Bio:

Mona Hodge, Associate Principal and Director of People and Culture at Smith Gee Studio, is a licensed Architect with 17 years of experience. She has managed the design of thousands of housing units, including affordable housing. Her passion for the field of Architecture has led her to be a trusted mentor to both colleagues and aspiring architects. When she isn't in the office, she’s at home with her husband and 3 young children, along with her Goldendoodle, Bearded Dragon, and free-range bunny!

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How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?

In college. Knowing nothing about architecture or problem solving through design, I was drawn to the field by chance after seeing a class of architecture students creating structures around eggs and tossing them off the roof to crash test the design.

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What do you do?

I actively listen – to my clients, to my community, and to my colleagues. Good design is done in an environment where people trust each other to do their best work. I strive to cultivate that as an Architect and Director of People and Culture.

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What excites you in the work you do? Who or what inspires you professionally?

Growth. People are not meant to be stagnant. We problem solve, we create, we grow. Making an impact and seeing neighborhoods and individuals thrive because of something I designed or someone I mentored inspires me to keep going.

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Who or what inspires you professionally? What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?

My mom. When I was little, she would read Langston Hughes to me on the bus rides to school. “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” Ah! She gave me life and then she gave me LIFE, the tools to live it! I persist because of her.

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What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?

I could say being made the first female partner at my firm but honestly, I’m proudest of the opportunity that affords me. To be the trusted leader and mentor my colleagues confide in and to be the knowledgeable expert my clients and community trust.

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Featured Project Name: 

Kirkpatrick Park

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Featured Project Location: 

Nashville, TN

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Featured Project Completion Date: 

September 2019

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Role in Featured Project: 

Project Manager/Lead Design Architect

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Featured Project Description:

Combining low-income, workforce, and market-rate units side-by-side, Kirkpatrick Park is the first mixed-income redevelopment on Nashville’s largest public housing property. The multi-award-winning project is comprised of fifteen unique 2- to 3-story residential buildings, two pocket parks, and a new pedestrian-oriented street, which blend seamlessly into the existing historic neighborhood. Every unit features market-rate finishes and appliances, regardless of the resident’s income level.

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Photography Credit:

©Tom Gatlin Photography