What is your name, current location, and current occupation?
Mindy Lehrman Cameron, FAIA
Seattle, Washington
Architect/Artist
What was your affiliation with MIT?
I received a Masters in Architecture in 1982
What was your thesis title, if you completed one?
Permanence and Change; Architectural Translation from Traditional Japan
I was a carpenter in Japan in the late ‘70s and, in this thesis, I was trying to synthesize aspects of traditional Japanese architecture for use in an American context.
What are you doing today?
Last June, I closed my thirty-five-year business making narrative architecture, and segued into personal projects, art, and civic ventures, serving on boards (art, science, design), and mentoring students. I write, draw, travel, appreciate museums, and attend theater. A Seattle Cultural Center idea of mine is gaining traction.
Right now, I am drinking coffee and composing interview responses (meta, right?). This morning, I will take Pilates; finish an art/science retreat review; delve into files for a history collection; brainstorm with my supportive husband; facetime with one of my two remarkable daughters; and order windows for our country house. Later, I will help digitize my handwritten journals, to lighten my physical load while preserving stories.
Do you think your career path has been unorthodox or nontraditional?
Yes. It was unorthodox and not traditional for a female to start and sustain an architectural practice and become a Fellow of the AIA. Also, my work focus evolved into designing out-of-classroom educational environments -- a unique niche. But I want to answer differently. When I began grad school, I thought architecture was a form of art, and people tried to disillusion me. Now, I have come back to the realization that even if architecture is not always art (and should not always be art), art is where I live, including within the architectural realm.
How did your time at MIT affect your career path?
At MIT, there is no distinction between work and play. People are diligent, demand a lot from themselves, and continue on a path of life-long learning and creative seeking. At MIT, I realized that almost anything can be learned, and this gave me a great amount of confidence to proceed through work and life with so many multi-dimensional demands and rewards.
What are you excited about in your career field today?
Personally, I love what I have been doing and the field I am in. Interpretive architecture is totally engaging, and I have been thrilled to use both sides of my brain to actualize imagination into physical results. There is a popular buzz about “storytelling” in design. I have been creating in that world for decades.
In a broader sense, the field of architecture is misunderstood by many, acts of imagination are undervalued, and, although it affects us all every day, most people are design-illiterate. But I do see an emerging, diverse set of design thinking, a wider range of interesting voices, and an explosion of creative works that are exciting and promising, along with a buzz about design and art, permeating educational tracks, and growing in our culture. This gives me hope.
What is advice you would give to a new alum coming out of MIT?
Your passion for your work, focus, and obvious joy and interest in the work itself will often mean more to a prospective employee than the degree you hold or where you received it. Be authentic. Learn, be curious, do the hard work, have fun.
What are you trying to learn right now?
During the pandemic, I taught myself Procreate. Also, after years of delegating, I learned AutoCAD and SketchUP. I am studying Spanish to reach another level of proficiency. I am drawing again for fun, not to illustrate something about a project. I am trying to face my personal demons and get rid of my stoppages.
How can fellow alums reach you if they want to speak further?
Please check out my website: http://lehrmancameron.com. (It might be hard to navigate through the projects from the main page, so I suggest going to the FAIA tab in the menu, as that is one continuous read and gives an overview. Here is a direct link to that: http://lehrmancameron.com/wp-content/uploads/MLC-FAIA.pdf).
If you want to reach me, my email is mindylc@lehrmancameron.com. Or you can find me on LinkedIN and direct message me there. I do have an Instagram, which I tend to neglect, although I might be using it more in the future.