The Architecture Foundation of Oregon (AFO) is a longstanding nonprofit with numerous statewide partnerships in order to support and improve Oregon's quality of life through education, engagement, and inspiration. One of the ways that AFO is able to deliver on its promise is through the awarding of scholarships to college students who are studying design and building professions in the state of Oregon. The 2025 Hatfield, Hart, Tsagaglalal, Colas, and PCC Scholars were announced and included a mix of students from across the state, including the 2025 Hart Scholarship winner, Sofia Irvin, a School of Architecture & Environment (SAE) MArch candidate at the University of Oregon.
Irvin, like many students and graduates of SAE, believes that architecture can be a tool for improving the lives of our community, creating change and lasting impact in the built environment through social change and justice. This means designing and building for all people. As a member and advocate of the disabled community, Irvin knows and believes in designing spaces to uplift and support communities, especially marginalized individuals and the underserved as that will create more meaningful spaces within our broader society. Irvin seeks to utilize the practices of trauma-informed and public-interest design through her architectural designs, with the goal of uplifting the underserved and marginalized individuals to restore the harmony between the built environment and individuals for community good.
”Growing up and living with individuals with both physical and cognitive disabilities, I am constantly reminded how the built environment exacerbates the unjust treatment of people with disabilities. A body is considered “disabled” when it cannot effectively engage with or utilize its surroundings," said Irvin to AFO. "Architecture exacerbates bodily differences and facilitates disability.”
As the winner of the Hart Scholarship, Irvin is invited to attend AFO's annual Building Pathways showcase to receive their awards this Spring. The event is attended by members of the architecture, engineering, construction, and design community from across the state and celebrates the hard work and accomplishments of our Scholars.
Read the full announcement: https://www.af-oregon.org/scholarships/