The Spaces We Live In: Ketsa Jerome ’13 on Design, Curiosity, and Community

For Ketsa Jerome (Class of 2013), KIS was more than just a school; it was home from birth. Looking back, her memories of campus are layered with the small, everyday moments that shaped her childhood as much as the milestones.

She remembers kindergarten fondly: the castle that encouraged imaginative play, rolling down the hills at Ganga, and the plethora of activities, all shaped by incredible teachers such as Anita Teacher, Mrs Bala, and Ms Sagar. The hikes through the hills, afternoons spent on the flag green, and the familiar rhythms of campus life: canteen visits, Tibs and abbeys, egg-cheese parathas, and cheese sandwiches with chilli sauce from Gymkhana. Dorm life had its own rituals too: late-night Shin Ramyun noodles, laughter with her roommate Andy, and friendships that have lasted decades.

But perhaps the most vivid memory of all is something harder to describe: the smell of the Kodai air.

“I also have to thank the kitchen, maintenance, travel and dish staff,” she says. “They were like family to us.”

Those years, filled with teachers who nurtured her curiosity and a community that encouraged exploration, quietly laid the groundwork for the path she would eventually take.

Discovering creativity

Ketsa’s first real encounter with the creative world came through drama with Ms Dash. That spark grew stronger during the IB Art course with Mrs Shand, where she began to understand that creativity could take many forms.

For her MYP project, she designed an extension to the school dining room and kitchen. At the time, it was simply a school project, but looking back now, she sees it as the first real step toward architecture.

Kodai’s environment itself also left a lasting impression. The bluestone, brick and concrete buildings that make up the campus, combined with the ingenuity of the school’s support staff, who seemed able to build almost anything for an event, made creativity feel tangible and collaborative. Ideas didn’t just exist on paper. They became real.

From Kodai to architecture

After graduating from KIS, Ketsa moved to Melbourne to study architecture at RMIT, completing both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Architecture and Design. While studying, she also began working in the industry, building the experience required to become a registered architect in Australia.

The registration process is rigorous: architects must complete more than 3,300 hours of professional work across different areas of practice before passing a formal exam and interview panel. Ketsa completed the process and then took a step many architects wait decades to take.

She launched her own practice in her twenties.

“When I decided to start my own practice,” she says, “I just had to back myself and go for it.”

Designing for real life

What Ketsa loves most about architecture is the balance it requires.

It allows her to move between imagination and precision—between the creative process of designing spaces and the technical discipline of construction drawings, project management and execution. Seeing an idea transform into a physical space is what she finds most rewarding.

“It’s incredibly satisfying to watch something move from a concept on paper to a place that people actually live in and experience.”

For Ketsa, architecture is ultimately about improving everyday life.

“It’s not just about how something looks,” she explains. “It’s about how it functions, how it feels, and how it supports the people who live in it.”

Understanding how clients move through their homes and how spaces shape daily routines is central to her work. Good design, she believes, should reduce stress, improve flow, and create small moments of comfort or joy.

“In many ways,” she says, “architecture is a form of service.”

Carrying Kodai forward

Kodai’s emphasis on experiential learning continues to influence the way Ketsa approaches her work today. The freedom to explore different interests and take risks helped her develop confidence in her own ideas.

She also credits her time at school with teaching her how to manage multiple commitments, a skill that proves useful in the fast-paced world of architecture.

But perhaps most importantly, Kodai helped her develop curiosity.

“I’ve always liked questioning things and pushing boundaries,” she says. “How does something really function? How do people actually use a space? And how could it be better?”

Advice for future designers

For students at Kodai who are interested in architecture or any creative field—Ketsa encourages them not to worry about having everything figured out too early.

“You don’t need to have the whole path mapped out right now,” she says. “Creative careers rarely move in a straight line.”

Instead, she encourages curiosity: exploring different interests, asking questions, seeking mentors, experimenting and trying new things.

“Give everything a go,” she says. “You’ll learn more than you expect.”

A lifelong community

Nearly two decades after graduating, being part of the Kodai community still means a great deal to her.

“It’s the foundation that helped set me up for the future,” she says.

But it is also something deeper: a network of friendships, teachers and shared experiences that continues long after students leave the hill.

“It’s a lifelong community.”