RAIC Catalyst For Change – Harriet Burdett-Moulton

Why did you decide to become an architect? 

There are two things that I think influenced my decision to become an Architect. First, my father designed and built boats and houses. He built all the houses that we lived in. Second, in 1970, I was teaching school in Halifax, NS and dating an engineering student. One spring evening, he suggested that we visit a strange group of students who were occupying one of the Engineering buildings of Nova Scotia Technical University, now the building is the Dalhousie School of Architecture. We went into the classroom at about 10 o’clock in the evening. Upon opening the classroom door, I was confronted with a circle of guys standing around what appeared to be a bonfire and drinking beer.  They proceeded to explain that they were burning balsawood models of buildings that had been presented as term projects that day and were now celebrating. In hindsight, I can only surmise that the students had jerry rigged the fire alarm system to not engage because there was a lot of flame and smoke. Of course, they were Architectural students. I enrolled in the fall term and think it is the most interesting and engaging education and profession I could have chosen.  

How long have you been an RAIC member and what do you see as the value of your membership? 

I became a registered member of the RAIC in July 1977. My membership connected me with a group of like-minded Canadians. It also gave me access to further my knowledge of architecture through educational programs, workshops, conferences, and access to a platform where architects share ideas through newsletters, meetings and websites. I worked in a very rural and remote part of Canada, so it was comforting to know there was a source of knowledge and backup support if I ever needed it.  

Why do you volunteer for the RAIC? 

I volunteer for the RAIC because my vision is such that I cannot actively design, draw and review documents. I enjoyed every part of architecture, except reviewing door hardware shop drawings. I want to give back some of what was provided to me. Volunteering for the RAIC keeps me in touch with architecture and gives me an inside glimpse of the fantastic progress that is being made in technology, materials and how architecture may be responding to the evolving social changes. I have always been interested in how the people who use structures can be involved in their design and I am pleased to see Indigenous people having more of a voice in architecture.  

What role do you see the RAIC and architects playing in terms of climate action, truth and reconciliation, and procurement reform, among other issues that matter? 

Climate action is a global concern and will affect all aspects of how and where we live as well as the infrastructure that supports that process. Architects and engineers are the people who have made those structures and the infrastructure work for thousands of years. They are the people who will have to adapt and continue to make them work for future generations. The RAIC is the platform that supports architects. I know that is a motherhood statement, but I feel it should be said. Architects are the people who work, mostly quietly, in the background to make it easy for us to live in our cities and towns. The challenge for architects is how to adapt our systems to continue to make that work. In general, I find architects very socially conscious and willing to work with other groups on these issues. 

What do you think will most change/shape practice over the next five years? 

Climate change will affect the way we think and practice architecture. I think there will be a shift in the way we think about how we construct buildings to reduce our carbon footprint, provide sustainable and climate protective shelters that can house migrant populations. This is a huge change that will upset the status quo and take more than five years; but I hope the change has already started. There is also a movement in many countries to include Indigenous peoples into the profession. I am hoping for a greater acceptance of diverse groups of people and with them will come different ideas that will fine tune each other and create a stronger and more resilient architectural profession. Then the profession will be able to tackle a response to climate change in all its diverse ways that will affect our living patterns. Indigenous people are stewards of the land, and it is important to incorporate this into architecture. 

What do you find most challenging about working as an architect? 

The average person does not understand the role of an architect. As an example, everyone sees and knows what a doctor or a teacher does. Much of an architect’s work is invisible in that people do not know what is required and done to achieve the built structures that they see, therefore it is valued less. I think it is challenging for architects to have their work valued by the general public to the extent that it should be. Architecture does not have the social awareness and appreciation that many other professions have. That makes it harder to recruit people to the profession and to practice it, let alone have the respect that the profession is due. 

How do you incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion in your work environment, the built environment, and your volunteer work? 

In July of 2023, I attended the World Congress of Architecture in Copenhagen. At the opening ceremony meet and greet I looked around and said to my partner; wow, I have never been to a conference where I have seen more brown skin people than white and so few business suits.  I grew up in a community where there were very few “white” people, and they were almost always the administrators. The community was not part of that class. When working in the Arctic, I often felt that outside architects often treated the local people with less respect. I think it is very important to treat the client as equal and explain the concepts to them. Often, it is just a matter of ensuring that the client understands the terminology. In Iqaluit, we had a small firm of 12 people. At one point, 5 were indigenous and 4 were women. The balance varied. But in the 1980’s that was a point to be proud of. 

Why is the area of advocacy important to you? 

One of my favourite definitions of architecture is; Architecture is the art and science of making sure that our cities and buildings actually fit with the way we want to live our lives. To me, architecture is the pleasure of solving a building design and construction puzzle in an aesthetically pleasing manner. The result of architecture and engineering creates the framework for our society to physically operate. It provides the infrastructure for us to live, and I want to encourage people to continue to support that structure for future generations, here on earth and maybe in the far distant future in space. It is important to me to advocate for Indigenous rights. In coastal Labrador, I was born and raised in a society where the people from the community were equal. When I moved south, I was still equal to everybody else and lived my life accordingly. But I now know myself to be Metis, and I have seen and heard of the wrongs done to my indigenous brethren. I am pleased to see that we seem to be moving in the right direction. 

What do you like to do outside of architecture? 

One of my passions outside of architecture is jewellery design and fabrication. Much to the chagrin of my family, I enjoy renovating old buildings. Sometimes my kids slept under tables, and we have had to wash dishes in the bathtub while living in houses that we were renovating. I have a love/hate relationship with sea kayaking. My husband and I have kayaked in the Arctic, the Atlantic, & the Pacific Oceans, as well as the Gulf of Mexico and New Zealand. I also enjoy martial arts and have a black belt in judo.