Emma Burke Newman (in memoriam)

“I still see her in the classroom, her hand raised,” says Pauline Popa-Jones, the head of section for Emma’s years in middle and high school, from 2010 to 2017. I had a chance to speak to Mrs. Popa-Jones in her classroom as she was getting ready to retire in just a few days. Indeed, one of Emma’s besties says her classmates would poke fun at her for this, hand twisting in the air. Was it impatience? Did she really know the answer BEFORE the question was out? Perhaps an insatiable quest to learn. Once after a class trip to Scotland, Emma was quick to give the organizer feedback: “That was fun, but a little short on content.” Emma was an ace of a student, in an amazing class of students. They were brilliant, creative, and fun-loving. It wasn’t perfect. There were sometimes painful teenage issues over the years. But generally, the students comprised a happy class. This class was the first class of a new “international section” at the school. The other state school in Paris housing s...

While in Scotland last year, we were able to follow in Emma’s architectural footsteps on a trip to Bo’Ness, a river town near Glasgow, where she went on a class trip to do fieldwork. Before we went, her tutor, Luca Brunelli, shared the project with us as well as photos. They give us a glimpse into Emma’s mind and architecture of the near future.  Because of her prior classwork and studies, Emma entered the renowned Mackintosh School of Architecture as a second-year student, which is unusual. Also atypical, she opted for the part-time mode, which would allow her to work in an architectural practice at the same time. We learned that for our daughter, work was more important than school. When asked about her “side gig” at the firm New Practice, she replied, “No, my side gig is university!” Cautious about taking on ANOTHER bachelor’s degree, Emma told us she would test the waters at the Mack School. As the term went on, Emma told us she enjoyed alternating school and work—and reserving...

      It’s been nearly a year of remembering Emma. Among the most recent were in Glasgow and Paris. They were about ideas, where they come from and how they make their way into the world. They were about places, where Emma created her own special moments, and the people she spent them with. The first moment was the launch of the Residency for Ideas in Glasgow at the Mackintosh School of Art on Nov. 16. ( See this for details .) About 100 of us met in the Vic Bar, a space little used since Covid for many reasons. So firstly, thank you to Emma for reviving that space to mix and mingle! After the introductions, we all grabbed a drink and segued into talking about some intriguing thoughts. Even after a long day of review in the studio, students appeared energized by the prospect of creating their own project.  John and I enjoyed meeting the students, now in stages 3 and 5, who knew Emma. We felt we were connecting with her through them. As I write this, the proposals are...