Architect Tenna Florian to Present 'Nature, Place, and Purpose' Lecture on April 18

Casey Dunn

The Dixon Water Foundation Josey Pavilion in Decatur, Texas, was the first certified Living Building Challenge project in Texas.

Tenna Florian will present a lecture at 4 p.m. Monday, April 18, in Ken and Linda Sue Shollmier Hall, Room 250 of Vol Walker Hall, on the University of Arkansas campus, as part of the spring lecture series in the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. The lecture will also be available to watch live via Zoom.

Florian, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is a partner and co-leader of the Lake|Flato's Eco-Conservation Studio.

The Fay Jones School's spring lecture series is presented in collaboration with Places Journal, an internationally respected online journal of architecture, landscape architecture and urbanism.

Registration for the online version of the lecture is available on Zoom.

In her lecture, "Nature, Place, and Purpose: The Practice, Approach, and Work of Lake|Flato Architects," Florian will explore the Lake|Flato practice and recent work through the lens of climate, culture and equity during this Earth Day presentation.

For nearly 40 years, Lake|Flato has designed buildings that foster a strong connection to nature and place. As their body of work has expanded from coast to coast, so has their understanding of the broader impacts of the built environment.

Florian finds purpose in creating architecture that promotes environmental stewardship through high performance design that strengthens the essential bond between humans and nature. With more than 20 years of experience, she has proved to be a skilled listener and collaborator. She is committed to an integrated design process that seeks to fully realize the client's aspirations and goals.

Her passion for innovative, sustainable design has led to several award-winning projects, including Naples Botanical Garden in Naples, Florida; the AIA Honor Award-winning Confluence Park in San Antonio, Texas; and the Dixon Water Foundation Josey Pavilion in Decatur, Texas — the first certified Living Building Challenge project in Texas.

This is the Fay Jones School's Earth Day Lecture and the U of A campus sustainability lecture.

The school is pursuing continuing education credits for this lecture through the American Institute of Architects.

This lecture is open to the public. Admission is free, with limited seating. For details on watching the lecture online, please visit the Fay Jones School's lecture page. To register for the entire online lecture series, complete this form on Zoom.

For more information, contact 479-575-4704 or fayjones.uark.edu.