Xiluva Mbungela
Syracuse University
School of Architecture
“A Day in Johannesburg” is a drawing that contains qualities of graphic fields, complex objects, color, and entourage to depict a scene inspired by the Johannesburg CBD area in my home country of South Africa. In the drawing, abstract objects are “architecturalized,” while layers of linework are used to create the fabric, the scene, and to communicate the urban landscape of this city. © Xiluva Mbungela.
Jury
Danei Cesario
Chris Cornelius
Joyce Hwang
María Villalobos Hernandez
Robert L. Wesley (Chair)
My name is Xiluva Mbungela, and I am third-year architecture student at Syracuse University. I was born and bred in Benoni, South Africa and I come from an ethnic group that represents 4 percent of South Africa—the Tsonga. I am thousands of miles away from home, pursuing my dream of becoming an architect while chasing my passions for gender equality and minority representation through my minor in Women and Gender Studies. Throughout my life, I have explored a multitude of creative outlets from theater to film and music, which have shaped me into the person I am today and have dictated much of my life and skills. I found tremendous joy in every single one of these creative endeavors, each igniting a deep passion within me. But I wanted to pursue design as my career when I realized how architecture challenges us to be thoughtful about the spaces in which we function daily. I believe that there is an unexplainable power that lies in the ability to create spaces that elicit emotion from people, whether that may be calming emotions or inspiring passion. A power that can be implemented to do good in the world by creating safe spaces for people. A power that can be used to form bonds and make connections.
“The Regional Outpost Center in Madagascar” works toward providing technological infrastructure for small-holder farmers to be more sustainable and efficient in their farming and agricultural practices. The project includes community and learning gardens that become a hyperdensification of small farms, rather than being dispersed and creating situations that further contribute to the climate crisis. © Xiluva Mbungela (drawing) | Wenxuan Qiao and Tianhao Huang (project collaborators).
It is rare to witness a student with the intellectual prowess and drive that Xiluva possesses. Her purpose-driven interest in equity and the built environment is at once clear, focused, and scholarly. She has a real talent for explanation and conveying complex information in simple terms.
Joseph Godlewski, Assistant Professor, Syracuse University, School of Architecture
My ultimate dream is to become the founder of an architectural firm saturated by young African architects who create buildings that reflect the strength of African design. Returning to South Africa with a world-class education from Syracuse University coupled with the prestigious Robert L. Wesley award would distinguish me as a young leader in the field and set me on the path to be part of the drive to reinvent Africa as a place of architectural innovation.
“Making a Mark.” This project employs strategies of extruding and carving to explore the relationship between solids, voids, and volumes and the resulting spatial qualities that are created from these interactions. © Xiluva Mbungela.
Devoted to issues of diversity and inclusion, Xiluva is involved in a number of initiatives aimed at educating the campus community and empowering marginalized students. She’s a leader in the university’s African Student Union and lends her impassioned voice to the school’s National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMAS) chapter, actively collaborating with students and faculty on diversity issues pertaining to her class. Her powerful ability to share her experiences and emotions as a BIPOC student shaped the school’s collective consciousness during the Fall 2019 semester when a series of racist attacks shook our campus.
Joseph Godlewski, Assistant Professor, Syracuse University, School of Architecture
“The Pavilion” is a project that aims to generate a series of artifacts that exemplify the formal, spatial, and organizational strategies of a pavilion. In this project, the ground is thought of as an active plane that is manipulated and carved into to create different public amenities. © Xiluva Mbungela.
Xiluva Mbungela
Syracuse University
School of Architecture
Xiluva Mbungela
is a third-year architecture student at Syracuse University. She was born in Benoni, South Africa and comes from an ethnic group that represents 4 percent of South Africa—the Tsonga. She believes that there is an unexplainable power that lies in the ability to create spaces that elicit emotion from people, whether that may be calming emotions or inspiring passion. A power that can be implemented to do good in the world by creating safe spaces for people. A power that can be used to form bonds and make connections.