KATHERINE B. AMBROZIAK
College of Architecture and Design, University of Tennessee Knoxville
SAY IT LOUD - Tennessee Exhibitor
Tennessee Based Designer
Who or what inspires you professionally?
Nikki Giovanni, Liz Ogbu, Sharon Killian, Michael Murphy, Maya Lin, and Andy Goldsworthy. And of course, my community partners, the Knoxville Re-Animation Coalition. They have taught me courage, resourcefulness, grit, and grace.
KATHERINE B. AMBROZIAK
Bio:
Katherine Ambroziak is an Assoc Professor at the University of Tennessee. Her work examines how individuals become conscious of their built and natural environments and what this means to the generation of healthy perceptions. In partnership with Knoxville Re-Animation Coalition, she developed the Odd Fellows Cemetery Reclamation Initiative that explores the potential for a deteriorating cultural landscape to be rehabilitated and reintegrated into the social and spiritual lives of the community.
How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
I grew up listening to stories about cities from my dad, who traveled as part of his work. Those stories planted the seed for design and I pursued architecture in college. Yet not until I began my community engagement did it became a true passion.
What do you do?
I am an associate professor of architecture and associate dean for academic affairs and research. As an educator, I work to model change for my students and take on projects that have potential for positive social impact.
What excites you in the work you do?
I am excited that, through design, teaching, and community engagement, I continue to learn and grow. I feel more a part of my community and understand its connection and importance in the nation’s larger social and cultural dialog.
Who or what inspires you professionally?
Nikki Giovanni, Liz Ogbu, Sharon Killian, Michael Murphy, Maya Lin, and Andy Goldsworthy. And of course, my community partners, the Knoxville Re-Animation Coalition. They have taught me courage, resourcefulness, grit, and grace.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
In 2016 I received the Fred & Rosalee Oakley Award from the Association for Gravestone Studies. They cited my work as demonstrating the historic, cultural, and physical significance that cemeteries bring to the cultural landscape and conversation.
Featured Project Name:
Cradle in the Hollows
Featured Project Location:
Odd Fellows Cemetery, Knoxville, Tennessee
Featured Project Completion Date:
2022
Role in Featured Project:
Researcher, designer, grant-writer, and implementation/volunteer coordinator
Featured Project Description:
Cradle in the Hollows is a performative land art installation that addresses conditions of flooding and land destabilization in Odd Fellows Cemetery. Since its founding, water has been a detrimental issue, compromising the soil and accelerating the decay of landscape and burial markers. This project, manifest as a stone quilt and implemented by community and university volunteers, reframes water as a positive force, drawing on its sacred associations of sustenance, purification, and rebirth.
