Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture /home/ Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:41:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /wp-content/uploads/2019/08/cropped-vlog-Site-Icon-01-32x32.png Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture /home/ 32 32 Penn State /penn-state-49/ Tue, 28 Apr 2026 19:52:15 +0000 /?p=77425 Multidisciplinary Student Team Wins Intergenerational Design Competition   UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A team of Penn State undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Arts and Architecture’s Stuckeman School and the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing tied for first place in the International Intergenerational Community Design Competition. The team included John Akudugu, […]

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Multidisciplinary Student Team Wins Intergenerational Design Competition

 

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A team of Penn State undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Arts and Architecture’s Stuckeman School and the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing tied for first place in the International Intergenerational Community Design Competition.

The team included John Akudugu, a nursing graduate student; Behnoud Alaghband, an architecture graduate student; Rojina Azadi, a graphic design graduate student; Yuri Moros, an undergraduate landscape architecture student; and Mohammed Rezvan, an architecture graduate student focusing on landscape architecture.

Titled “Interwoven Ages: Designing Age-Responsive Public Environments for Coexistence and Interaction,” the team’s winning submission built upon the design for which the teamin the Stuckeman School’s Intergenerational Design Innovation Challenge in January.

“We developed the project by building upon both internal concepts and external feedback that we received from the jurors [in January],” said the team. “This feedback helped us refine both the design content and the graphical presentation as an integrated process.”

Central to the team’s winning submission was prioritizing social interaction among the people that make use of Sidney Friedman Park in State College. Also paramount to the team’s design was aiming to ensure that the interactions between people in the park felt natural, not forced.

The team took a layered approach to their design plan with different park areas dedicated to specific user groups, which were identified as mono-generational, multi-generational and inter-generational spaces. Examples of mono-generational spaces include an “Older Adults Activity Room” and a “Youth Gaming Lounge,” which are intended to help reduce anxiety and encourage participation among users.

The team also incorporated central hubs for interaction between park visitors, which include features such as an “Intergenerational Café Garden” and a “Shared Outdoor Workshop.” The design features “Community Fruit Gardens,” which represent a symbolic “living cycle” — harvesting what the previous generation planted while planting for the next.

According to the team, the entire system is informed by universal design principles, ensuring equitable access, intuitive navigation and usability across diverse ages, abilities and mobility levels without requiring adaptation or specialized design.

The plan was designed to be a replicable model for other urban environments while supporting the University’s mission to lead as an “Age-Friendly University,” said the team, “turning a demographic challenge into a public design opportunity.”

The Penn State team tied with a team from Marymount University for first-place honors.

Team members said they were honored and excited to have received first place. For several it was their first experience participating in a multidisciplinary design competition, as well as their first time collaborating within a fully transdisciplinary team and receiving an international award.

“Beyond the result itself, the most valuable aspect of the experience has been the feedback received from both expert jurors and public audiences, which helped strengthen the project through iterative reflection and critique,” said the team members. “Building on our earlier recognition at the Stuckeman School’s Intergenerational Design Innovation Challenge, this achievement reflects the growth of our collaborative process and the strength of integrating nursing, architecture, landscape architecture and graphic design.”

The reviewers for the competition were Mei Fang, assistant professor in urban aging at Simon Fraser University; Sinan Zhong, assistant professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning at Texas A&M University; David Rouse, an urban planner and landscape architect; Irv Katz, senior fellow emeritus at Generations United; and Matt Kaplan, professor of intergenerational programs and aging at Penn State.

According to the reviewers, the Penn State submission “is a highly sophisticated and well-integrated proposal that stands out for its strong theoretical grounding, transdisciplinary collaboration and clear translation of research into spatial design. Its strength lies in its ability to balance complexity with clarity, offering a compelling model for age-responsive public environments.”

The competition was held in coordination with the Stuckeman School, the Stuckeman School’s Hamer Center for Community Design and the Penn State Intergenerational Program (rooted in Penn State Extension). The Stockton Center on Successful Aging served as cosponsor of the competition, which was organized as a pre-conference event for the, June 3-5 at Stockton University’s Atlantic City campus.

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AALA April 2026 Column /aala-april-2026/ Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:26:45 +0000 /?p=77407 The post AALA April 2026 Column appeared first on Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

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April 27, 2026

AALA Column, April 2026

Association of Architecture Librarians and Archivists (AALA)

AALA Column, April 2026



Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on Architectural Education



Co-Editors Barbara Opar and Alisha Rall

Column by Michelle Amirkhanian, MSLIS



Despite uncertainty surrounding what role artificial intelligence will play in higher education, many have noted a positive benefit to architectural education when used responsibly. Concerns about privacy, intellectual property and academic integrity remain. As AI becomes more integrated into education and practice, maintaining boundaries and upholding expectations requires clear communication and transparency.

In architectural education, artificial intelligence’s influence may lead to architecture student’s work benefiting from faster ideation through AI-driven iterative design. Preparing students to incorporate AI into their workflow may improve professional readiness. However, a 2025 AIA report Artificial Intelligence Adoption in Architecture Firms: vlog & Risks found that over 90% of architectural professionals expressed concerns about: inaccuracies of AI outputs, unintended consequences, security, authenticity and transparency.1

As we encounter “machines capable of mimicking human cognitive functions, such as problem-solving, style recognition, and learning,”2 faculty will need to evaluate the role AI technology will play in architectural education. To help generate ideas to support these initiatives, we have compiled a list of recent scholarship on ways that AI can enhance architectural education programs.

Recent Scholarship on AI in Architectural Education

Books

Agkathidis, A. (2026). (1st ed. 2026). Springer Nature Singapore.

Atak, T., Callejas, L., Scelsa, J., & Tandberg, J. J. (Eds.). (2024). . Taylor & Francis.

Smith, C. (Ed.). (2021). . Routledge.

Review and Research Synthesis Articles

Li, C., Zhang, T., Du, X., Zhang, Y., & Xie, H. (2025). . Frontiers of Architectural Research, 14(3), 759–783.

Alamasi, R., & Asfour, O. S. (2026). . Digital, 6(1), 6

Stanimirovic, M., Momcilovic Petronijevic, A., Stoiljkovic, B., Kondic, S., & Nikolic, B. (2026). Buildings (Basel), 16(3), 488. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16030488

Articles on Pedagogy & Curriculum Transformations

Park, S. Y. (2026). . Architectural Research, 28(1), 4.

Vigliocco, E., Barosio, M., & Gomes, S. (2024). . In School of Architecture(s) – New Frontiers of Architectural Education (Vol. 47). Springer.

Komatina, D., Miletić, M., & Ružičić, M. (2024). ? Buildings. .

Jin, S., Tu, H., Li, J., Fang, Y., Qu, Z., Xu, F., Liu, K., & Lin, Y. (2024). Buildings (Basel), 14(6), 1613. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061613





Articles on AI in Design Studio

Rhee, J., & Oh, E. (2025). . Technology|Architecture + Design, 9, 84 – 97. https://doi.org/10.1080/24751448.2025.2475714.

Wang, J., Shi, Y., Chen, X., Lan, Y., & Liu, S. (2025). Buildings (Basel), 15(17), 3069. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15173069

Articles on Image Generation in Design

Iranmanesh, A., & Lotfabadi, P. (2024). . AI & SOCIETY, 40, 3557 – 3571. .

Montenegro, N. (2024). . Journal of Architecture and Urbanism, 48(2), 109–124.

Jung, S. (2026). . Sustainability, 18(6), 2943. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18062943

Articles on Student Perspectives

Aycı, H., Kinaci, E. B., Avinç, G. M., & Taş, A. (2026). . Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, 1–19.

Huh, M. B., Miri, M., & Tracy, T. (2025). . Education Sciences, 15(9), 1160.

Labib, W., Abdelsattar, A., Abowardah, E., Abdelalim, M., & Mahmoud, H. (2025). Sustainability, 17(22), 10029. https://doi.org/10.3390/su172210029

Articles on Human-in-the-Loop and Creativity

Du, S., Lu, X., Chen, Z., Cai, Z., & Chen, L. (2024). Journal of Green Building, 19(3), 301-318.

Hikmet, Ş., & Ozay, N. (2026). . Buildings (Basel), 16(6), 1097.

Medel-Vera, C., Britton, S., & Gates, W. F. (2025). Computers and Education. Artificial Intelligence, 9, Article 100501.

Lee, S., & Kang, S. (2025). Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, 1–16.

Uhrík, M., Cervantes, J. C. L., Morales, C. E. S., Hajtmanek, R., Demčák, J., & Kupko, A. (2026). . Architecture (Basel), 6(1), 46. https://doi.org/10.3390/architecture6010046



[1] AIA. (2025, March 11). New research explores perceptions and opportunities of artificial intelligence in architecture.

[2] Jin, D., Zairul, M., & Salih, S. A. (2025). Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its application in architecture design: A thematic review. Alam Cipta: International Journal on Sustainable Tropical Design Research & Practice, 18(1) p.157.

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Call for Nominations: 2026 vlog Nominees to the NAAB Board of Directors /call-for-nominations-2026-acsa-nominees-to-the-naab-board-of-directors/ Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:45:33 +0000 /?p=77391 The post Call for Nominations: 2026 vlog Nominees to the NAAB Board of Directors appeared first on Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

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April 27, 2026

Call for Nominations: 2026 vlog Nominees to the NAAB Board of Directors

Call for Nominations

2026 vlog Nominees to the NAAB Board of Directors


Deadline: May 20, 2026

The vlog Board of Directors invites applications for service on the NAAB Board of Directors. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) is comprised of fourteen members: three nominated by vlog, three nominated by AIA, three nominated by NCARB, two nominated by AIAS, two public members nominated by vlog, AIA, NCARB, or AIAS, and a past president. Currently, Jeffrey L. Day (University of Nebraska, Lincoln), Mark Mistur (Kent State University), and Francisco Rodriguez-Suárez (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign) are the vlog-nominated NAAB directors.



vlog seeks to nominate multiple individuals for this position, allowing the NAAB board to decide which of the nominees to appoint to the position. The appointment is for a three-year term (January 2027–December 2029). If the appointee serves as president of NAAB, the term is extended one year to serve as past president (see below).



vlog’s Executive Committee will review applications for the position and make recommendations to the vlog Board of Directors, with a selection made around June 1. NAAB will then perform its own review of the nominees in the following months and will vote to appoint the new director at its meeting in July.



Desired Qualifications

The appointment calls for a person willing and able to make a commitment to NAAB. Please download the Position Description for background information on the NAAB board. NAAB will review the nomination form completed by each candidate (see below). NAAB may also conduct virtual interviews with nominees.


Previous experience with vlog as a board member or volunteer is considered helpful but is not required for nomination. Similarly, experience serving on NAAB visiting teams is considered helpful but not a requirement. NAAB has significantly revised its accreditation conditions and procedures to rely more on program self-assessment. Relevant experience with educational assessment is thus desirable. Faculty and administrators are invited to nominate individuals with some or all of the following qualifications:

  • Full-time status (with tenure at schools where it is offered) at an vlog full or candidate member school;
  • Significant experience with and knowledge of the accreditation process;
  • Significant experience with outcome-based educational assessment, particularly self-assessment by programs;
  • Significant acquaintance with the range of school and program types across North America;
  • Actively uphold vlog’s Core Values of Equity, Social Justice, and Climate Action, Teaching and Learning, and Research, Scholarship, and Creative Practice;
  • Willingness to actively seek to understand and represent the constituency of vlog on accreditation-related issues; and
  • Ability to work with the NAAB and vlog boards to build consensus on accreditation-related issues.

vlog seeks nominations from faculty at a range of schools, including public/private institutions, research-intensive institutions, special-focus institutions, and minority- serving institutions. As well, we encourage nominations of faculty who are familiar with (a) vlog’s recent efforts to support architecture schools seeking to be more equitable and inclusive for faculty and students from all backgrounds, and (b) with vlog’s efforts to support the recognition of a wide range of approaches to research and scholarship, including creative practice.


To Apply

For consideration, please submit the following items in a single PDF in this order.

  • A completed NAAB nomination form, which is found in pages 3–5 of the Position Description packet. Note that NAAB will use this form only (and not your CV or letter) when reviewing the candidates that vlog nominates.
  • A concise letter of applications written by the candidate outlining the individual’s interest and experience. A letter of nomination written by a colleague of the candidate is also acceptable. Note: the audience for this letter is the vlog Board of Directors, not NAAB. Selected candidates will be asked to write a letter to NAAB.
  • A two-page CV indicating the candidate’s experience in reference to the qualifications above. (2 pages maximum).
  • An vlog volunteer application form, which simply confirms you have completed
    (or reviewed and updated) a faculty profile in vlog’s database. (Click here to download)

Materials are due by May 20, 2026.


Nomination materials should be sent by email attachment in PDF format to Abel Chanyalew, Membership Coordinator,achanyalew@acsa-arch.org. Subject Line: NAAB Director.Candidates will be reviewed by the vlog Board of Directors.

Candidates can expect to hear about the application around mid-June 2026.


Questions


Hanifah Jones
Digital Marketing & Communications Manager
202-785 -2324
hjones@acsa-arch.org

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Athabasca University /athabasca-university-2/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:57:31 +0000 /?p=77294 Athabasca University’s RAIC Centre for Architecture Wins $500K for New Open Architecture e-Studio   Athabasca University’s Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Centre for Architecture has secured a $500,000 CAD grant from the Embark Student Foundation to launch an innovative Open Architecture e-Studio, marking a major advancement in accessible architectural education. The initiative, led by […]

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Athabasca University’s RAIC Centre for Architecture Wins $500K for New Open Architecture e-Studio

 

Athabasca University’s Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Centre for Architecture has secured a $500,000 CAD grant from the Embark Student Foundation to launch an innovative Open Architecture e-Studio, marking a major advancement in accessible architectural education. The initiative, led by Dr. Henry Tsang, Chair of the RAIC Centre for Architecture, positions the university at the forefront of digital and inclusive design learning.

The new e-Studio will function as a hybrid digital and physical platform, providing students across Canada and globally with access to cutting-edge tools such as virtual and augmented reality, 3D printing, digital fabrication, drones, sensors, and advanced media technologies. Designed to complement Athabasca University’s Architectural Maker Space, the initiative expands hands-on learning opportunities beyond campus boundaries, aligning with the university’s mission to remove barriers to education.

The Open Architecture e-Studio builds on this legacy by integrating emerging technologies into a globally accessible studio environment. It aims to democratize architectural education, enabling rural, remote, and working learners to gain practical experience and engage with advanced design tools from anywhere in the world.

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vlog Scholarly Programs Status Report /acsa-scholarly-programs-status-report/ Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:02:36 +0000 /?p=77277 The post vlog Scholarly Programs Status Report appeared first on Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

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April 16, 2026

vlog Scholarly Programs Status Report

vlog Scholarly Programs Status Report



At vlog’s April 7 Annual Business Meeting, President José Gámez reported on work accomplished over the past year to reset the organization’s member and scholarly programs following the Board’s decision in February 2025 to halt publication of the Journal of Architectural Education’s Fall 2026 issue.

vlog hired the consulting firm Maverick Publishing Solutions in June 2025 to conduct an independent review, comparing vlog’s editorial policies to established scholarly publishing standards and assessing the processes that led to the issue’s cancellation. Maverick examined JAE and vlog policy documents, and held confidential interviews with vlog leadership and members of the JAE editorial team. The report found that while vlog followed its established policies for decision-making, existing frameworks were not sufficient for raising, assessing, or resolving concerns relating to editorial content, ethical questions, or research integrity issues.

Following the report, vlog established an independent Special Committee of faculty and administrators who were not serving on the board to review vlog’s scholarly programs and to deliver a confidential report with recommendations for changes to policies, processes, roles, and responsibilities.The Special Committee reviewed the Maverick Report and other vlog documents, and they met with a higher education lawyer who had not previously advised the vlog Board.

After six months of work, the Special Committee delivered a final report to the Board of Directors. Its co-chairs then met with the vlog board on March 29. At the board’s request, the committee is working on an executive summary for the membership, which will be published in the next few weeks.

The vlog board shares the Special Committee’s belief that vlog can be a more inclusive and responsive membership organization whose commitment to shared values, ethical accountability, and transparent governance can support a diverse and rapidly evolving field. This includes welcoming discussion and publication of scholarship on difficult topics.

Gámez reviewed five actions the vlog committee endorsed as a result of the final report.

1. Adopt a Code of Conduct that goes beyond the existing Code of Conduct for Events.

2. Adopt more fully and more visibly the standards of practice of the , or COPE. This will align vlog with global norms for handling misconduct, conflicts of interest, and editorial independence.

3. Establish an Ethics and Integrity Committee that operates between the vlog Board of Directors and its journals and other peer-reviewed programs. This standing committee of experienced scholars will oversee ethical reviews grounded in COPE practices, the Code of Conduct, and other Board policies.

4. Create and publish procedures for managing the various forms of conflict that may arise in scholarly publishing. These procedures will mirror those used by other scholarly publishers and academic member associations, as well as COPE guidance.

5. Review and update editorial policies and practices for both journals, as well as for vlog’s scholarly meetings. This includes making the role of double-blind peer review, which is a foundation for all vlog scholarly activities, more transparent.


Gámez reported that the vlog Board will reconstitute the JAE Editorial Board at a point when revised policies and practices are ready for implementation. vlog will also continue using open calls for applications for journal editorial board members.

was published over the winter break. The 2026 JAE will come out as a double issue in the fall, under the theme The Future of Architectural Education. A call for submissions for the spring 2027 JAE issue is also in development.

In his concluding remarks, Gámez noted the Special Committee’s final report emphasized vlog’s role as convener and advocate for the field, recommending numerous steps for vlog to be more effective in serving members across the ecosystem of architectural education. This includes:

  • Embracing the diversity of architectural programs and re-examining vlog’s membership structure, which currently counts only programs accredited by NAAB and CACB as Full Members.
  • Defining the common ground for architectural education by developing a “constitutional” document to clarify architecture’s educational identity and to provide a stable reference for schools navigating institutional and professional change.
  • Committing to radical openness anchored in ethical responsibility and transparent governance processes.

vlog plans to share the Special Committee’s executive summary of its report and recommendations to the membership in coming weeks.


Questions


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Penn State /penn-state-48/ Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:52:45 +0000 /?p=77213 Stuckeman Professor’s Fellowship Work Curated for Exhibition   UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — An ongoing project called the “Dreadlock Series” byFelecia Davis,associate professor of architecture in the College of Arts and Architecture’s Stuckeman School at Penn State, will be featured in an exhibition curated by Lola Ben Alon, assistant professor of architecture at Columbia University, at […]

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Stuckeman Professor’s Fellowship Work Curated for Exhibition

 

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — An ongoing project called the “Dreadlock Series” byassociate professor of architecture in the College of Arts and Architecture’s Stuckeman School at Penn State, will be featured in an exhibition curated by Lola Ben Alon, assistant professor of architecture at Columbia University, at the Center for Craft in Asheville, N.C., in October.

A new piece for the “Dreadlock Series” that will be part of the exhibit was developed during Davis’s artist residency at MacDowell, a retreat in New Hampshire, in the early summer of 2025. Davis received the 2025 Barbara and Thomas Putnam Honorary Fellowship, which was established by the Putnam family for artists who work in the Rosamund and David Putnam Studio at MacDowell, to support her residency.

MacDowell was founded to offer artists a studio or place to work individually without interruption during the day and a later dinner for gathering and sharing ideas. These artist residencies were the first offered in the United States.

“When you arrive at MacDowell, you feel the presence of those artists, scholars, writers and composers who were there before you, such as James Baldwin, artists Carrie Mae Weems and Faith Ringgold and writer Audre Lorde,” said Davis, who is also the director of the (SOFTLAB) in the Stuckeman Center for Design Computing. “The significance is the time offered for focused work and the friends and colleagues one meets.”

The fellowship is one of the few residences available to architects and architecture scholars. Davis said she found this environment extremely encouraging and enriching.

The “Dreadlock Series” is a collection of fiber-based structures that uses Black hair as a material with poetic, political, social and scientific dimensions. These structures are architectural models that include flat diagrid woven hair panels and woven hair domes. According to Davis, the intention is to prompt questions about how hair becomes a global commodity and a luxury good; what that process is; and who is involved.

“The hair for the current prototypes was sourced from commercial sellers on Amazon. Many people go online and, like me, do not know where the hair comes from — it is an opaque system,” Davis said. “However, because of this project, I learned about how hair is procured and that it is often from exploited people. Most sellers are not transparent about where their supply comes from, making it difficult to obtain ethically sourced hair at scale. The larger sculpture I am planning will most likely be plant-based fiber, such as coconut fibers or dreadlocked wool that historically operated as a trope for Black hair.”

In addition, Davis said, the project points to the responsibilities of working with human biomaterial, especially with acknowledgement and understanding of the genetic link to ancestors. Within these contexts and the complexities they contain, Davis is exploring the possibilities of hair as a biofiber to make sustainable architecture. She combines the aesthetics of Black and African hair styling and structural design to create a synthetic knitted and knotted material, which could be used in tension — as seen in tents — or in compression with the addition of bioresins or other polymers. The series also incorporates knitted and felted wool, which Davis uses to navigate the relationship and social histories between wool and Black hair as materials.

“The project offers designers a way to see the interdependence between culture and nature,” Davis said. “To answer the variety of questions posed by this work, I will need to use methods from various disciplinary arenas.”

The work illustrates many things at once, Davis said: an imaginary space for architectural designers that enables them to engage with the offerings of African and African American hair cultures that honor African and African American existence; to understand the contexts of procuring hair, wool and their commercialization; to synthesize new designs using computational methods and techniques; and to employ scientific understanding of how designers can use wool and hair as bio fibers for designing sustainable buildings.

Davis joined Penn State in August 2014 and established the SOFTLAB as a space for students, faculty and staff to explore textile fabrication tools to create computational methods, frameworks and designs for yarns and fabrics.

In SOFTLAB, researchers use computational textiles, which are textiles that respond to their environment. These responses can be used by designers to communicate information to people.

“The goal of the lab is to question how we live and reimagine how we might use textiles in our daily lives and in architecture,” Davis said. “Our work in the lab is to reexamine the role of textiles in building and how that impacts architecture.”

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3 Ways to Participate in Architecture Week /3-ways-to-participate-in-architecture-week/ Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:12:10 +0000 /?p=77183 The post 3 Ways to Participate in Architecture Week appeared first on Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

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April 08, 2026

3 Ways to Participate in Architecture Week

3 Ways to Participate in Architecture Week



K-12 engagement is essential to nurturing the future of architecture and developing a strong field. From April 12-18, 2026, will host its third annual , an opportunity for students to learn more about architecture and design.

“Our goal is to inspire the next generation to discover a love for architecture. Even if those you reach don’t pursue this profession, your influence will help them better understand the spaces and environments crafted by architects,” said AIA EVP/Chief Executive Officer Carole Wedge, FAIA. “Every conversation you have—whether with the young or the old, inside or outside our field—makes you a champion for architects and the world of architecture.”

At vlog, K-12 engagement is a vital step to ensuring that architectural education is accessible, inclusive, and representative of various perspectives and backgrounds. “I spent years teaching architecture in K-12 public schools, and what is special about K12 engagement is the direct connection to the community,” said vlog Senior Director of Research, Equity, and Education Kendall A. Nicholson. “Architecture is world building, and the future of the world belongs in the hands of our youth.”

“As architects, designers, and educators, we have a collective responsibility to prepare current K-12 students to design spaces that allow all members of their respective communities to thrive,” he continued.

Architecture Week is a great opportunity for faculty who are looking for ways to connect with K-12 students. Here are 3 ways you and your colleagues can participate in Architecture Week:

1. Browse the Framework for Expanding K-12 Engagement

In 2024, the vlog Leadership Committee published the Framework for Expanding K-12 Engagement as a guide for institutions looking to initiate or expand their K-12 engagement. By setting up an inquiry-based approach, this document examines the obstacles and opportunities that must be considered in the pre-college architecture engagement. This resource highlights key questions for schools to consider, along with resources on community engagement, service learning, and more.

2. Volunteer at a Local K-12 Program Using AIA’s Plug-and-Play Classroom Toolkit

The American Institute of Architects and the American Society of Landscape Architects have collaborated to create a collection of easy-to-implement activities designed to inspire and educate K-12 students about the world of architecture and design. shares tips for leading activities with K-12 students. This resource is categorized by age group and includes a step-by-step guide on how to interact with students and create connections. The listed activities are categorized by age group.

Looking for opportunities to volunteer? View the and the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)’s for available resources.

3. Connect with Your Local AIA Chapter

During Architecture Week, AIA chapters across the country will host activations and events that aim to connect students with architects and designers. These events can range from classroom visits and presentations to workshops and coffee chats. to find your local chapter and see what they have planned!

Overall, Architecture Week is a great way to connect with the next generation of architecture students. Whether you’re considering mentorship or volunteering at a local event, this week provides an opportunity for you to make a difference and impact the future of the field.

Questions


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Call for Applications: 2027-28 vlog Board of Directors /call-for-applications-2027-28-acsa-board-of-directors/ Wed, 08 Apr 2026 22:03:54 +0000 /?p=77171 The post Call for Applications: 2027-28 vlog Board of Directors appeared first on Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

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April 09, 2026

Call for Applications: 2027-28 vlog Board of Directors

Call for Applications

2027-28 vlog Board of Directors


Deadline: October 7, 2026

vlog invites applications for multiple positions on the Board of Directors. The applications will be for consideration by the vlog Nominations Committee, which recommends a slate of at least two candidates for elected board positions.

Please review the following term lengths, eligibility requirements, timeline, and background information that describes the organization’s intended directions in the coming years.

Open Board Positions: Second Vice President, Two At-Large Directors (at least one from Canada), and Public Director

Eligible applicants for all Board positions must meet the following requirements:

  • Second Vice President. Candidates shall be full-time, tenured, tenure-track, or fixed-term faculty members of a Full Member school at the time of application and throughout the four-year term of office.
  • At-Large Director. The vlog Bylaws require that vlog have at least one At-Large Director come from a full-member school that is in Canada. The vlog board intends to nominate at least two individuals to meet this criterion. Candidates for the second At-Large slot shall be full-time tenured, tenure-track, or fixed-term faculty members of a full, candidate, or affiliate member school that has been a member of vlog for at least two full years.
  • Public Director. The Public Director shall not be employed as an architect or person working in the design or construction professions, nor shall they be an educator in architecture or the design or construction professions. The position is appointed by the vlog Board and not elected by the membership. However, applicants from vlog member schools are encouraged.

Position Descriptions

Except as noted above, positions for directors begin on July 1, 2027, with terms of service noted below. All directors are expected to attend three in-person board meetings a year: a summer meeting, typically held in early August; a fall meeting, which typically occurs in conjunction with the Administrators Conference; and a spring meeting, which typically occurs in conjunction with the vlog Annual Meeting. Additionally, board members serve on committees, which may entail travel to a meeting one time per year and conference calls one to two times per month.

The Second Vice President serves a four-year term. The elected person serves for one year, respectively, as Second Vice President, First Vice President/President-Elect, President, and Past President. The President is responsible for calling meetings of the Board of Directors, preparing an agenda, and presiding at such meetings. The President coordinates activities of the board, vlog committees, and liaison representatives. The President serves as vlog liaison with the officers of the American Institute of Architects, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, the National Architectural Accrediting Board, the National Organization of Minority Architects, and the American Institute of Architecture Students. During the term of office, the President also prepares a brief report of activities of the organization and the Board of Directors for dissemination to the constituent associations. As First Vice President, the person will chair the Planning Committee, and, as Past President, the person will chair the Nominations Committee.

At-Large Directors serve as liaison to member schools, including participating in organized business meetings; maintaining contact with Faculty Councilors and others associated with member schools; assisting member schools upon request; advising Full, Candidate, or Affiliate member schools; and advising the Board of issues and concerns raised by members. At-Large Directors contribute to the work of the Board through actively serving on Board committees, contributing to collective deliberations, and performing other duties as provided by the Rules of the Board of Directors or as requested by the Board. The terms for the two open positions are described above.

The Public Director serves as a voting member of the board for three years and is expected to serve as a member of the Finance Committee. Public Directors bring an outside perspective to the board based on their particular background and expertise.

Note that the Nominations Committee plans to interview prospective candidates via video conference in August, September, and October 2026.

2026-27 Nominations Committee

José L.S. Gámez, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Past President (chair)

Amma O. Asamoah, Tuskegee Institute, At-Large Director

Heather McMann, Groundwork USA, Public Director

Andrew Chin, Florida A&M University

Robert Gonzalez, University of New Mexico

Gundula Proksch, University of Washington


Timeline

The deadline for applications is October 7, 2026. vlog will publish a preliminary slate of Board-approved candidates in November 2026, followed by a period during which members may petition for the inclusion of additional candidates to the slate. A final slate of candidates, including candidates by petition, will be published in early January, when the online balloting process will open. Candidates will be notified of the results in mid-February. The results of this election will be announced online soon after the ballot deadline.


October 7, 2026

Deadline for applications.

November 20, 2026

Preliminary slate of candidate names announced.

January 4, 2027

Deadline for submission of petitions to add candidates tothe slate.

January 8, 2027

Final slate of candidates and ballot materials publishedand sent to vlog Full Member schools.

February 10, 2027

Deadline for ballot submissions.


Application Requirements

Applications for all vlog Board positions should include the following included in a single PDF in this order:

  • Cover sheet confirming you have created or reviewed a My vlog profile (download here);
  • Cover letter (2 pages maximum) that (a) indicates your engagement with, participation with, or contributions to vlog, and (b) addresses your potential to contribute to vlog values and strategic plan priorities, as outlined below;
  • Current curriculum vitae (2 pages maximum) highlighting relevant research, teaching, and service.

Applications should be sent by email to Abel Chanyalew, Membership Coordinator, achanyalew@acsa-arch.org, with the subject line “vlog Board Application.”

DESIRED COMPETENCIES AND BACKGROUNDS FOR NOMINEES

vlog actively seeks equitable and representative involvement by a broad range of people on its Board and other volunteer bodies. The Board of Directors should represent a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, expertise, geography, and types of institutions. We welcome applications from individuals who can contribute to the richness and inclusivity of our organization, ensuring a broad spectrum of perspectives and ideas.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to review the strategic initiatives and priority objectives, included below, to understand future directions for vlog board activities. The areas described below include (but are not limited to) experience producing scholarship and/or funded research, understanding processes for recruiting students from a variety of backgrounds, and experience communicating the value of architecture, whether in a disciplinary or professional context. However, the desired competencies of board members should not be narrowly understood. Multiple forms of diversity are important to the vlog. Previous experience with vlog committees, conference leadership, or other Board appointments is also desired.

vlog Strategic Plan 2025-28

vlog is working under a three-year strategic plan whose three goals reflect strategic commitments to strengthen the field of architectural education by expanding areas of connection and support across faculty teaching and researching in the full spectrum of architectural program types. This reflects efforts over the past five years to connect with community college architecture programs as well as four-year undergraduate programs. These efforts will continue, as the organization seeks to work with the membership to provide more clarity and transparency about the educational outcomes inherent in various degree programs.

vlog’s new strategic plan also points the organization to thoughtfully build an inclusive organization whose programs and services effectively engage important topics in architectural discourse. The vlog board will work with volunteers to provide venues for collegial discussion and collaboration.

The organization is mindful that landscape facing architectural education is increasingly dynamic around the world. The evolution of architectural education and practice is happening now, with imperatives for architectural professionals to take responsibility for the impacts of their work on the quality of the built environment and the health and well-being of our communities. Changes to state and federal policies governing higher education in the United States affect faculty directly, and they have ripple effects in our international member programs. Finally, emerging changes in how architects are licensed in the United States form a key backdrop to vlog’s work as a convener and advocate for members.


Questions


Hanifah Jones
Digital Marketing & Communications Manager
202-785-2324
hjones@acsa-arch.org

The post Call for Applications: 2027-28 vlog Board of Directors appeared first on Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

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Press Release | Winners Announced for 2026 Course Development Prize /press-release-winners-announced-for-2026-course-development-prize/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:00:23 +0000 /?p=77119 The post Press Release | Winners Announced for 2026 Course Development Prize appeared first on Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

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April 8, 2026

Winners Announced for 2026 Course Development Prize in Architecture, Climate Change, and Society

PRESS RELEASE

Architectural Faculty to Lead New Courses on Climate and Society


For Immediate Release:

New York City, April 8, 2026 – Columbia University’s Temple Hoyne Buell Center for the Study of American Architecture and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (vlog) announce the winners of the 2026 Course Development Prize in Architecture, Climate Change, and Society. These innovative courses will be taught at vlog member schools across the U.S. in the coming years.

The jury selected two full courses to receive a cash prize and support to lead their courses at their host institutions within the next two years. In addition, the jury selected three full courses to receive an honorable mention.

The winners are:

After Extraction
Stephanie Choi, Rhode Island School of Design

The After Extraction studio series locates the omnipresent climate crisis in the American West. Its first year was sited in West Texas’s Permian Basin and the next iteration plans to visit New Mexico’s military testing and uranium extraction landscapes. As a required architectural studio at RISD, the sequence focuses designers-in-training on the material inputs, consumptive outputs, and socio-spatial implications of extractivism. Centering urbanistic methods of research and analysis, the course “uses the theme of extraction to investigate three materials: fossil fuels, rare earth minerals, and water, and their attendant infrastructures of removal in the American West.”

Among its objectives, the course asks students to “question the tools of colonization and extraction in the field” and “explore the potential for collaboration between design and activism,” goals that re-embed humanistic inquiry into the design process of things, places, and systems. It also calls on designers to interrogate authority and knowledge production. The studio intends to question architectural technologies – surveying, precision, and abstraction – aiming to use them critically and in concert with historical data, imagined, utopic futures, and lived realities that are often bypassed by traditional design processes. The jury particularly appreciated Choi’s commitment to developing a nuanced design education model beyond the solutions-based studio format.

OASIS: Optimized Architecture for Sustainability and Integrated ReSilience
Carla Brisotto & Aoife Houlihan Wiberg, University of Florida

Brisotto and Wiberg propose a rigorous superstudio that grounds astute technical reasoning in community co-design. The studio defines a “dual crisis” for coastal cities, where the impacts of development drive ever-greater climatological instability for the built environment. The studio will invite students to contribute data analysis, resilient and net-zero design to a global research consortium with hubs in Colombia, Indonesia, and the US’s Gulf Coast. Based in Northern Florida and studying Port Arthur, TX, students in this course will deeply consider their own coastal geography in a global context.

The jury lauded this studio’s integration of resilience and decarbonization as two simultaneous imperatives that can – and must – be realized at the neighborhood scale. The course challenges students to synthesize their reading and use of technology to make informed design decisions related to carbon, passive design, and regionally appropriate materials. The studio’s application of interdisciplinary writing, case studies, and software for modeling and visualization will prepare students to think broadly and select their tools critically. By addressing adaptation and mitigation strategies simultaneously, rather than in opposition, OASIS proposes a rigorous, localized, and human-centered approach to the future of coastal design and construction.



HONORABLE MENTIONS

Beyond the Black Box: Architecture Thinking Simulation
Ahmed Meselhy, Virginia Tech

This seminar reframes simulation as design intelligence, with rigorous climate analysis at its core. Open to both undergraduate and graduate students, the course presents climate scenario testing and resilience evaluation as means to develop sound environmental reasoning. This foundation in critical thinking prepares students to combine quantitative and qualitative tools as they emerge in practice. Meselhy’s course values buildings not only as performative systems or as beautiful objects, but as a productive synthesis of technical and creative skills. The jury honored the course’s rigor and its concern for climate impacts at every scale.

Gulf Coast Climate Futures | Rooting in Motion: Lessons in Cultivation and Migration from Pampas to Prairie
Liz Camuti, Tulane University

The Gulf Coast Climate Futures studio calls attention to the mutual vulnerabilities – and potentially mutual design – of coastal grasslands in the Americas. In partnership with the Louisiana Food Policy Council, this iteration of the studio will perform comparative research for the first time, examining the oceanic edges of Louisiana and Uruguay. Students will design “reciprocal landscape protocols,” sustainable rhythms for land use, agriculture, interspecies habitation, and migration. The jury appreciated how this course roots social analysis and policymaking in the specific and urgent environmental challenges faced by coastal agricultural communities.

Designing for Thermal Equity: Housing, Heat, and Health in Boston
Alpha Yacob Arsano, Northeastern University

The Thermal Equity studio foregrounds existing housing as an urgent site for equitable climate adaptation. The course challenges graduate architecture students to design for measurable social, health, and economic impact. Working locally, students will study Boston’s aging housing stock and propose retrofits. While students develop their climate reasoning, they will also learn to channel technical details and local priorities into accessible proposals, as the studio is built around community engagement and technical consultation. The jury admired Arsano’s dedication to examining energy, materials, and the social determinants of health together.


ARE YOU INTERESTED IN JOINING A NETWORK OF FACULTY TEACHING: ARCHITECTURE, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND SOCIETY?

About the Temple Hoyne Buell Center for the Study of American Architecture

Columbia University’s Temple Hoyne Buell Center for the Study of American Architecture was founded in 1983. Its mission is to advance the interdisciplinary study of American architecture, urbanism, and landscape. A separately endowed entity within the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, it sponsors research projects, workshops, public programs, publications, and awards. In recent years, the Center has convened conversations among overlapping constituencies, including academics, students, professionals, and members of the general public. The Buell Center’s research and programming articulate facts and frameworks that modify key assumptions governing architectural scholarship and practice.

This prize was created through a Buell Center project entitled “Power: Infrastructure in America,“ which examined the intersections of climate, infrastructure, and architecture. It has continued within the Center’s project on Architecture and Land in and out of the Americas, which addresses the topic of land in its historical significance and contemporary relevance. This plural, Americas, helps expand the Center’s mission in two ways: by connecting building practices across the Western Hemisphere, and by recognizing that there are several Americas within the United States. For more information, visit .



About the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (vlog)

The mission of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture is to lead architectural education and research.

Founded in 1912 by 10 charter members, vlog is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit association of over 200 member schools in several categories. These include full membership for all accredited programs in the United States and government-sanctioned schools in Canada, candidate membership for schools seeking accreditation, and affiliate membership for schools for two-year and international programs. Through these schools, over 5,000 architecture faculty are represented.

vlog, unique in its representative role for schools of architecture, provides a forum for ideas on the leading edge of architectural thought. Issues that will affect the architectural profession in the future are being examined today in vlog member schools. The association maintains a variety of activities that influence, communicate, and record important issues. Such endeavors include scholarly meetings, workshops, publications, awards and competition programs, support for architectural research, policy development, and liaison with allied organizations.

vlog seeks to empower faculty and schools to educate increasingly diverse students, expand disciplinary impacts, and create knowledge for the advancement of architecture. For more information, visit acsa-arch.org.


Questions


Hanifah Jones
Digital Marketing and Communications Manager
202-785-2324
hjones@acsa-arch.org

The post Press Release | Winners Announced for 2026 Course Development Prize appeared first on Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

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vlog Announces the 2026 Best Paper and Best Project Winners /acsa-announces-the-2026-best-paper-and-best-project-awards/ Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:21:45 +0000 /?p=77044 The post vlog Announces the 2026 Best Paper and Best Project Winners appeared first on Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

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April 03, 2026

Outstanding Peer-Reviewed Research Awarded by the vlog College of Distinguished Professors

PRESS RELEASE

2026 Best Paper and Best Project Awards




For Immediate Release:
Washington, D.C., April 02, 2026 – The College of Distinguished Professors and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (vlog) are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Best Paper and Best Project Awards. This award recognizes outstanding peer-reviewed research presented at the vlog Annual Meeting, sponsored by the vlog College of Distinguished Professors.


One award per submission type was selected for Best Full Paper, Best Design Project, and Best Short Paper from the vlog114 Annual Meeting. All peer-reviewed content published in the vlog Annual Meeting Proceedings was eligible for consideration. Criteria for selection followed the Annual Meeting’s review guidelines: new and original contributions, thesis clarity, methodology, overall content, and quality of development.


This year’s Best Paper and Best Project winners presented their work at the vlog114 Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL. The winners’ abstracts and images are available on the 2026 Architectural Education Awards winners’ webpage.




The winners are:

BEST FULL PAPER
Technology, Ecology and the Housing Crisis
Steven Beites, Laurentian University



BEST DESIGN PROJECT
The Second Life: From Waste to Oasis | Sankofa Bamboo Greenhouse
Vicky Achnani, Carnegie Mellon University



BEST SHORT PAPER
Housing Insecurity and Solidarity Architecture: An Educational Intervention in Pécs, Hungary
Tibor Dányi, University of Pécs

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About vlog College of Distinguished Professors
The College of Distinguished Professors, founded in 2010, is composed of members of the Associations who are awarded the vlog/AIA Topaz Medal Laureate and/or the vlog Distinguished Professor Award. College membership is one of the highest honors the vlog can bestow upon an educator. All College members may use the title “vlog Distinguished Professor, DPvlog” in perpetuity. For more information, click here.



About the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (vlog)

The mission of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture is to lead architectural education and research. Founded in 1912 by 10 charter members, vlog is an international association of architecture schools preparing future architects, designers, and change agents. vlog’s full members include all of the accredited professional degree programs in the United States and Canada, as well as international schools and 2- and 4-year programs. Together, vlog schools represent 7,000 faculty educating more than 40,000 students. vlog seeks to empower faculty and schools to educate increasingly diverse students, expand disciplinary impacts, and create knowledge for the advancement of architecture. For more information, visit www.acsa-arch.org.


MEDIA CONTACT


Hanifah Jones
Digital Marketing & Communications Manager
202-785-2324
hjones@acsa-arch.org

The post vlog Announces the 2026 Best Paper and Best Project Winners appeared first on Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

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