In this interview, Thom Mayne discussed his path into architecture and concerns about contemporary architectural education. Raised by a single mother in California, he described a difficult upbringing and a persistent sense of alienation from school. His early interests included building go-karts, and winning a house design competition in high school helped direct him toward architecture.
At USC, Mayne had little familiarity with prominent architects and found Los Angeles’s architectural culture relatively undisciplined and disconnected compared with New York. He instead drew inspiration from performers including Jimi Hendrix, Mick Jagger, and Tina Turner. After being dismissed from teaching at Cal Poly Pomona, Mayne helped found SCI-Arc. Despite limited institutional support, its experimental and collaborative culture attracted students and established an alternative model of architectural education. Mayne connected this development to the rebellious character of his generation, which he finds largely absent from contemporary academia. He also reflected on the continuing divide between architectural education and professional practice.