Tahar Messadi is an associate professor of architecture and the 21st Century Chair in Sustainability in the Fay Jones School. He is an expert in building systems integration and sustainable design.
In addition to teaching in the undergraduate program, Messadi serves as a faculty mentor for U of A students in the Environmental Dynamics doctoral program. He also conducts research on the integration of sustainable material and environmental technologies in the design process. Messadi developed the curriculum for the Integrated Wood Design concentration within the Master of Design Studies degree.
When he moved to Arkansas, Messadi co-founded the Northwest Arkansas branch of the U.S. Green Building Council Arkansas. He also co-founded the sustainability program at U of A, which he directed for four years.
He holds a Diplôme d’Architecte (Bachelor of Architecture) from the Université de Constantine in Algeria, and a Master of Architecture and a Doctor of Architecture in Environmental Technology, both from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Algeria during the time the country was under French control. My upbringing was in French. All my studies were in French, starting with elementary school all the way to the Diplôme d’Architecte at the Université de Constantine. Then I moved to the United States, where I earned my master’s degree in design theory and philosophy at the University of Michigan. At the time, the energy crisis hit so hard, but I felt I needed to know more about this field, so I decided to enroll in the Ph.D. program of the same institution.
What brought you to the United States?
I was home, just graduated, and I was offered a directorship position supervising construction and architecture in the state of Batna in Algeria. But when the United States called, I opted to come here. I’ve never regretted it since; it’s fascinating. Sometimes, I look back and think what would have happened if I’d never seen the United States. I shiver at the thought, because it would have been like a large black hole in a world full of richness, and I would not have known any of it.
How was the transition to speaking and teaching in English?
When I came to the U.S., I started learning English. I had a hard time discerning syllables because they are sort of flat compared to the romance languages, which seemed to have much more high and low pitches. At the time, just trying to open an account in a bank was a major ordeal due to a very difficult communication. But to learn a language you have to live in the country where it is spoken.
For many years, the information I communicated was filtered in my mind through French first, so such a language was always present. But nowadays, I think in English. With my two teenage daughters preferring to speak in English, they further reinforced the communication with that language. So, they are partly responsible for my alienation from French. I now perceive the country in a different way, when with my family than when I was by myself. But I’m as comfortable in English as in French; they’re just interchangeable at this point.
How did you land on teaching?
I really got into it by accident. While I was a master’s degree student, a colleague of mine said, “You ought to teach. You have the knack for it.” So, I just explored the option. I had an interview which landed me my first teaching job in studio, which I found out I really enjoyed. I particularly enjoyed teaching studio. Even after all this time, it remains my first passion.
What is it about studio that you enjoy?
I just enjoy the creative process, opening the eyes of students towards architecture, showing them the way to engage in a conversation about design. I don’t think you will find a more rewarding activity than that of studio instruction. We’re the rare instructors that have the opportunity to create; no other discipline does that better than architecture. It’s important to make such a distinction. Also, there are not many programs at the university level that teach the student through one-on-one interaction. I also enjoy other settings in small group meetings in addition to one-on-one. That kind of interaction is also very important because it centers the discussion much better when you have the student in front of you. This engagement is worth every moment of it. I never tire of going to the studio, and if I ever do, that’s when I know it is time to fold.”
On the other hand, the environmental technology course is certainly a vehicle where you show the students how buildings work in terms of heating, cooling and air conditioning. It’s not enough to just design. You also need to infuse some reality and some practical aspects of pertinence to the building.
What would you do if you were not teaching?
I would be practicing. I love the whole creative process — I don’t see any other alternative. If I were doing anything outside the field of architecture, life would have been too dry for me. Sometimes I wish I had time for practice, but I don’t regret my decision to teach and also consult, which is another way to connect with practice.
I do consulting — not as much these days — but it’s always fun. It keeps me connected to the field.
I’m also conducting research on what we call life cycle assessment of mass timber. I’ve had funded research grants. The just completed ones are the investigation of the impact of moisture on Adohi Hall, and the life cycle assessment of mass timber in Adohi Hall. There are other research projects on mass timber, as this subject is gaining momentum at Fay Jones School of the University of Arkansas.
How have your daughters impacted your teaching?
I constantly use them as a metric in gauging my students, and conversely, my students as a metric for my daughters. It helps me understand who the students are, their aims, their aspirations, their curricular or extracurricular activities. I’m constantly looking through the lens of my daughters because that’s a persistent preoccupation.
The arrival of my children was an eye opener. When you have your child and you’re immersed into their needs and demands, your attitude changes quite a bit. You see things you would have never seen before.
What is something you wish students knew about you?
Maybe the misperception at first: They don’t know who I am, where I come from, whom I learned from, in sum what planet I come from. Then, as they start discovering who I am, they understand. But the trepidation of getting to the point where we open up to one another takes time. I wish they knew from the beginning that I’m committed to them.
At the beginning of the class, I don’t front my Algerian origins. Instead, I share with them my academic and professional backgrounds. I basically make students aware that, while there is diversity of backgrounds, we’re all one country. That’s how I position myself rather than trying to speak about any other scenarios that would border on fiction.”
How did you end up in Northwest Arkansas?
Northwest Arkansas is such a nice place to be. It’s very safe; it’s very plush, pristine. It’s a great place to raise a family.
The main reason I remained here was motivated by the quality of the students’ work and the dedication of the school to the issues of sustainability. When I came to the Fay Jones School for an interview, I went to the second-floor gallery and saw the work of the students. I just said, “This is my place.” I just decided that this is the place to be, as simple as that. And the rest is history.