Finding My Path in the Built Environment
My name is Fuad Samatar, and my path into the built environment started early, through drawing.
Early Years: Sketching and Seeing in Detail
When I was young, I spent a lot of time sketching. Drawing was my passion, and it came naturally to me. I was especially drawn to realism—learning how light, shadow, and proportion work together. Over time, I became comfortable creating photorealistic drawings using pencil, focusing on detail and accuracy.
Long before I understood design or construction as professions, sketching taught me how to observe carefully and translate ideas into something clear.
Discovering Drafting and 3D Modeling
In high school, I randomly enrolled in a drafting and 3D modeling class, without realizing how much it would influence my future. I quickly became fascinated with the precision of drafting and the ability to turn ideas into measurable, three-dimensional models.
That experience connected my interest in drawing with structure and logic. It showed me how creative thinking and technical thinking could exist together.
Choosing Construction First
When it came time to choose an undergraduate path, I was torn between civil engineering and architecture, but I ultimately pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management at the University of Minnesota. That choice exposed me to construction first—to how projects are planned, coordinated, and delivered in the real world.
Starting with construction grounded me. It taught me responsibility, respect for the field, and an understanding of how decisions affect people, schedules, and outcomes.
Design Grounded in Architecture Program
After my undergraduate studies, I continued my education through a five-year Master of Architecture program at the Boston Architectural College. That experience required starting from a clean sheet.
Much of what we thought we knew was stripped away. The focus shifted to clarity, restraint, and intention. The guiding idea was simple: less is more.
The program shaped how I think about space, proportion, and decision-making—without separating me from construction reality.
Working Across Disciplines After Graduate School
After completing the Master of Architecture program, I worked across several roles in the industry—as a land survey technician, an electrical designer, and later as an architectural designer. Each role exposed me to a different layer of the building process.
Seeing projects from multiple angles made something clear to me: when design and construction are separated into silos, responsibility becomes fragmented. Design decisions often lose touch with how things are built, and construction teams are left reacting instead of collaborating.
Despite gaining valuable experience, I didn’t feel fully aligned until I discovered design-build.
Why Design-Build Is the Path I Chose
Design-build brought everything together.
It aligned my construction foundation, my design thinking, and my experience across disciplines into a single, accountable process. Instead of handing work off, responsibility stays connected from idea through execution.
That realization is what led me to intentionally curve my path toward design-build—because it reflects how I think, how I work, and how I believe projects should be delivered.
Why I Started Samatar Construction
I started Samatar Construction to practice design-build in a practical, straightforward way. The goal is to guide projects from idea to completion with clarity, care, and accountability.
Whether the work involves residential construction, drafting, existing condition drawings, or permitting support, the focus remains the same: thoughtful work and clear responsibility.
Looking Forward
This blog is where I’ll share reflections from the field, lessons from design work, and experiences from real projects in Minnesota. Construction has always been close to my heart. Design shapes how I think. Design-build is how those come together in my work today.
If that approach resonates with you, welcome.
