Bringing professional experience to DAAP through Simpson Collaborative for Urban Futures

As the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) Simpson Collaborative for Urban Futures, Federica von Euw Tetrault is sharing insights from her career in architecture to help students understand how design concepts translate into practice and what it takes to succeed in the industry.  

Von Euw Tetrault, who runs an architecture practice in Cincinnati with her partner, Andrew Tetrault, is teaching a graduate studio focused on the future of the public pool and its potential to become something more than a recreational facility. The studio asks students to explore how water, ecology, energy, landscape, recreation and public life can intersect with existing urban infrastructure. Rather than designing a conventional pool, students are investigating how underused infrastructure can be adapted to create new civic and ecological functions.  

Rather than viewing pools as simply conventional places to swim, von Euw Tetrault encourages students to consider how architecture can serve a greater purpose.

“The studio focusses on designing pools that can be more than pools by investigating how underutilized existing infrastructure in the city can be adapted to create new civic and ecological functions,” von Euw Tetrault said. “We are designing pools that can do more for the community, whether it be recycling, storing or harvesting water. How can it do more to support the community, engage the community and hopefully improve the city for the better?” 

Her approach to architecture developed through an international career that began with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Swarthmore College, where she majored in French literature and minored in German literature. After working at a local architecture firm, she attended graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania before moving to Switzerland in 2011 to work at Herzog & de Meuron, an internationally recognized architecture firm. 

After working there until 2018, von Euw Tetrault and her partner decided to return to the United States to be closer to family and establish their own practice in Cincinnati, where Andrew is from. 

The firm takes on a variety of projects, including commercial and residential buildings, park shelters, clubhouses and operations facilities. Von Euw Tetrault said working across different building types allows the practice to learn from each project and apply that knowledge to future work. 

“In graduate school, one of the courses that we took, called professional practice, had us set up our own firm as an exercise,” von Euw Tetrault said. “So at that point, we were already thinking about what it would be like to actually set up our own practice, and sure enough, that’s what we ended up doing.” 

Her professional experience also shapes her connection with DAAP students. The firm has welcomed numerous co-op students over the years, many of whom have continued working there after their placements. 

von Euw Tetrault said co-ops give students exposure to responsibilities that can be difficult to replicate in an academic setting, including preparing drawing sets, communicating with consultants and presenting work to clients. The experience also helps students discover what type of architecture firm best fits their interests and goals.

“I am a practicing architect,” von Euw Tetrault said. “I own my own company here in Walnut Hills, and I wanted to share my skills and background as an architect with the architecture students at DAAP.”

von Euw Tetrault's return to the classroom also stems from her previous experience teaching at DAAP. After enjoying the opportunity to interact with students during an earlier visit, she welcomed the chance to return when the program's new director, Mara Marcu, reached out.

“I had a really great time interacting with the students the last time and was very excited to contribute again when the opportunity presented itself,” von Euw Tetrault said. “The new Interim Director of the program reached out to me and asked if it would be something I wanted to consider, and so I was very happy to jump back in.” 

Through her teaching, von Euw Tetrault is sharing the professional knowledge she has gained throughout her career while encouraging students to think creatively about how architecture can better serve communities.

Featured image at top of Federica von Euw Tetrault on a job site. Photos/provided.