EMILY POTTS
Sacramento State University, Department of Design, Interior Architecture program
SAY IT LOUD - CALIFORNIA Exhibitor
California Based Designer
Who or what inspires you professionally?
I am inspired by the many women architects and educators that I have met throughout my career. I also find inspiration in the resiliency of nature. I am heartened at the shift in conversation in our profession regarding environmental ethics.
EMILY POTTS
Bio:
Emily Potts, AIA, NCARB is a mother, educator, artist and registered architect with over 15 years of experience. She is an assistant professor at California State University, Sacramento. Emily has a Master’s in Architecture degree from the University of Texas at Austin and has helped design award winning K-12 educational facilities. Emily’s current research focuses on materials and buildings reuse and maintenance. Her strengths are in team building and practical approaches to problem solving.
How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
I served in Teach for America, where I taught 2nd grade in a school building that was so miserable it surely constituted a civil rights violation. That experience gave me both the confidence and the vision to consider architecture as a career.
What do you do?
I am an assistant professor in the Interior Architecture program at Sacramento State University. I primarily teach, write grants, create curriculum and research. I maintain an experimental design-build practice and sometimes make art.
What excites you in the work you do?
It is incredibly rewarding when my passion for sustainable and equitable design is reflected back to me in my students. I am grateful to be in a position to collaborate with others and to steer the future of this profession.
Who or what inspires you professionally?
I am inspired by the many women architects and educators that I have met throughout my career. I also find inspiration in the resiliency of nature. I am heartened at the shift in conversation in our profession regarding environmental ethics.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
I was absolutely thrilled to find out that a few of the students from our new degree program are studying for their ARE. This is significant because our student body is majority female, BIPOC and/or identify as first-generation college students.
Featured Project Name:
Casita Feliz
Featured Project Location:
Austin, TX
Featured Project Completion Date:
2017
Role in Featured Project:
Architect
Featured Project Description:
Casita Feliz is a 800SF home in Austin, TX. Sustainable design strategies for future climate resiliency were prioritized. Derived from traditional “dog trot” houses, Casita Feliz utilizes the same connected porch strategy to create a shady oasis that provides air, light, and views. The metal roof faces due south optimizing for solar. The exterior eastern red cedar was harvested from the areas impacted by the local 2011 Bastrop fires and the interior wood was reclaimed from a materials market.
