By Name and Story: Elliott Boyle

“I’m Elliott Boyle, I use they/them pronouns, and I’m getting a dual master’s degree in architecture and urban design here at the Sam Fox School.

I’ve actually wanted to be an architect since I was nine years old. And as I’ve progressed through my education, it’s still a passion that I have. I have really big questions about the societal impact of the built environment and the choices that we make as designers.

The reason that I chose WashU and the Sam Fox School was because it specifically offered the dual degree program. The professors here are really incredible. They provide just a wealth of information and expertise. I’ve also become a lot stronger in many different creative tools — digital and physical — and that has helped to build my confidence and also expand my skill set.

We speak a lot about the impacts of climate change when it comes to urban design and cities. We’ve been thinking a lot about issues of equity in the global urbanism studio, where we traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, and spent most of the summer there engaging with residents and government officials and experts in the field. That was a moment where all of these concerns that we had been investigating became real. By investigating the impacts of climate change in Bangkok, I now have tools that I can bring back to St. Louis to understand the city in a different lens. I love St. Louis!”

Video by TJ Ingrassia