies that dictate licensure, we take the approach that the question is not whether practice is moving into education. To restate what I mentioned in the answer to question #2: Our School of Architecture understands the profession of architecture as encompassing both the academy and practice. One does not feed the other. Instead, they learn from each other—education inside and outside of the classroom, where education includes learning by doing. With this in mind, we do see that many architectural offices seem to feel that the student should have all they need to know to practice architecture when they graduate.

What do you anticipate will be the biggest challenges you're going to face as the new dean? With this new role what are you most excited about?

The things that are the most challenging are the same things that I am very excited about. If we are not passionate about the challenges that are in front of us, then why do we do what we do?

The Detroit Mercy School of Architecture has established a respected and honored reputation for its knowledge and work in Detroit. As I mentioned in the prior answer, DMSOA celebrated Detroit before Detroit was cool. At the same time, this expertise has limited people’s view of what DMSOA offers. The work and research the School of Architecture engages in Detroit should be and is applicable at the national and international scales. The School of Architecture is not merely an expert on Detroit-based urban architecture. It is an unique expert on urban architecture based on its work in Detroit. Detroit has been of interest—both positive and negative—to the world for decades. As eyes and interest continue to focus on Detroit from every angle, Detroit Mercy SOA should be the (or one of the) key institution at this nexus. 

The School of Architecture is not merely an expert on Detroit-based urban architecture. It is an unique expert on urban architecture based on its work in Detroit.

We all understand that we have a mosaic of communities that make up our cities and towns. We must have a mosaic of architects to work with them. However, the statistics are clear that the numbers of non-white male architects in our profession have changed very little in 50 years. Our faculty is young and truly dynamic. But we lack the racial and ethnic variety required if we are to be a true inspiration to the students who are non-white. We have committed to work on creative new ways to nurture a racially and ethnically varied faculty.

Many have criticized the general readiness of recently graduated students transitioning into the work force. What would your response be the question of fostering "practice-ready graduates?"

I frequently have someone approach me and mention the phrase "Practice-Ready Graduates." It is even on our website. In the context in which I hear it, these three words can be translated to: Do your graduates have the skills needed to be in an office? Our School firmly submits that the education of an architect must hover between both skill-based learning and educating critical thought-leaders. We have to be careful not to push the pendulum too much to one side. Primarily focusing a curriculum on learning skills sets up the student/graduate to be out of date in the near future. UDMSOA is committed to educating architects that are ready to adapt to, and lead in a changing practice, rather than being "Practice-Ready."  

Through your leadership, you’ve directed the Detroit Collaborative Design Center (DCDC) and have made a tremendous impact within the city of Detroit. With your new position as Dean do you see any parallels between your time as the director of the DCDC and how you will lead the school’s architecture department?

Alongside a wonderful and collaborative staff, I solidified at the DCDC a creative and collaborative process to provoke and instigate locally driven responses. I worked hard to enter every project and every situation with our community partners with as little preconception as possible. I view this potential opportunity as the new Dean in the same way. It is not by accident that the DCDC has flourished in this particular School of Architecture. The DCDC works for justice, is inclusive, has a global perspective, is daring, and is fun. This is not only in the DNA of the DCDC. It is also in the DNA of the Detroit Mercy School of Architecture. 

DMSOA critically thinks about and connects all aspects of city design to ultimately create the places that celebrate all the people who inhabit them. Detroit Mercy alumni work to create ecological, equitable and inspiring cities. I wish to build upon this background. But I also plan to enter the position fresh and develop a collaborative agenda for how the School of Architecture should evolve to address the challenges and celebrate the opportunities that move us into the future. Similar to the DCDC, the next phase of the SOA will be built together with all of the faculty and students (past, present and future) along with Detroit Mercy’s other schools and colleges and the School’s community partners.  

What plans do you have to strengthen collaboration within the department's various programs?

I view one of the roles of the Dean as the person who connects the School of Architecture beyond its walls. The Dean should see the connections between people, between departments, and between institutions. It is the responsibility of the Dean to strengthen and nurture existing relationships, as well as design and foster new ones. 

We have to continue to work toward an cultural understanding that well-designed spaces are not just for some people, they are for all people. Thoughtful and inspiring places are not superficial things. They are an essential human need.

While not compromising the expertise of a discipline, and hence accreditation, I submit that connecting disciplines in more profound and meaningful ways will lead to more creative responses. This is the essence behind our Master of Community Development degree program, which has curricular connections in almost every college at the University. With this in mind, I have begun discussions with the College of Health Professions and the College of Engineering and Science to explore developing creative intersections between our departments.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing students today?

I think that the answer to this question centers on some of the themes already discussed in other answers. I will focus on two of them here... 

1. What does it mean to be "Practice-Ready?" Do not fall for the lure that says knowing a collection of skills will be what is needed to get a job. Getting a job where you will be obsolete in a few years should not be an end goal. Tactical, skill-based learning is an important part of the educational process. But students, recent graduates and architects need to be ready to adapt to, and lead in, a changing practice.
2. It is typical for schools of architecture to send graduates of varying demographics into the world with high hopes and passions to change the world. However, it is clear through NCARB statistics that many interns who are non-white male never make it to the point of licensure. Students and recent graduates should not take those statistics as a given and work with each other to develop methods and systems that support each other as they work through the ambiguous time between graduation and licensure or what ever your goals may be.  

As an educator, how do you see the future of architecture changing?

The future of architecture lies not solely in the new forms that will be developed. It will center on the three questions that I mentioned in the very first paragraph of this interview. The future lies in: Who is learning? What is being taught? How is it being taught?

We have to continue to work toward a cultural understanding that well-designed spaces are not just for some people, they are for all people. Thoughtful and inspiring places are not superficial things. They are an essential human need. They nurture and develop the people who engage them. For example, most, if not all people would say that a young child will grow and learn better in a well-designed school versus an unmaintained poorly designed school. This is true whether the surroundings are a home, school, homeless center, or other architectural, urban, or landscaped space. With this in mind, design is really an issue of social justice, which our School defines as the distribution of both advantages and disadvantages across the full cross section of society. We consistently remind ourselves of what we do and why we do what we do! We do not just teach students. We are defining the future of our profession and our profession is defined by who is in it and how we work to bring well-designed spaces to the greater community. 

We do not just teach students. We are defining the future of our profession and our profession is defined by who is in it and how we work to bring well-designed spaces to the greater community. 

At the same time, we do not need to abandon the tools of our discipline to engage a wider variety of people in a collaborative way. Working in this way is often viewed as an alternative practice. Instead of being alternative, I propose that we are working to alter how architects practice or will practice in the future. Our School of Architecture interrogates and crafts methods to meaningfully incorporate community-driven practice throughout the profession. 

What’s the best advice you’ve been given during your career in architecture and academia? Any advice for students?

Perhaps I could answer this question with a series of brief statements as a way to not fall into clichés or to sound too parental...

It is important to enter the "room" as if it is your first time, every time. Do not get too confident that you know who is there and what to expect. Acknowledge what has happened before you became part of the process and give time to build trust.

Often times, we as architects are patted on the back for our uniqueness and then punched in the stomach for doing things that are different from the status quo. It is important to find ways to navigate this inconsistency while not losing your uniqueness and ability to challenge the status quo..

Try not to be too prepared, it resists spontaneity. I see many people try to enter a process with as much information as possible. While on the surface this may sound necessary, it can also solidify preconceptions and leave little room for growth. Think about entering a situation with a little bit of amnesia, and in turn, design methods and processes that instigate idea- and knowledge-sharing. 

Celebrate your ability to creatively think through ideas and connect the dots. One of the greatest expertise that an architect can bring to the table is our ability to see connections and relationships that other people either ignore or dismiss.