Fay Jones School Presents Hybrid Lecture Series for Spring 2022 Semester

Courtesy of Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design

The Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design announces its Spring 2022 lecture series. This slate of speakers was curated through a deliberate, collaborative effort that reflects the breadth and diversity of initiatives in the school.

The school has again joined with Places Journal, an internationally respected online journal of architecture, landscape architecture and urbanism, to present these seven lectures in the spring lecture series, which is fully accessible online. Places Journal is a respected resource regarding the future of architecture, landscape and urbanism, wielding the power of public scholarship to promote equitable cities and resilient landscapes, said Brian Holland, assistant professor of architecture and coordinator of the school's lecture series.

 "We are delighted to continue our partnership with Places Journal to co-present this semester's public lecture series in architecture and design," Holland said. "The series aims to present a vital snapshot of the design disciplines today by highlighting artists, architects, writers, designers and advocates who are uncovering untold stories, examining architecture's blind spots, building new publics and reorienting practice to serve those who have been historically underserved by design."

For this spring's hybrid lecture series, most speakers will present in person in Vol Walker Hall, and all lectures will be available online. The series began with a Jan. 24 lecture from Justin Beal and continues Feb. 21 with William Bates.

"Over the course of the spring, we will see design excellence and innovation in affordable and attainable housing, ecologically restorative structures and buildings and spaces grounded in vibrant readings of culture and place," Holland said.

In addition to their public lecture, each speaker in the series also plans to either join a design studio — virtually or in person — as a guest critic or host a post-lecture conversation with design students and faculty.

All lectures are scheduled for 4 p.m. (CST) and will be presented live online. To register for this spring lecture series, complete this registration form on Zoom.

The full slate of spring lecturers are:

Jan. 24 — Justin Beal

Beal is an artist with an extensive exhibition history in the United States and Europe, and he teaches at Hunter College in New York City. His recently published book, Sandfuture (MIT Press, 2021), examines the life of the architect Minoru Yamasaki (1912-1986), who remains on the margins of history despite the enormous influence of his work on American architecture and society.

Feb. 21 — William Bates, FAIA, NOMA

Bates is an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and he served as the 2019 President of American Institute of Architects. He challenged the AIA to focus design attention on the needs of its communities and propelled those initiatives by leveraging corporate, government and charitable resources to underwrite those programs. His lecture is the Fay Jones School Honors Program Lecture.

March 7 — Pablo Pérez Palacios 

Pérez Palacios is founder of Perez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados in Mexico City, Mexico. The firm approaches design through the senses and experiences, with importance placed on the relationship with the surrounding space and landscape. Ideas and concepts are foregrounded, and the form is the result. He is a 2022 John G. Williams Distinguished Visitor in Architecture.

March 14 — Kia Weatherspoon, NCIDQ, ASID  

Weatherspoon is founder of Determined by Design, a minority and veteran-owned business bringing design equity to affordable and supportive housing. Her firm's practice focuses on making interior design a standard for all rather than a luxury for a few. She's the recipient of the 2021 ASID Design for Humanity Award.

March 28 — Jose Herrasti & Fernanda Oppermann

Herrasti and Oppermann are co-founders and co-principals at Mutuo in Los Angeles, California. Their firm's work is informed by their upbringing and education in Brazil and Mexico. They have been developing "affordable-by-design" housing solutions that simplify construction while addressing the question of what makes a home, while finding extraordinary uses for ordinary materials and methods. They are 2022 John G. Williams Distinguished Visitors in Architecture.

April 8 — Fuensanta Nieto

Nieto is partner and co-founder of Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos, which has offices in Madrid, Spain, and Berlin, Germany. The firms richly textured work is recognized for its sympathetic response to the topography and historical attributes of a place. The firm has completed museums and art galleries across Spain, Germany and Austria. In 2015, the firm received the Alvar Aalto Medal, Finnish architecture's most prestigious award.  

April 18 — Tenna Florian, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Florian is partner at Lake|Flato, which has offices in San Antonio and Austin, Texas, and is co-leader of the firm's Eco-Conservation Studio. She finds purpose in creating architecture that promotes environmental stewardship through high-performance design that strengthens the essential bond between humans and nature. Her lecture is the Fay Jones School Earth Day Lecture.

More information about each of the speakers in this hybrid lecture series and details on how to access the lectures online can be found on the Fay Jones School website. Registration for the entire series is available on Zoom.