Lauren Moon knew she wanted to be an architect from a young age, when she started drawing house floor plans for fun. “Other than that, I have no idea what sparked my interest in architecture,” said Lauren. No one in my family is in the architecture or engineering industries; both my parents are accountants, and I knew that following in their footsteps was not for me.”
A recent graduate of Lawrence Technological University with bachelor’s degrees in both Architecture and Civil Engineering, Lauren is the 2024 recipient of MAF’s Katherine and John Banicki Scholarship. The scholarship jury was impressed with Lauren’s ability to combine the technical and design aspects of both engineering and architecture, which was among the factors in their selecting her for the scholarship award. This Fall, Lauren will begin her graduate architecture program at LTU, and next May, she will graduate with her Master’s in Architecture degree. She recently decided to also pursue a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, which she will graduate with in May of 2026.
“Being selected for a MAF scholarship means a lot to me because it allows me to continue to pursue my master’s degree in architecture and to build my knowledge about something I am passionate about,” said Lauren.
One of the things Lauren cited as enjoying most about her architectural degree program is the collaborative environment of studio culture, and being able to share and discuss ideas with her classmates and professors. “Collaboration is an important aspect of both architecture and engineering, and I think the program at LTU does a great job preparing students for life after graduation and setting us up to become successful architects,” said Lauren. “In fact, collaboration is one of the aspects I appreciate most about architecture. It takes collaboration to successfully design and build a project from start to finish. An architect would never see the building they designed built without the involvement of structural and mechanical engineers, contractors, and other project partners working together.”
As part of their scholarship application, students must include a personal statement describing their interest, experience and plans related to architecture, information on their leadership and extracurricular activities, and a personal portfolio. “I shared that my plan is to become a registered architect and professional engineer and to work at a successful architecture/engineering firm where I can apply the knowledge I’ve gained from both degrees,” said Lauren. “Outside of academics, I was a member of LTU’s volleyball team and president of the student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
In her portfolio, Lauren included projects she completed during her undergrad studio courses that explored how architecture can successfully integrate building systems with environmental and societal factors to respond to multiple levels of context and positively impact the community. She also included items showcasing her personal interests in graphic design, hand sketching, and photography.
For her future career path, Lauren cites the appeal of building sciences and rehabilitation design, in part because it allows her to apply the knowledge from her structural engineering classes. “I find it interesting to go further than just the design aspects of architecture, but really dive into the building systems and understand how they work to help clients find solutions to building-related issues when they occur, whether it be related to the facade, the structure, or some other building component,” she says.
Michigan Architectural Foundation’s mission is to advance awareness of how architecture enriches life. How does Lauren think architecture enriches life? “I think architecture enriches life when it successfully addresses aspects beyond that of the building and structure itself,” she said.
“Integrating environmental, cultural, and societal aspects with architecture can have positive impacts on the community and the users of the building, which should be something all architects strive for as they are designing a new project.”
Images, top to bottom: photos featuring Lauren, and a selection of designs from her portfolio