AGENCY (noun) is defined as:
1a: the office or function of an agent
1b: the relationship between a principal and that person’s agent
2: the capacity, condition, or state of acting or of exerting power
3: a person or thing through which power is exerted or an end is achieved
4: an establishment engaged in doing business for another
5: an administrative division (as of a government)
When it comes to the design and delivery of the built environment, the power of architects relative to other players and forces has always been contested. Given this uncertainty, the AIANY Future of Practice Committee is convening a day-long symposium focusing on how architects can find agency both through conventional and non-traditional forms of practice. Three moderated panel discussions will focus on working in innovative ways INSIDE, BESIDE, and BEYOND practice and a fourth concluding panel comprised of non-architects will ask the question “why should architects have more agency in the first place?” Ultimately, the discourse aims to shift prevailing conceptions of practice and probe how technical, political, cultural, economic, social, and artistic forms of power can be deployed.
BREAKFAST AND COFFEE: 10:00–10:30 am
INTRODUCTION: 10:30–10:45 AM
Jacob Reidel, AIA, Assistant Professor in Practice, Harvard GSD; Co-Chair, AIANY Future of Practice Committee
Andre Soluri, AIA, Principal, Soluri Architecture; Co-Chair, AIANY Future of Practice Committee
INSIDE: 10:45 AM–12:00 PM
Speakers:
Billie Faircloth, FAIA, Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture, Cornell Atkinson Scholar and Senior Faculty Fellow, Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability
Jerome Haferd, RA, NOMA, Principal, Jerome Haferd Studio, Assistant Professor of Architecture, The City College of New York Spitzer School of Architecture
Shawn Watts, Partner, Leroy Street Studio
Claire Weisz, RA, FAIA, Hon. RAIC, Principal-in-Charge, WXY Studio
Moderators:
Iben Falconer, Global Marketing and Business Development Leader, SOM
Robert Young, Founding Principal, Robert Young Architects
BESIDE: 12:00–1:15 PM
Speakers:
Sierra Bainbridge, RLA, Senior Principal and Managing Director, MASS Design Group
Jen Grosso, AIA, Director of Architecture, Alloy Development
BJ Siegel, LEED AP, Co-Founder and Head of Design, Juno
Mercedes Carriquiry, IA, AIA, Co-founder, COO, Slantis
Moderators:
Michael Caton, AIA, Head of Technical Computing, Juno
Nicholas Desbiens, AIA, LEED AP, Design Innovation Lead, Pininfarina
LUNCH: 1:15–1:45 PM
BEYOND: 1:45–3:00 PM
Speakers:
Sreoshy Banerjea, Executive Director, NYC Public Design Commission; Co-founder, Design Corps
Nicolay Boyadjiev, Practice Lab Director, re:arc Institute
Chrisoula Kapelonis, Design Strategy Lead, Home Intelligence, Google Home
Amanda Ramos, Assoc. AIA, CEO of WIN: Women in Innovation, Faculty at SVA Design for Social Innovation, Head of Community at 3×3
Moderators:
Xenia Adjoubei, Senior Consultant, Systematica; Visiting Assistant Professor, Pratt Institute MS Urban Design
Dennis Shelden, PhD, Director of CASE, Associate Professor, School of Architecture at Rensselaer
WHY?: 3:00–4:15 PM
Speakers:
Eva Neubauer Alligood, Executive Director, Hester Street
Diana Budds, Design Journalist
Brian Kavanagh, New York State Senator
Angel “Monxo” López, PhD, Curator of Community Histories, Museum of the City of New York
Moderators:
Jacob Reidel, AIA, Assistant Professor in Practice, Harvard GSD; Co-Chair, AIANY Future of Practice Committee
Andre Soluri, AIA, Principal, Soluri Architecture; Co-Chair, AIANY Future of Practice Committee
RECEPTION: 4:15–5:00 PM
