Discover Detroit Art

Design x Technology Lecture: Upali Nanda
2024-01-30 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Detroit) | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Dr. Nanda, Global Research Director for HKS and Associate Professor of Practice at University of Michigan will discuss research in practice.

The Art & Science of Being Human: An emerging perspective on research in practice
In this presentation Dr. Upali Nanda, Global Research Director for HKS and Associate Professor of Practice at University of Michigan will share what it takes to build research in practice, how an anchor on the art and science of being Human can transform our ecological and societal challenges, and how intersections between industry, academy and non-profits are essential to build robust coalitions that can get to meaningful impact.
What you can expect:
1. Real look at behind the curtains of what research in practice looks like2. Honest conversation about opportunities and challenges of bringing research into practice3. ABCs of change: AI/ Automation, Brain/ Building; Climate/ Carbon. How to use these building blocks in effective coalitions of change4. Call to action: Understand from the students what they see as their role in a rapidly changing world, and the pathways to make that happen

Dr. Upali Nanda is Principal and Global Director of Research for HKS, an international architectural firm where she spearheads and leads research projects globally. She also teaches as Associate Professor of Practice at the Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Planning at University of Michigan and serves as the Executive Director for the non-profit Center for Advanced Design Research and Education. Her award-winning research around health and wellbeing, neuroscience and architecture, sensthetics, point of decision design, and outcome-driven design has been widely published. She has won various research and innovation awards including the 2018 Women in Architecture Innovator Award.

Design x Technology Lecture: Kim Yao
2024-02-13 12:30 - 13:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Kim Yao, FAIA, Principal of Architecture Research Office (ARO) will lecture during our Spring semester

Curiosity with a Method
Learn how Architecture Research Office’s process and culture fosters consistently high-quality design that elevates people and place. A presentation by Principal Kim Yao, FAIA, will explore how the office structure and environment underpin a culture of collaboration; how research is embedded in process and practice; and, how engagement and alignment around goals and aspirations creates a foundation for transformative architecture.The presentation, followed by Q+A, will explore the firm’s diverse past and present work, research-based process, and firm culture. The lecture will address the importance of collaboration and engagement in achieving transformative architecture, and each attendee will gain an understanding of varied ways research can underpin and complement practice.
Architecture Research Office is the New York City firm united by their collaborative process, commitment to accountable action, and social and environmental responsibility. Research gives their work purpose and intention. Their architecture unites beauty and form with strategy and intelligence. Their office designs spaces that inspire people, further institutional missions, and advance equity and resilience. This philosophy has earned them firm over one hundred design awards including the 2020 AIA Architecture Firm Award, the AIA New York State Firm of the Year Award, and the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Architecture.
What you will learn:

The lecture will highlight both engagement, design process and final resolution of projects, providing a full picture of the building project.
Designers will be presented with diverse ways and scales that their work has impact.
Identifying shared project principles that guide design and decision-making creates a foundation for robust and efficient decision-making.
Attendees will learn varied approaches to design that result in work that is accessible and inclusive.

Join us for this innovative lecture on campus or virtually. Choose the appropriate ticket.
Header image credit: Lucy Raven, Ready Mix, 2021. Installation view, Dia Chelsea, New York City. © Lucy Raven. Photo: BillJacobson Studio, New York, courtesy Dia Art Foundation, New York

ABOUT:
Kim Yao, FAIA, is Principal of Architecture Research Office (ARO). She holds an undergraduate degree in architecture from Columbia College: Columbia University and a Master of Architecture from Princeton University. She is a lecturer at MIT and has taught at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, the School of Constructed Environments, Parsons the New School for Design, and Barnard College (2001-2011). She has lectured throughout the United States and abroad. Kim has been awarded the AIA New York (AIANY) Medal of Honor and the Beverly Willis Foundation Mentorship Award. She was President of AIANY in 2020 and serves on the Board of the Center for Architecture.

Image credit: Ky Kaufman

Design x Technology Lecture: Carla Diana
2024-02-15 12:30 - 13:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Carla Diana, Robot Designer and Founding Head of 4D Design at Cranbrook Academy of Art will lecture during our Spring semester

Designing Everyday Products with Social Robotics in Mind
This talk will take a fresh look at the design of products in our everyday lives through a lens of social robotics. Robot designer, technology author and design educator Carla Diana will share case studies from over a decade of projects that span from thermostats to hospital robots, looking at how a holistic approach to design can give teams a clear vision for creating products that are built on meaningful, intuitive, and delightful interactions.
Carla will share insights from her book, My Robot Gets Me: How Social Design Can Make New Products More Human (HBR Press 2021) as well as a glimpse into the labs at Cranbrook Academy of Art’s unique masters program in 4D Design. For more info see http://www.carladiana.com
What you can expect: A creative look at robotics and how it applies to everyday life, including the hospital setting.
This lecture will appeal to:

Creative designers and artists looking for ways to integrate technology into their work
Technologists looking for real world applications of robotics
Hospital and nursing professionals looking to learn how robotics can improve workflow

Join us for this innovative lecture on campus or virtually. Choose the appropriate ticket.

Carla Diana is the founder and head of the 4D Design program at Cranbrook Academy of Art. A designer, author, and educator, she explores the impact of future technologies through hands-on experiments in product design and tangible interaction. In addition to her studio practice, she is Design Advisor and former Head of Design for Diligent Robotics, an Austin, Texas, based company where advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning manifest in robot assistants to help healthcare workers.
Carla has been part of innovation design firms Smart Design and frog Design where she worked on a range of products from robots to connected home appliances. Her work has appeared on the covers of Popular Science, Technology Review, and The New York Times Sunday Review.
Carla writes and lectures frequently on the social impact of robotics and emerging technology. Her latest book, My Robot Gets Me: How Social Design Can Make New Products More Human (HBR Press 2021) discusses design strategies for everyday products. She is the creator of the world’s first children’s book on 3D printing, LEO the Maker Prince (Maker Media 2014), and was previously co-host of the Robopsych Podcast, a show that explored the design and psychological impact of human-robot interaction. Her latest research is focused on autonomous vehicle systems as public transportation solutions.
She holds an M.F.A. in 3D Design from Cranbrook Academy of Art and a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from the Cooper Union.

Design x Technology Lecture: Elizabeth Wittacker
2024-03-13 16:00 - 17:00 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Housing_Medium Please!

Elizabeth Whittaker is the Founding Principal of Boston based MERGE Architects, a practice aimed at developing contemporary craft, transforming type, and addressing social ecologies across all program. For this talk Elizabeth will share how the work of her practice has evolved from small-scale material explorations to transforming Housing typologies in Boston, Detroit, and throughout the US. The presentation will explore contemporary interpretations of varying contexts, as MERGE reimagines the vernacular of each unique site and region at the missing middle scale of Housing.
The need for more modest scale multi-family housing in particular offers immense opportunity for experimentation and the revitalization of many neighborhoods throughout the country. As the housing crisis in the US has reached a fever pitch, we can no longer rely on Big Development to satisfy all of our collective housing needs and changing lifestyles. This lecture will discuss how MERGE is translating known residential building types in both form and material to address this demand for diversity through their research and built work on the flat, maisonette, duplex, townhouse, triple-decker, and Chicago 6-flat.

CEU: This lecture equals 1 professional architecture credit. This lecture is free and open to the public. As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series, guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details.

Design x Technology Lecture: Melissa Kagen
2024-03-26 12:30 - 13:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Wandering Games

Join Lawrence Technological University’s College of Architecture and Design on Tuesday, March 26th for a forward-thinking Design x Technology Lecture as we present Assistant Teaching Professor of Interactive Media & Game Development, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Melissa Kagen.
Wandering in games can be a theme, a formal mode, an aesthetic metaphor, or a player action. It can mean walking, escaping, traversing, meandering, or returning. In this talk, I’ll introduce the concept of “wandering games” and explain the uses of wandering in a variety of game worlds. Using examples from several recent digital games, I’ll discuss how ideologies of work, gender, colonialism, and death inflect the ways we wander through digital spaces.
Participants will be given examples of the ways they can use wandering in games to create different meanings and experiences for players. This will make them more creative and more thoughtful designers.
This lecture is free and open to the public. As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series, guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details. Your on-campus registration includes a pizza lunch

Design x Technology Lecture: Ralph Kirk Nelson
2024-04-11 12:30 - 15:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Energy in Architecture

Join Lawrence Technological University’s College of Architecture and Design on Thursday, April 11th, 2024 at 12:30pm ET for another innovative Spring 2024 Design x Technology Lecture.
In this presentation CoAD associate professor, Ralph Kirk Nelson will present preliminary findings of a design research project exploring the contemporary expression of operational energy in architecture.
Framed in historical context, the expression of energy in building design was always an architectural responsibility through to the early 20th Century. The long legacy of burning wood (fireplaces and chimneys for every building) gave way to coal, oil, and natural gas to sustain buildings while silently emitting toxins. By mid-century the technological advancement in power, heating, and cooling systems soon relegated energy elements to locked rooms and concealed rooftops. Engineers took professional command of these systems and architects were mostly content to keep them out of sight, and for good and dangerous reasons. With our 21st Century shift from burning fuel to renewable technologies underway, architects now have an opportunity to reengage the architectural expression of energy. How is the intensity of energy use realized architecturally? This lecture will present designs for large building-integrated photovoltaic arrays, sized to meet the energy needs of common building use types defined by the U.S. Department of Energy as high in operational energy demands and emissions. Each design is configured to meet performance benchmarks for both energy and architectural integrity, as buildings transform from being masks of shrouded consumption to public faces of energetic production.
This lecture will:

address a brief history of energy expression in architecture, from burning to harvesting.
define architectural implications of operational energy and decentralized electrification.
present application of energy generation systems, through the architectural transformation of common building use types.

This lecture is free and open to the public. As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series, guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details.
CEU: This lecture equals 1 professional architecture credit. To prepare for any potential audit, we suggest you register for this lecture and hold onto your confirmation. Upon verification of attendance, CoAD will supply a certificate of completion. When you request a certificate, you must send us your lecture confirmation so keep that information handy.

ABOUT: Ralph Nelson is an Associate Professor at Lawrence Technological University and founding principal of Loom, an architectural practice based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His teaching focuses on architectural design synthesis and the integration of contemporary building technologies. His practice is recognized for work that utilizes a minimum of resources to maximum effect, and has received regional and national design awards including three Progressive Architecture Awards and an R+D award. He is the co-author of Digital Vernacular (2015) addressing the relationship of digital tools and vernacular design principles. He received a B.Arch from the University of Minnesota and a M.Arch from Yale University

Social Design Club (In-Person)
2024-05-15 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-06-05 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-07-10 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-08-14 18:00 - 20:00 | Bamboo Detroit, 1420 Washington Blvd Ste 301, Detroit, MI, 48226, US
Join us at Social Design Club for in-person meetups where we chat, brainstorm, and connect with fellow creatives

Constructing Futures AI Panel Discussion
2024-09-05 17:00 - 21:00 | 1001 Woodward Ave, 1001 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48226, United States
Join Lawrence Technological University’s College of Architecture and Design on Thursday, September 5th at 5:00pm ET for a panel discussion h

The Constructing Futures installation, exhibition, lectures, and workshops will serve as a platform to facilitate crucial conversations around these emerging technologies, bringing together stakeholders from cultural institutions, universities, and industry partners.
Mass production and industrial robotics emerged from the automotive industry in Detroit. Building on this rich history, the exhibition will delve into the transformative potential of robotics, additive manufacturing (AM), computational design, and artificial intelligence (AI) specifically for the built environment. The exhibition also serves to expand the influence of and lay the groundwork for conversations around construction innovation and how we might build more intelligently in the future.
Moderators: dean Karl Daubmann and assistant professor Sara Codarin
Our esteemed panelists:

Brian Ringley, Principal Product Manager at Boston Dynamics.
Rolando Mendoza, Design Director-Associate Principal @ Bermello Ajamil & Partners
Dr. Niloufar Emami, Assistant Professor Illinois School of Architecture

CEU: This lecture equals 1 professional architecture credit. This lecture is free and open to the public.
To learn more about Constructing Futures, click here.

Ideas on Architecture, Suburbs, and Disability
2024-09-10 12:30 - 13:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Join Lawrence Technological University’s College of Architecture and Design on Tuesday, September 10th at 12:30pm ET for our first Design x

This lecture will take place on the LTU campus inside the College of Architecture and Design and it will also be livestreamed. Register for more information.

CEU: This lecture equals 1 professional architecture credit.
This lecture is free and open to the public. As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series, guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details. Your on-campus registration includes a pizza lunch
Why you should attend:

This lecture will help students focus on the wide array of professional paths that an architectural education makes possible
Give historical perspective on how architecture used to happen.
You will be challenged to commit to safe use of modern design technologies.
Gary will ensure that they have a place, in any of so many ways, to help bring about great design that aligns with people’s lives and goals — from individuals to whole communities.
Gary intends to offer an engaging lecture.

Mass Timber Symposium
2024-09-19 09:00 - 17:00, 2024-09-20 09:00 - 12:00 | 1001 Woodward Ave, 1001 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48226, United States
This innovative event aims to motivate our guests to tackle the complex challenges of creating sustainable buildings.

Design x Technology Lecture: Michael Sørensen
2024-09-26 12:30 - 13:30 | 1001 Woodward Ave, 1001 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48226, United States
Join Lawrence Technological University’s College of Architecture and Design on Thursday, September 26th at 12:30pm ET.

Designing Beyond Boundaries

Join Lawrence Technological University’s College of Architecture and Design on Thursday, September 26th at 12:30pm ET for a Design x Technology Lecture as we present Partner, Design Director of Henning Larsen, Michael Sørensen.
This lecture will take place during our Detroit Month of Design 2024 programming at 1001 Woodward, 1001 Woodward, Detroit, MI.
At Henning Larsen, we focus on creating inclusive and equitable urban environments that foster social interaction and community well-being. Our designs go beyond functionality, aiming to develop urban spaces that are humane and socially cohesive. Henning Larsen’s interdisciplinary approach integrates architecture, urban design, and the public realm, ensuring cohesive and functional urban spaces..
Henning Larsen’s commitment to context-driven design and co-creative process serves as a model for how architecture can contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive future. Our design methodology creates innovative, inspiring spaces that nurture human interactions and foster a deeper connection to the world around us.
CEU: This lecture equals 1 professional architecture credit.
This lecture is free and open to the public.

Participants will learn how international practice and cultural exchange shape architectural design, enhancing their ability to create culturally sensitive and relevant projects.
The lecture will provide insights on designing inclusive and equitable urban environments, helping professionals foster social interaction and community well-being.
Attendees will understand the importance of integrating architecture, urban design, and the public realm.

Parking : There are multiple parking options available:
1001 Woodward Parking
69-9 State Street, Detroit, MI
This parking garage is attached to the building but you must enter on the street.Scan the QR code inside the parking structure to pay.

720 Griswold Parking
1411 Griswold, Detroit, MI
Street parking – download the Park Detroit app
Bathrooms : All 1001 Woodward lavatories are locked. CoAD will have dedicated staff on site to assist our guests.

Viewing online: https://youtube.com/live/B7766pE8VXA?feature=share

Please be on time as we will begin promptly. At the end of the lecture we will have Q&A time so jot down your questions during the presentation.

LTU CoAD’s Distinguished Architecture Alumni Award
2024-10-02 18:30 - 20:30 | 1001 Woodward Ave, 1001 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48226, United States
Join us in congratulating Sam as he becomes part of an elite group of LTU’s Architecture + Design Alumni.

LTU CoAD’s Distinguished Architecture Alumni Award

The results are in! Salvatore Moschelli, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP has been selected as the recipient of the 27th annual LTU Distinguished Architecture Alumni Award! Join us in congratulating Sam as he becomes part of an elite group of LTU’s Architecture + Design Alumni. As project executive for Fanning Howey, Sam specializes in the design of high-performing buildings for K-12 and higher education clients. Sam is passionate about sustainability and has led integrated design teams through the successful completion of multiple LEED Gold certified buildings. Sam’s experience also includes the development of district-wide design standards, working with associate firms and collaborating with owner representatives and program managers.
This lecture will be held at 1001 Woodward, 1001 Woodward, Detroit, MI.
CEU: This lecture equals 1 professional architecture credit. This lecture is free and open to the public.
The Lawrence Technological University DAA Award is given annually in recognition of the recipient’s professional, academic, and personal achievements including:

Local, national, and international professional accomplishments.
Support of the College of Architecture and Design.
Charitable, volunteer, and community service.

About:
An award-winning architect with 25 years of leadership and design experience, Moschelli has designed learning environment projects for public school, private school and higher education clients throughout Michigan. His extensive portfolio includes 2020 Bond Improvements for Birmingham Public Schools, the George and Mary Turek Hall of Science for Detroit Catholic Central and the Munger Graduate Residences for the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. He is the recipient of the 2017 AIA Detroit Young Architect Award and an active member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA).
Moschelli graduated with a Masters of Architecture from Lawrence Technological University. He is a registered architect and member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He is also a LEED Accredited Professional.

Design x Technology Lecture: Evelyn Lee
2025-02-06 12:30 - 13:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Join the College of Architecture and Design at Lawrence Tech University for our first lecture of the Spring 2025 semester.

This lecture can be watched on campus or online. Room A210.
Join Lawrence Technological University College of Architecture and Design for our first Design x Technology lecture of the Spring semester on Thursday, February 6th featuring an architect now immersed in the tech industry, founding advisor for Women Defining AI, and Global Head of Workspace Strategy and Innovation at Slack in San Francisco, Evelyn Lee.

Title: Designing Careers, Shaping Futures: Lessons from an Evolving Architectural Journey
Architecture is evolving, and so are the career paths within it. This session is not just a lecture—it’s a conversation about redefining what it means to be an architect. We’ll explore how architects can leverage new opportunities, embrace entrepreneurial thinking, and shape their own futures.
Topics of Discussion:
Expanding the Role of Architects – Architects are stepping beyond traditional design to influence technology, policy, and business strategy.
Entrepreneurial Thinking – Understanding how architects can build businesses, create startups, and rethink firm structures.
Navigating Alternative Career Paths – Exploring ways to transition into leadership roles beyond traditional practice.
The Business of Architecture – Why understanding firm strategy, finance, and operations is crucial for future success.
Technology & AI – How architects can integrate and shape emerging technologies rather than be displaced by them.
Mentorship & Equity – Building a more inclusive profession through mentorship, advocacy, and flexible career models.
This discussion will provide practical insights, lessons from real experiences, and a roadmap for designing your own career path in architecture. Join the conversation and start shaping your future today.

How will the participants benefit from your presentation?Participants will gain practical insights into how the architectural profession is evolving and how they can navigate nontraditional career paths. They will leave with actionable strategies for leveraging their architectural skills in new ways, whether through entrepreneurship, leadership roles, or technological innovation. Additionally, the session fosters a supportive network of professionals looking to redefine their career trajectories.
How will their job become easier?By learning how to integrate business acumen, technology, and strategic thinking into their work, architects can operate more efficiently, make informed career decisions, and position themselves for long-term success. Understanding these key areas will help them avoid common pitfalls, reduce uncertainty, and work smarter rather than harder.
Will they save time learning this skill?Yes. Instead of spending years figuring out career pivots or business strategies through trial and error, participants will receive condensed, experience-backed knowledge. This lecture provides a shortcut to understanding essential trends, career-building techniques, and business models that can fast-track professional growth.
What current challenges will it alleviate?Lack of clarity on alternative career paths in architectureStruggles with firm leadership, financial sustainability, and business operationsThe impact of emerging technologies and how to stay relevantNavigating workplace equity, mentorship, and professional growthOvercoming the pressure to follow a rigid, traditional career pathHow does your lecture help eliminate risks and/or remove barriers?By providing knowledge about industry shifts, emerging opportunities, and practical career strategies, this session reduces the risk of career stagnation and missed opportunities. Attendees will gain confidence in making informed career moves, understand how to position themselves in the evolving market, and learn how to leverage their skills to eliminate financial and professional uncertainties.

ABOUT: Evelyn M. Lee, FAIA, is a multi-faceted professional who uniquely blends her architectural background with a tech-driven focus. As an architect now immersed in the tech industry, she serves as an angel investor, startup advisor, and fractional COO for small and medium-sized Architecture firms. She is an outside board director for Shepley Bulfinch and Luckett & Farley.
A sought-after speaker, Evelyn regularly shares her insights on the evolution of architecture practice, leadership and team development, the integration of technology in practice operations, and the exploration of alternative careers. Outside of her architectural pursuits, she is a founding advisor for Women Defining AI, championing a more inclusive and diverse landscape in artificial intelligence. Evelyn Lee’s leadership and forward-thinking approach are not just about innovation and progress, they’re about guiding the architectural profession towards new, uncharted directions.

Design x Technology Lecture: Alejandra Castelao
2025-02-13 12:30 - 13:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Our next Spring 2025 lecture is a talk titled, From Craft to Strategy: Lessons from a Multidisciplinary Design Career

Watch this lecture on campus or online. Alejandra will speak in the LEAR Auditorium.

From Craft to Strategy: Lessons from a Multidisciplinary Design Career

In today’s interconnected world, design is more than just creating beautiful objects or interfaces—it’s about crafting experiences that seamlessly blend the physical, digital, and immersive. Over the past 15 years, my career has evolved from tactical, hands-on design in furniture and interiors in Mexico City to leading multidisciplinary teams in creating consumer electronics, healthcare experiences, and spatial design in San Francisco.
In this lecture, we’ll dive into the lessons I’ve learned along the way—how an iterative and flexible design process can unlock new opportunities, how to bridge the gap between strategy and execution, and how collaboration across disciplines drives innovation. Whether your passion lies in crafting tangible objects or shaping new user experiences, this session will inspire you to thrive in an ever-changing design and tech landscape.
This lecture will provide practical takeaways to help students tackle real-world challenges in design and tech. I will focus some of the topics on how to save time by applying iterative design processes that bring teams together and shorten timelines, finding ways to collaborate effectively across disciplines to break silos and unlock innovation, navigating uncertainty and ambiguity by learning to bridge the gap between strategy and tactical execution and finally how to position yourself for success in a multidisciplinary career by mastering skills that align with emerging industry trends in an ever-changing environment.

As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series, this lecture is free and open to the public. Guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details. Your on-campus registration includes a pizza lunch.

About Alejandra:
Alejandra is a Senior Experience Design Lead at Dolby Laboratories with over 15 years of experience in design, technology, and innovation. Specializing in Industrial and Interdisciplinary Design, she creates transformative experiences that blend physical, digital, and immersive realms.
Starting her career in Mexico City designing boutique hotels and restaurant interiors, Alejandra later transitioned to San Francisco, focusing on consumer electronics and emerging technologies like AR/VR. At Dolby, she leads multidisciplinary teams in delivering user-centered experiences, from creative direction and workshop facilitation to immersive spatial audio experience design.
Alejandra’s expertise spans healthcare UX, consumer hardware, spatial design, wearable products, and immersive experiences. Her design process is adaptable, emphasizing collaboration and leveraging emerging technologies to connect the dots between strategic thinking and tactical execution.
Outside of her professional work, Alejandra is passionate about mentorship, particularly for women in the design and tech industries. As the former Chair of the Women in Design IDSA SF Chapter, she has advocated for more opportunities for women to excel in these fields.
When not designing, she enjoys painting, whittling wood carvings, playing with the latest tech toys, and outdoor activities like fishing, crabbing and mussel harvesting.

Design x Technology Lecture: Ajla Akšamija
2025-02-17 18:00 - 19:00 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
This lecture will talk about innovations in architectural design, how to integrate research with the design process and advanced technology

This lecture can be viewed on campus or online.

INNOVATIONS IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN: Research and Advanced Technologies

Architectural designers are currently faced with many challenges—technological changes, environmental and economic impacts, necessity to innovate and raise the bar in building performance, and the paradigm shift in architecture with the wider adoption of advanced computational design and digital fabrication techniques. There are a number or reasons why progressive practices must continuously invest in research and implementation of advanced technologies, but the need to improve design processes and services is typically the overarching drive. Thus, research is becoming an essential component of contemporary practice and will be redefining the future of architectural profession.
This lecture focuses on innovations in architecture, relationships between scientific research and design, and the role of building performance research. It will discuss why is it necessary to embrace technological changes to improve design processes, products and services, as well as the recent developments in building technologies, materials, computational design and integration of scientific research with innovative design.
Participants of this lecture will learn about innovations in architectural design, how to integrate research with the design process, and they will learn about advanced building technologies.
Learning objectives:• Understand innovations in architecture and how they impact design practices and services• Evaluate specific design methods and technologies, and how to stimulate innovation in design practice• Understand relationships between research and design process, as well as implementation of advanced building technologies• Compare innovative design practices and approaches through case studies.

CEU: This lecture equals 1 professional architecture credit towards licensure requirements.
As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series, this lecture is free and open to the public. Guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details.

About Ajla:
Ajla Akšamija, PhD, LEED AP BD+C, CDT, FTI Fellow is a Professor and Distinguished Chair for Resilient Places at the School of Architecture, University of Utah. She directs the Transforming Places, Practices, and Pedagogies Collaborative (TP3C), a research unit within the School of Architecture. Her research expertise includes building science and sustainability, emerging technologies, digital design and representations, and innovations in architecture. Dr. Aksamija also served as the Chair of the School of Architecture at the University of Utah. Prior to joining University of Utah, she was a Professor at the Department of Architecture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She also directed Perkins&Will Building Technology Laboratory (“Tech Lab”), one of the first practice-driven research laboratories focusing on advanced building technologies, high-performance buildings, computational design, and building facades. She has taught architectural design studios, advanced environmental building design, comprehensive studios and seminars. She has worked on developing building analysis and modeling applications, implementation of novel materials in architectural design, development of computational models, and has collaborated with researchers from material science, civil and environmental engineering and computational design.
Her recent book, “Research Methods for the Architectural Profession”, was published by Routledge in 2021. She has authored two previously published books, “Integrating Innovation in Architecture, Design, Methods and Technology for Progressive Practice and Research” (John Wiley & Sons, 2016) and “Sustainable Facades: Design Methods for High-Performance Building Envelopes” (John Wiley & Sons, 2013). Dr. Aksamija has contributed to several other books, and has published over ninety research articles and invited papers. She has presented at various national and international conferences, and is a frequent speaker at industry-based, scientific and academic conferences. She is the founder of the Perkins and Will Research Journal, and served as editor of this first peer-reviewed research journal from architectural practice for fourteen years. She served as the President of the Facade Tectonics Institute.

Design x Technology Lecture: Sung Ho Kim & Heather Woofter
2025-02-20 12:30 - 13:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Join us for another innovative Design x Technology lecture during our Spring 2025 semester!

This lecture can be watched on campus or online. Sung Ho and Heather will speak in the LEAR Auditorium.
Join Lawrence Technological University College of Architecture and Design for another important Design x Technology lecture featuring Sung Ho Kim Architecture Program Director at Kent State University and Heather Woofter Dean of the School of Architecture the University of Texas at Austin.

INVISIBLE PRACTICE

“Invisible Practice” introduces the works of Axi:Ome—a design practice led by Heather Woofter and Sung Ho Kim formerly in St. Louis and now in Cleveland and Austin. Presentation maps the trajectory of an architectural investigation into the processes explored through blending academic research with practice, challenging the boundaries of conventional architectural practice. From built constructs to conceptual investigations, which is the intricate dance between ideas and reality that uncovers the complexities that shape the contemporary environment by cartographing the legitimization of architectural practice that engages the pedagogical visions of the profession and the education.
Axi:Ome was formed in 2003 primarily as an architectural research practice of Heather Woofter and Sung Ho Kim. Currently, Heather Woofter is the dean at University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture and Sung Ho is the director of Architecture and Urban Design at Kent State University. Together they have balanced teaching with design practice, focusing on the concept that a building’s spatial form and innovation are inextricably woven to one another and that architecture’s progressive future lies in speculation, imagination, research and resolution of the intellectual development of design process.
This lecture will offer a sample of different types of practice for students and young architects into developing a body of work that defines one’s agenda in the world and describe how a regional practice can gain global perspectives by developing projects with research-based explorations about culture, environment, economics and history.

CEU: This lecture equals 1 professional architecture credit towards licensure requirements.
As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series, this lecture is free and open to the public. Guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details. Your on-campus registration includes a pizza lunch.

About Sung Ho and Heather:
Heather Woofter studied biochemistry as a teenager at the University of Maryland and chemical engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. She received a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Master of Architecture from Harvard University Graduate School of Design. She was a project architect and manager for Bohlin Cywinski Jackson in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Marks Barfield in London, UK and Robert Luchetti Associates in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is a registered architect in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Missouri and has a Royal Institute of British Architects Parts I and II. Heather taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Design Career Discovery Program, Boston Architectural College and Roger Williams University. She was an Assistant Professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Visiting Professor at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and Konkuk University in Seoul, Korea. She was an endowed Sam and Marilyn Fox Professor and Director of College of Architecture and Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design at Washington University in St. Louis. Currently, she is the Dean at School of Architecture at University of Texas in Austin. Heather is a founding Co-Director and Owner of Axi:Ome llc with Sung Ho Kim since 2003.
Sung Ho Kim studied drawing and sculpture as a teenager at the Art Students League of New York and Harvard Graduate School of Design Career Discovery Program. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design and an AA Diploma from Architectural Association of London, UK with Royal Institute of British Architects Part I and II. He also received his Master of Science in Architecture Studies from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was a project designer for Nasrine Seraji in Paris, France and Wellington Reiter in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He served as a principal researcher for the Interrogative Design Group at Center for Advanced Visual Studies at MIT. Sung Ho taught at Rhode Island School of Design and was an Assistant Professor at Northeastern University. He was a Visiting Professor at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and Konkuk University in Seoul, Korea. He was an endowed Raymond E. Maritz Professor of Architecture and engaged in research with Biology and Computer Science at Washington University in St. Louis. Currently, he is the Director of Architecture Program at Kent State University. Sung Ho is a founding Co-Director of Axi:Ome llc with Heather Woofter since 2003.

Design x Technology Lecture: Andrew Shea
2025-03-18 12:30 - 13:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Welcome to another innovative Design x Technology lecture during our Spring 2025 semester.

This lecture can be watched on campus or online.

Posters to Al: Shaping Trajectories of Design for Social Innovation
The practice of design mirrors its time: reflecting societal values, technological advancements, and pressing challenges. From the evocative power of posters rallying social movements to the disruptive potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in redefining creative boundaries, design’s trajectory provides a compelling lens through which we can examine how innovation shapes society. In “Posters to AI: Shaping Trajectories of Design for Social Innovation,” I will speak about the evolution of design for social innovation, focusing on how designers adapt to and critique emerging tools and methodologies to address complex societal issues—tracing the path from analog communication to automated systems.
This talk will touch on the evolution of media, such as posters and physical artifacts before pivoting to the transformative role AI is playing in reshaping the creative process. Central to this exploration are the critical questions designers face: How can AI be integrated thoughtfully into creative practices without undermining human agency? How can we ensure equitable representation and inclusion in the datasets that inform AI systems? What strategies will protect originality and cultural authenticity in an era of generative design? And how can we interrogate the dual nature of AI—as both an empowering tool democratizing creativity and a disruptive force that risks diminishing human skill and ingenuity? Ultimately, Posters to AI seeks to inspire designers to harness their creativity and ethical sensibilities to shape the trajectory of innovation—prioritizing human dignity, equity, and sustainability in a rapidly changing world.
Participants will gain an understanding of how design has evolved, helping them connect historical approaches to modern challenges and position their work within a broader trajectory of social innovation. The lecture provides practical ethical frameworks to address pressing AI concerns like, bias, cultural authenticity, and human agency, and will equip designers to navigate the complexities of integrating AI into their creative processes.

As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series, this lecture is free and open to the public. Guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details. Your on-campus registration includes a pizza lunch.

About Andrew:
Andrew Shea is Associate Professor of Integrated Design at Parsons School of Design, and Associate Dean of Parsons’ School of Design Strategies and Founding Creative Director, MANY. His research has focused on the role that designers play in social innovation projects, place-based design’s role to produce behavior change, and the ethics of artificial intelligence. He is the founding creative director of MANY (manydesign.org), a communication and service design studio that designs physical spaces, collaborative experiences, and platforms to support creative communities and elevate civic, educational, and environmental initiatives.
Andrew has written extensively about the evolving field of design for social innovation and his most recent, co-authored book is Design for Social Innovation: Case Studies from Around the World (2021), which marks the first attempt to define the global contours of the cultural, economic, and organizational levers propelling design for social innovation forward today. His other publications include LEAP Dialogues: Career Pathways in Design for Social Innovation (2016), and he authored Designing for Social Change: Strategies for Community-Based Graphic Design (2012).
His design and writing has been featured by publications like Fast Company, Slate, Design Observer, 99 Percent Invisible, Core77, Slate, Print, Entrepreneur Magazine, How, Communication Arts, and Impact Design Hub. Andrew regularly speaks about design at schools, conferences, and at public events like TEDx. He has served as an advisor for various organizations and initiatives like Impact Design Hub and Human Impacts Institute, and on juries for Sappi Ideas That Matter, Design Ignites Change, Archinect, and the Center for Urban Pedagogy. Andrew received his MFA in Graphic Design from Maryland Institute College of Art.

Design x Technology Lecture: Bonny Slater
2025-03-20 12:30 - 13:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Join us for a Design x Technology lecture featuring Co-Global Healthcare Practice Leader at Gensler, Bonny Slater.

Enjoy this lecture on campus or online.

Designing the Future of Healthcare
Sustainability in healthcare design typically revolves around optimizing traditional buildings within established health systems. But what if we embraced a broader perspective, considering sustainability at the system level? Imagine if we redesigned service delivery and infrastructure to not only combat climate change but also to improve community health outcomes. Could such innovations also address the industry’s financial, staffing, and equity challenges?
This session will explore the two-year research and design effort by the Gensler Research Institute around the Future of Healthcare. The outcome was a thought-provoking proposal: an integrated ecosystem that reimagines the distribution of healthcare, social services, and community support. The vision aims to conserve valuable resources—both financial and environmental—while simultaneously enriching the human experiences, advancing health equity, and leveraging cutting-edge advancements in science and technology. This session will explore:
•The importance of environmental health in improving social determinants of health.
•Technology’s role in the reduction of carbon emissions.
•Cooperative competition fostering alliances that combine resources for mutual gain.
•Mass timber in hospital construction.
The session will review the ecosystem’s components and impacts, which includes a redistribution of care into the home, community health hubs, advanced ambulatory care centers, and a critical-care community hospital, followed by a deep dive into the carbon-neutral design strategies for a community hospital of the future.
Learning Objectives:
1. Analyze the potential impacts of redesigning service delivery and infrastructure in healthcare to address climate change and improve community health outcomes.
2. Evaluate the hypothesis that a focus on improving community health can positively impact various industry challenges such as climate, financial, staffing, and equity issues.
3. Explore key areas of inquiry identified by the team, such as social determinants of health, shifting care settings, technological contributions to reducing healthcare’s carbon emissions, and cooperative competition.
4. Assess the potential of sustainable design strategies, including reduced physical infrastructure, the use of mass timber construction, and the adoption of 100% electric design in healthcare facilities.

CEU: This lecture equals 1 professional architecture credit towards licensure requirements. LTU is not a registered AIA CE provider. By virtue of having a NAAB-accredited architecture program, the State of Michigan authorizes LTU to offer continuing education credit.
As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series, this lecture is free and open to the public. Guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details. Your on-campus registration includes a pizza lunch.

About:
Bonny Slater is a Co-Global Healthcare Practice Leader and Design Director at Gensler. She has spent 20 years creating inspiring environments to support health and wellness for diverse populations. With a background in design and environmental psychology, she brings a unique perspective and research-driven approach to crafting meaningful experiences by supporting physical, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Bonny’s Research has included the study of color in immersive environments, design considerations in behavioral health facilities, and the cultural implications of evidence-based design. Her recent work focuses on the connections between engagement, design, and population health in vulnerable communities. Her Research has been featured in Contract and Metropolis magazines and have garnered national recognition through ASID’s Outcome of Design Award and The Caritas Project’s Generative Space Award. An active Thought Leader, Bonny has presented her research at national conferences including Healthcare Design, Healthcare Facilities Symposium, and NeoCon, and is a frequent contributing writer to Gensler Dialogue and former editor of Contract’s “Designing for Health” online series.
As a Designer, Bonny’s work has included academic medical centers, community health centers, foreign hospitals, and prototype wellness facilities. Her work has been featured in Metropolis, Contract, Healthcare Design and Architectural Record. In addition to various project awards, in 2018 Bonny was honored as an ASID Ones to Watch Scholar and Design Excellence award recipient.

Design x Technology Lecture: Christian Unverzagt
2025-03-28 18:00 - 19:00 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Join Lawrence Technological University College of Architecture and Design for another innovative Design x Technology lecture.

This lecture can be watched on campus or online.
Design Director of M1DTW Architects, Christian Unverzagt will speak on Notes on a Practice.
Christian Unverzagt is a Detroit-based multidisciplinary designer who founded M1DTW, a nationally recognized architecture and creative studio in 2000. Since that time he has worked to reshape practice through both the work of the practice and by working on the practice.
M1DTW was recently recognized with a Best of Practice Award in the Small Firm category from The Architect’s Newspaper (AN) for its project portfolio and its Notes on a Practice, a collection of reflections on various positions taken by the firm in running a practice. AN’s Executive Editor Jack Murphy summed it up: “The office has an attitude that appears to value engagement with the realities of practice, from proper payment of workers to client satisfaction. It helps that their work backs up the idea, as it transforms what could be mundane locales into considered sites for Midwestern life.”⁠
Unverzagt, who is also an associate professor of practice in architecture at Taubman College will discuss several pivotal projects of the firm’s first twenty-five years of designing books, brands, buildings, and more.

Notes on a Practice could have alternatively been titled, How Not to Start a Practice, and is beneficial for any student of design interested in finding ways to put their work into practice. The lecture will showcase a series of projects, mostly built in Michigan, and will discuss the design process and outcomes at multiple scales, understood within a field of a number of critical positions relative to labor, investment, time, and effort. Come check it out!

CEU: This lecture equals 1 professional architecture credit towards licensure requirements. LTU is not a registered AIA CE provider. By virtue of having a NAAB-accredited architecture program, the State of Michigan authorizes LTU to offer continuing education credit.
As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series this lecture is free and open to the public. Guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details.

About:Christian Unverzagt is an associate professor of practice in architecture at Taubman College. He also founded Detroit-based M1DTW, a nationally recognized architecture and creative studio working to reshape practice. M1DTW’s projects range from creative workspaces to commercial lifestyle spaces, adaptive reuse projects, and residential work. Select clients include Floyd, Signal-Return, Mills Pharmacy, 6 Salon, Library Street Collective, Eastern Market Corporation, and Samsung. Unverzagt has received numerous awards for his work, including over a dozen honor awards from AIA Michigan and AIA Detroit, a NAHA for Best Salon Design in North America, and a “50 Books/50 Covers” award from the American Institute of Graphic Arts for one of the best-designed books of the year. M1DTW was recently recognized with a Best of Practice Award from The Architect’s Newspaper in the Small Firm (Midwest) category for its project portfolio and its Notes on a Practice. His work has been widely published in outlets including Dezeen, Wallpaper, Fast Company, The Architect’s Newspaper, Detroit Design Magazine, Estetica Italia, Salon Today, Architectural Record, and Azure Magazine. Unverzagt teaches graduate design studio at Taubman College where he has taught since 1999, is the faculty advisor for Dimensions, the student-produced journal of architecture at Michigan, and teaches the Dimensions workshop each year. Unverzagt is a long-time resident of Lafayette Park, Detroit, where he is an active community member, founding MiesDetroit.org to help steward the neighborhood’s design legacy while fostering awareness and discussion of its contemporary condition.

Design x Technology Lecture: Alexis Kim
2025-04-01 12:30 - 13:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Join CoAD for another important Design x Technology lecture featuring Sr. Principal, Sr. Workplace Strategist with SmithGroup, Alexis Kim.

Attend this lecture on campus or online.
Strategy: A New Discipline in Design and Technology
The world is undergoing rapid and dramatic changes. According to McKinsey, “artificial intelligence has the potential to be as transformative as the steam engine was to the 19th-century Industrial Revolution.” What implications does this hold for design and the design industry? While we may not yet have definitive answers, it is clear that both the approach to design and the profession must evolve.
Design, as a creative problem-solving discipline, is confronted with increasingly complex challenges on a daily basis. The integration of the digital world adds layers of complexity while simultaneously streamlining and enhancing solutions. In this context, strategic thinking and approach can thrive with a potential to position us as leaders rather than followers in a technology-driven world.
Through real-life examples and experience in deploying strategic thinking, this session will offer a dynamic conversation on the role and value of strategy. It will explore how strategy as a discipline can help us rethink not only design methods but also their underlying purposes. The discussion aims to provide insights into applying these concepts to our work as well as professional paths, ensuring a viable future.
Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the foundational principles of strategy while challenging the traditional concepts of design and the design thinking process. Through real-world examples, they will learn what it means to develop design-related strategies, elevating problem-solving to new heights. Additionally, they will learn to recognize technology as a crucial component in uncovering problems and devising innovative solutions through data integration and advancing tools, while balancing human-centric engagement and outcomes.
By grasping the strategic approach framework, participants will also explore applications across various industries and apply this thinking to their career paths. They will learn how to design their own strategic and adaptable future in an increasingly digital world, positioning themselves with a unique value proposition.

CEU: This lecture equals 1 professional architecture credit towards licensure requirements. LTU is not a registered AIA CE provider. By virtue of having a NAAB-accredited architecture program, the State of Michigan authorizes LTU to offer continuing education credit.
As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series this lecture is free and open to the public. Guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details. Your on-campus registration includes a pizza lunch.

ABOUT: As the leading workplace strategist for SmithGroup’s National Workplace Practice, Alexis has spent 28 years harmonizing the built environment with the human experience. A respected thought leader and change agent, Alexis’s work is grounded in the conviction that strategic solutions, whether design-related or otherwise, can drive successful outcomes.
Alexis possesses unique expertise, integrating a strategic mindset with data- and research-driven solutions to projects of all scales. She has developed innovative solutions for Fortune 500 clients, solving complex business and space challenges nationwide.
Committed to evolving her role and profession to meet the demands of an increasingly connected world, Alexis acts as a catalyst, integrating the physical and digital realms to better connect businesses and people.
Her personal journey embodies change. Born and raised in South Korea, Alexis moved to the U.S. as a teen, forging a career from coast to coast. These diverse experiences provide unique perspective for her work. Her transformation continues as she delves deeper into research, data analytics, and organizational design, while pursuing personal interests such as pottery, travel, and learning new languages.

Design x Technology Lecture: Daedra Christoper
2025-04-15 12:30 - 13:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Join us for an innovative Design x Technology lecture featuring Senior Designer at Zenimax Online Studios, Daedra Christoper.

This lecture can be watched on campus or online.
Join Lawrence Technological University College of Architecture and Design for an innovative Design x Technology lecture featuring Senior Designer at Zenimax Online Studios, Daedra Christoper.
Designing the Future: How Level Design Shapes Architectural Thinking
In the ever-evolving fields of game development and architecture, shared principles of spatial design are unlocking new possibilities for innovation. From Pixels to Blueprints: How Level Design Shapes Architectural Thinking explores how tools and methods from game level design, particularly Unreal Engine, can empower architects to rethink spatial flow, storytelling, and user-centric design. By examining case studies, cross-disciplinary techniques, and emerging trends, this lecture will provide actionable insights for both architects and game designers.
Participants will learn to streamline their workflows through digital prototyping, reduce design risks by visualizing spaces in Unreal Engine, and create environments that resonate emotionally and functionally. Architects will discover how level design principles, such as navigational clarity and environmental storytelling, address challenges like accessibility, engagement, and innovation. Game designers will benefit from architectural insights, enhancing the realism and functionality of their virtual worlds.
Attendees will leave equipped with practical skills to save time, foster collaboration, and tackle challenges in design clarity and user experience. This session is ideal for professionals eager to bridge digital and physical spaces, overcoming traditional barriers with modern, creative solutions.

As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series, this lecture is free and open to the public. Guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details. Your on-campus registration includes a pizza lunch.

About: Daedra Christopher is a veteran game designer with a storied career contributing to some of the gaming industry’s most iconic FPS franchises, including Call of Duty, Warzone, and Halo. Her expertise spans level art and design, but her true passion lies in worldbuilding, crafting immersive levels and gameplay experiences. Combining hands-on expertise with a vivid imagination, Daedra has made invaluable contributions to the teams she’s worked with, helping to create games that resonate deeply with players.
A former professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, Daedra’s dedication to education and mentorship is evident in the countless hours she has spent guiding students and newcomers into the gaming industry. Encouraged by her peers, she has authored an upcoming book that curates her extensive job-seeking advice for aspiring game developers, slated for release this year. As an active member of her local IGDA chapter and a frequent speaker at game conferences, Daedra continues to champion the next generation of developers, offering guidance on breaking into both indie and AAA game development.
When she’s not helping others, Daedra can be found lost in science fiction or fantasy novels—she’s a voracious reader—or playing her favorite FPS, crafting, or RPG games. Her boundless enthusiasm for gaming and storytelling fuels her drive to create and inspire others in the industry.

Architecture is Not Neutral
2025-09-09 12:30 - 13:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Festival RIGENERA’s initiatives will be brought to LTU CoAD in the form of a lecture and exhibition with our Italian counterparts

Join the College of Architecture and Design at Lawrence Technological University for our first Design x Technology Series event for the Fall 2025/26 semester featuring speakers all the way from Italy!
Architecture is not neutral: it can be part of the problem or part of the solution.The climate challenge won’t be overcome through technical mandates alone, but by making the ecological transition something people desire.
We no longer need “sustainable” architecture – we need architecture that is effective, light, appropriate, that improves people’s lives, and doesn’t need to justify itself.
We can’t change the world out of obligation; we must do it out of desire.
What we need is a new way of designing: not buildings bloated with technology, but spaces that are simple, adaptable, beautiful, and connected to life. Because what truly works doesn’t need to prove anything.
Sustainability isn’t something you preach – it’s something you live, design, and desire.And the future of architecture begins here.

Speakers:
Andrea Rinaldi – Architect, Lecturer of Architectural and Urban Composition at the Department of Architecture of the University of Ferrara.
Maddalena Fortelli — Architect and urban planner with extensive experience in territorial planning, urban design, and city regeneration.
Serena Foracchia — consultant and expert in European project design, international relations, and professional training.
Moderator: Sara Codarin — Assistant Professor, LTU CoAD.

Join us for a reception at 12:00PM, BEFORE the lecture to view the exhibition. Enjoy authentic Italian appetizers and pastries.

This lecture offers participants – students, young architects, and professionals – the opportunity to gain a new perspective on addressing the ecological challenge in architecture not as a technical constraint, but as a field of design possibilities.Through a critical and visionary approach, the lecture will explore tools and strategies capable of guiding design toward lighter, more effective, and contextually appropriate solutions – reducing reliance on technological complexity and encouraging spaces that are more adaptable, inclusive, and connected to real life.
Participants will be able to sharpen their design judgment, saving time in selecting the most suitable solutions, avoiding outdated and standardized approaches, and facing today’s environmental, cultural, and social challenges with greater awareness.The lecture aims to remove cultural and operational barriers that hinder a true ecological transition in architectural design, offering an integrated perspective that combines desire, effectiveness, and responsibility.
An opportunity to reflect – and act – on a new way of inhabiting the future.

CEU: This lecture equals 1 professional architecture credit towards licensure requirements. ​​
Please note that LTU is not a registered AIA CE provider. By virtue of having a NAAB-accredited architecture program, the State of Michigan authorizes LTU to offer continuing education credit. A list of state-approved HSW subjects can be found on their licensing website by searching the page for ‘ HSW subjects for continuing education’.
As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series, this lecture is free and open to the public. Guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details.

Design x Technology Series: Mohamed Ismail
2025-09-23 12:30 - 13:30 | Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield, MI, 48075, United States
Building (for) More With Less will showcase novel ways structural design can play a role in affordable housing.

Come to CoAD for our next interesting Design x Technology Series lecture featuring Mohamed Ismail, Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Virginia School of Architecture and the Director of the Open Structures Research group. His talk titled, Building (for) More With Less will showcase novel ways structural design can play a role in affordable housing, sustainable construction, and equitable development.
Building (for) More With Less
Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs) are increasingly vulnerable to climate-related threats while struggling to meet the demand for urban construction and affordable housing. A major reason for this is the high cost of materials, which can comprise 60-80% of the total cost of residential construction, yet their construction resembles the inefficient practices of More Economically Developed Countries (MEDCs) that were developed to reduce labor over material costs. Unfortunately, designers do not typically have access to optimization methods that enable the design of fabricable, low-cost, and low-carbon structures. Addressing the gap between optimization research and design practice, this research advances design methods that reduce the material costs and embodied carbon of affordable housing construction that meets local codes and constraints.
Participants will learn about novel ways structural design can play a role in affordable housing, sustainable construction, and equitable development. They will be introduced to accessible methods of shape optimization, low-carbon structural analysis, and fabrication aware computational design. They will be introduced to accessible methods of shape optimization, low-carbon structural analysis, and fabrication aware computational design.

🛂 CoAD Freshman, this event counts towards your Experience Passport.
CEU: This lecture equals 1 professional architecture credit towards licensure requirements. ​​
Please note that LTU is not a registered AIA CE provider. By virtue of having a NAAB-accredited architecture program, the State of Michigan authorizes LTU to offer continuing education credit. A list of state-approved HSW subjects can be found on their licensing website by searching the page for ‘ HSW subjects for continuing education’.
As part of CoAD’s Design x Technology Lecture Series, this lecture is free and open to the public. Guests may watch online or on campus. Register for the location/viewing details.

About: Mohamed Ismail is an Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Virginia School of Architecture and the Director of the Open Structures research group. Open Structures advances structural design and fabrication methods that enable sustainable development. Ismail’s research engages with nonprofit organizations, industry partners, and a global network of academics to design and develop low-cost, low-carbon structural components for housing in developing regions like Kenya, India, and Mexico.

Designing with Intelligence: an AI Collection of Speculative Objects
2025-09-25 17:30 - 19:00 | Detroit Film Theatre, 5200 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48202
A Detroit Month of Design event with industry experts at the Detroit Institute of Arts

During the 2025 Detroit Month of Design, Lawrence Technological University (LTU) College of Architecture and Design (CoAD) will present an innovative event exploring the intersection of AI technology and design. AI-generated works will be showcased during a panel discussion as part of the Detroit Month of Design, offering a fresh perspective on historical and contemporary design through the lens of emerging technologies.
The panel discussion being held in the Detroit Film Theater at the Detroit Institute of Arts will include experts who will debate how AI can be integrated into design practices, its impact on art and design, and how LTU is preparing the next generation of designers and architects to use these tools effectively. This event highlights how AI is shaping the future of design, fostering innovation, and bridging the city’s industrial past with its digital future.
Panelists:
Jason Vigneri-Beane — Professor, Pratt School of Architecture
Humbi Song — Assistant Professor and Emerging Architect Fellow, University of Toronto
Shelley Selim — Detroit Institute of Arts, Mort Harris Curator of Automotive, Industrial, and Decorative Design
Curry J. Hackett —Teaching Associate in Urban Planning and Design, Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Thank you to our location sponsor:
