For Britt Bardman, there wasn’t one specific defining moment that helped her realize that her dream was to be an architect; it was a slow awakening. Instead of discovering her interest in architecture through buildings, it was the natural landscapes of Western America that made her question both how the beauty of nature and architecture could work together. “Being surrounded by pure beauty made me question what kind of architecture could be worth disturbing nature. This thought sparked a deeper inquiry: how could I design spaces that meet modern needs while respecting the integrity of nature? How could nature and architecture reinforce one another?”
Britt is currently in the second year of her three-year master’s program at Kendall College of Art and Design and is the 2025 recipient of AIA Grand Rapids Graduate Scholarship. Receiving the scholarship was a reminder for Britt that architecture has a real impact on people’s lives and that pouring her passion into every project can make a difference.
For Britt, it also reinforced the support from the Michigan architectural community, “Even beyond my direct network, I see a community of professionals who are invested in the success of the next generation of architects. That sense of encouragement is powerful, it’s a reminder that my work matters beyond the walls of the studio, and within a broader conversation about design’s role in society.”
Receiving the scholarship has also helped Britt with motivation and accountability, “If others believe in the value of my work, then I owe it to them and to myself to keep striving for excellence.”
The constant feedback and learning how to handle critiques to strengthen her projects through her program has been invaluable to Britt. She is looking forward to exploring the balance between concept and detail and how to maintain the big picture, while also designing down to the level of door handles. “The experiential qualities of space are shaped at every scale, and I enjoy the challenge of working across them. I’m also excited to expand my skills with physical modeling in a digital fabrication course this fall.”
What does Britt love most about architecture? “I love that architecture is both a deeply individual and inherently communal discipline. It thrives on dialogue and draws inspiration from the timeless works of architects who came before us, while also engaging with both bold and experimental voices shaping the present. Architecture at its core is a collective conversation about culture, history, and possibility. Yet, within that shared exchange, every project carries a distinctly personal imprint: the choices, details, and gestures that give it a unique identity. It’s the duality of the universality of architecture as a shared language and the intimacy of architecture as a personal expression that makes the discipline endlessly inspiring.”
Britt doesn’t have one single favorite work of architecture; rather, her focus on different types of architecture changes, depending on the project she is working on. “Recently, while developing a concept for a multi-generational retreat on a sloped and forested site with a waterfall, I was especially captivated by Charles Moore’s Sea Ranch Condominium, Anmahian Winton’s Blue Rock House, and Tatiana Bilbao’s Ajijic House.”
Britt often finds herself drawn to architecture that maintains a disciplined set of rules, like the work of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. “The most powerful projects often introduce a few intentional departures from the system, deviations that are not arbitrary but rooted in function or experience.”
Britt also appreciates when architecture works to enhance the beauty of a natural setting, like Peter Zumthor’s Therme Vals’, where stone, light, and water coalesce in a way that deepens one’s awareness of the surrounding mountain landscape. “It’s in those precise moments where discipline meets departure, and architecture amplifies nature that design gains its deepest resonance.”
Residential design interests Britt the most, as her interest in architecture stemmed from a search for belonging. She hopes to create belonging, identity, and connection while meeting practical needs with her work. “Home can be private, it can be communal, and often it’s both. Designing homes that reflect a person’s or family’s aspirations while being in dialogue with their environment is what lights up my creative spirit.” She also hopes to be a well-rounded designer, which she feels only strengthens her approach to residential design. “Working across different project types such as educational, civic, or commercial design gives me new perspectives on how spaces function, how materials perform, and how architecture can shape collective experience.”
As part of their MAF Scholarship application, students must include a personal statement describing their interest, experience and plans related to architecture, and their leadership and extracurricular activities. In her scholarship application, Britt emphasized her passion revolving designing spaces that foster belonging and architecture that feels both adventurous and restorative, while adapting to climate and context. ‘My path into architecture blends Spanish culture and language with interior design, giving me a broad perspective on how people experience the built environment.”
Her experience includes contributing to the University of Wyoming’s Solar Decathlon project, working as an intern on projects in the Grand Rapids community, and work on various professional projects, including a pediatric dental clinic and a college technology center. She continues to be active in student-led design competitions and has grown as a leader by mentoring peers as an NCARB Licensing Advisor. She has also started volunteering with Habitat for Humanity of Kent County, where she participates in hands-on construction projects that provide affordable housing to families in the Grand Rapids area.
In the future, Britt hopes to develop her own residential architecture firm, with a focus on rural contexts, in places where architecture must work closely with the landscape. “As the threat of climate change intensifies, and undisturbed environments become even more rare, I’m especially interested in how design can both respond to environmental challenges and create spaces that feel deeply rooted, resilient, and restorative.”
Students are also required to submit a personal portfolio with their application. Britt highlighted a mixture of academic, professional, and community-based projects. From her academic projects, she included Soundboard Studio (an accessory dwelling unit designed for musicians) and Riverbend Overlook (a skate park shaped by experiential mapping). From her professional experience, she included North Central Michigan College’s Technology Center, where she contributed to schematic design and construction documentation.
Michigan Architectural Foundation’s mission is to advance awareness of how architecture enriches life. How does Britt think architecture enriches life? “Architecture is a lived narrative that elevates daily life into something purposeful and enduring. The places we curate our lives in play a distinct role in shaping them. Light, texture, and form frame experience, and can offer new perspectives, familiar comforts, and lasting impressions. Architecture enriches life by weaving together beauty and function, turning everyday into something memorable. Architecture can invite wonder through light, comfort through materiality, and connection through space.”