The Architect's Questionnaire: Julia Mollner

Julia Mollner (Carleton Hart Architecture)

BY LUKE AREHART

Continuing our now-multiyear series in which local architects talk about their inspirations, influences and key moments from their careers, the latest edition of The Architect's Questionnaire features Julia Mollner, a project architect and associate at Carleton Hart Architecture for the past six years. Also an adjunct professor in the Portland State University School of Architecture's Center for Public Interest Design, Mollner is also a longtime Habitat For Humanity volunteer. She holds bachelor's degrees in both art history and architectural studies from Washington State University, before earning a master's degree in architecture from Portland State in 2015.

Portland Architecture: When did you first become interested in architecture as a possible career?

Julia Mollner: I studied art history in high school. We looked at a lot of old buildings and there were a couple that piqued my curiosity, such as the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Florence's Duomo, and St. Peter’s Square in Venice. Alongside the art history course, our high school led a 70-day trip through Europe, where our teachers guided us on a whirlwind of European architecture, art and history. This experience was huge for me. I realized buildings can draw emotional responses from people, and inform our and our well-being. Being able to experience profound spaces solidified my interest in architecture.

Also, during my high school years, I had an internship at both a graphic design company and with a residential architect. The architect designed multi-million-dollar single family homes and they were impressive. I started out building models for him; I liked the hands-on nature of it. In this internship, design was commissioned by individuals. I started noticing that whatever was built was experienced by more than the individual who commissioned it. Architecture is meant for everyone; it's not just meant for one person to experience.

Where did you study architecture and how would you rate the experience?

I studied at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington for my undergraduate degree. I got my masters in architecture here at Portland State University. They were different schools in lots of ways and both really great. Washington State focused more on the technical execution in the building science of architecture and constructability. This was due partly because we studied alongside the Construction Management program. PSU, on the other hand, is much more theoretical and art-based. This allowed me to study and explore human experience and phenomenology on a deeper level. I appreciated that I had the technical-execution knowledge before I dove into the theoretical aspect of architecture. I still talk to professors from both schools today; they made a lasting impact on me.

What is your favorite building project that you’ve worked on?

Nesika Illahee, a housing project here in Portland. The name means ‘our home’ in Chinook, and it is my favorite because I was the most hands-on with this project. Early in a career, you're sometimes just drawing details and executing the design. You don’t always get the opportunity to have those interactions with clients and collaborate on the design together. My supervisors gave me the opportunity to own the design, and craft people’s experiences inside common spaces and dwelling units. I was able to work on the building all the way through construction: the first project that I was on from beginning to end. It is an awesome residential building for Native American Family and Youth Center, Native American Rehabilitation Association, and Community Development Partners. The integration of art helped make it beautiful. The project was completed in January 2020.

Nesika Illahee (Josh Partee)

Who has been an important mentor among your colleagues?

Bill Hart, here in Portland [the co-founder of Carleton Hart Architecture], and Grace Kim [of Schemata Workshop], whom I worked for in Seattle. They both really encouraged my curiosity and encouraged me to follow my passions. In our conversations, they asked a lot of questions back to me, which helped me clarify what I wanted. Sometimes people can try and give you the solutions, or maybe not want to take the time to sit with you and have the silence. I felt like both were really open to the conversation, even if there wasn't a definitive outcome – which I appreciated. That helped me with my own confidence, because it was about them supporting the things that I was working through, or searching through, whatever it may be. It's the curiosity that they brought to conversations that I really appreciated.

What part of the job do you like best, and as an architect what do you think you most excel at?

What I like the most about the job - which I've been able to verbalize more recently - is being the translator of space. I like being able to hear clients’ and owners’ ideas and listen to the vision that they have and find the way that it translates into physical form. I think this is the essence of what architects do. The translation is also about creating quality spaces. Most architects have this skill to visualize 3D space in their head before it gets built. I think that's the most fun. I wish there was more of that in the job.

Mollner's Carleton Hart profile pic (Carleton Hart Architecture)

As far as what I excel at most - I've always thought that I'm action-oriented. I'm willing to play out the idea, whatever it may be, and make the follow-through. I want to talk about ideas and hear about why it works or doesn’t work, but I think there's a point of diminishing return if you talk about an idea too much, without seeing how it manifests in the world. The only way to get more information about whether it is a good or bad idea is to do something: test it out, and put something in motion.

My work diverting construction mock-ups is a good example of testing out an idea and seeing how it is responded to and evolves with others. This is a program I started developing in 2017 on my own time, called the Useful Waste Initiative. Over the last four years I have continued to refine it, engage new developers, architects, and contractors in the process, and adjust the program based on their feedback. At this point, we have diverted over 70,000 pounds of usable material from the landfill.

What are some Portland buildings (either new or historic) that you most admire?

I love the Watzek House by John Yeon.

I also really love the Portland Building for its ability to create conversation and dialogue. Part of its intrigue to me is that everyone has an opinion about it, whether it's good or bad. To me, that makes something withstand the test of time - cultural time - because there's enough conversation and dialogue about the building.

Portland Building, 2014 (Brian Libby)

Some debate if the Portland Building is a “good building” or “good architecture,” and I’d like to keep that conversation going. Even now during the ongoing pandemic, the Portland Building renovation is being re-evaluated. The design team was trying to compact people and optimize workspace. Then the pandemic hit and every company is looking critically at their space; to see if more space can be added to provide social distances, for instance. We are constantly re-evaluating what we built to work with current social and environmental needs. It’s fascinating to observe and participate in.

Further, I think architecture should make you feel warm and fuzzy, or trigger you to feel something else. You should feel good as a human in one’s body. I think that architecture needs to be something that empowers people and sparks thought, emotion, or action.

What is your favorite building outside of Portland and besides any you’ve worked on?

The Sainte-Chapelle royal chapel in Paris. This is a gothic church with the most breathtaking stained glasses windows: 15 feet tall, framed with very fine masonry. I recommend everyone experiences this space at least once.

Sainte-Chappelle, Paris (Wikimedia Commons)

What would you like to see change about Portland’s built environment in the long term?

I want to see more design and material experimentation. I also want to see more housing diversity. I feel that in our culture we started to lock into a couple housing types. As people we are more diverse than a couple types of housing, which means we need more diverse options for housing. I think that's going to have to be driven by code changes, or by people who are really willing to push that boundary. I think Dignity Village is one community that’s not given enough credit as a housing model when it started twenty years ago. It was created by the people who live there out of need. Villages like Dignity or Hazelnut Grove have received a lot of pushback because of outside social perception, not because of what they actually are and what they provide to the people and neighbors who interact there daily.

Who is a famous architect you’d like to see design a building in Portland?

One the first that comes to mind is Kieran Timberlake, out of Pennsylvania. I'm also a big fan of Jeanne Gang; I really love her firm’s work because of its balance of nature and innovation.

Name something besides architecture (sneakers, furniture, umbrellas) you love the design of.

Definitely art sculptures. The other one that comes to mind is floral arrangements. Also, the design of billboards is really interesting: size of graphics, composition and fonts. Have you thought about how billboards draw a response from you?

Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (Warner Bros.)