Danielle McCleave made history in the spring of 2022 by becoming the first Black woman to earn a Doctor of Architecture (DArch) professional degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Architecture. This milestone is particularly significant given that, nationally, only 2% of licensed architects are Black, with Black women comprising just 0.4%.
Before pursuing architecture, McCleave earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in sculpture and painting from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. At UH Mānoa, she was honored with the Hawaiʻi Architectural Foundation award for her thesis titled “Redesigning the Hood: Using Culturally Aware Wellness as a Tool to Inform Architectural Design.” Her work focuses on equitable housing and culturally aware design practices, reflecting her belief that “great design is a right, not a privilege.”
In addition to her architectural pursuits, McCleave is an artist and educator. She founded SŌL Studios, a creative space dedicated to fostering innovation and community engagement. Her commitment to integrating mental and physical wellness into architectural design underscores her holistic approach to the field.
McCleave’s groundbreaking achievement not only paves the way for greater diversity in architecture but also serves as an inspiration for underrepresented communities considering careers in design. She hopes her journey encourages others, stating, “We have learned time and time again that representation matters… I hope that my journey can be an encouragement for other women and people of color to get into architecture and design.
