News

Wed, 09/10/2025 - 12:00

As a new graduate student in the University of Maryland’s (UMD) Real Estate Development Program, Gabrielle Hapi ’15, MBA & MRED ‘21 often passed by Baltimore’s glassy high-rises wondering, “How can I help people who can’t afford these rents?” She didn’t know that she’d find her answer first at UMD, then creating vibrant, affordable housing as the developme

Mon, 07/21/2025 - 12:00

A conversation with a stranger—in the checkout line, riding a quiet elevator or waiting for class to start—can spark a human connection that brightens an otherwise ordinary day. Yuval Zohar ’08 has had plenty, with one distinction: He’s usually naked. In these cases, he has disrobed and descended into the mineral-rich, blistering pools found in Japanese onsen: hot-spring bathhouses fueled by the country’s highly volcanic landscape that for centuries have been a source of community, healing and friendship. 

Tue, 07/15/2025 - 12:00

If you ask Carl Elefante ‘80 which of New York’s most iconic skyscrapers—the 94-year-old Empire State Building or the 11-year-old Freedom Tower—is more climate-friendly, the answer might surprise you.Both have LEED-Gold certification, the energy-efficient exemplar bestowed on a building. But because of the Empire State Building’s stone façade, it has staying power, said Elefante—when the Freedom Tower’s glass façade reaches the end of its useful life, it will be torn off and thrown into a landfill.

Thu, 06/26/2025 - 12:00

To rebuild communities, Cathy Morrison ‘04 believes that designers should not only reflect the people in the communities they’re building for, but “move at the speed of trust.”

Thu, 05/29/2025 - 12:00

On any given day at the office, Jason Sartori M.C.P. ‘05 might review a development application, offer guidance for a placemaking event, evaluate the state of school infrastructure, or all of the above.A day in the life as a planning director for Montgomery County, Md.—one of the most diverse, populous counties in the country—is never boring. In his role, Sartori tackles a variety of formidable tasks relating to issues such as affordable housing, zoning and transportation—but he wouldn't have it any other way, he said.

Tue, 04/29/2025 - 12:00

John Bryant M.Arch ‘07 was a fish out of water when it came to designing for Florida's climate.A transplant from the Northeast and a new architect for Sweet Sparkman—Sarasota, Florida's largest architecture firm—one of Bryant‘s first big jobs was to revitalize a historic pavilion along Siesta Key Beach that could withstand Category 3 hurricanes, the hot, humid conditions of the Sunshine State and the instability of sand.