Archinect is remembering the life and legacy of Ball State University architecture professor Janice Shimizu, who has passed away at the age of 54.
Janice won many hearts and minds throughout an estimable career in academia and the professional realm, sentiments that were repeated by the many people with whom she became familiar through her involvement in the Japanese-Canadian community in and around her native Manitoba.
She earned a Bachelor of Environmental Design degree from the University of Manitoba before completing her graduate studies at SCI-Arc, later entering professional practice with Thom Mayne and Morphosis in Los Angeles and, in 2004, founding the now widely-recognized studio Shimizu + Coggeshall Architects (S+Ca) with husband Josh Coggeshall.
Revisit our 2017 Archinect Sessions conversation with Janice Shimizu below.
Donna Sink has shared the following thoughts with Archinect: “Janice was not only deeply respected but deeply loved by her colleagues and by hundreds of students. Her inner calm and attentive presence made everyone she spoke with feel seen. Janice taught by example, transmitting her love of architecture through her joyful, curious approach to building of all kinds, guiding her students with hands-on making projects and helping each student to explore where their interest led them. Her influence will continue well beyond her too-short life.”
She is survived by her husband, her two children, sister Kathy, and brother David. A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, April 19, at the Cornerstone Center for the Arts in Muncie, Indiana.
5 Comments
This is still hitting me hard. When I met Janice and Josh they were so awesome, it felt like we were friends forever. That kind of acceptance is not something that I'm used to, we laughed easily, and I so respected them as the amazing architects they are, it's just fucking not fair. I'm mad, sad, happy, and whatever other emotion...
I can't stop crying. Janice was the best person.
She was indeed the best.
She was an amazing professor and mentor at Ball State. Now that I've lived in LA and followed her footsteps to a degree, I deeply admire how authentic, inspired, supportive, and incredibly warm she was, in spite of the toxic culture that's so pervasive out here. It honestly kept my head above water. I would think, if Josh and Janice made it through without becoming jaded, I can too. I feel truly privileged to have been in the architecture building while she was there.
Eric, this is such a beautiful sentiment and captures how deep of an influence Janice and Josh have had on their students. Thank you for sharing this.
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