MAPP News
The “Art” of Building an Idea
To develop an idea for his final graduate school project 25 years ago, Architecture Clinical Professor Michael Abrams didn’t draw inspiration from his favorite architects: He riffed off his passion for music. Jazz, with its swinging groove, offbeat rhythm and layering of instruments, influenced his ...View Article Details for The “Art” of Building an Idea 
Finding Friendship in Warm Waters
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 in...View Article Details for Finding Friendship in Warm Waters 
Save Our Buildings, Save Ourselves
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...View Article Details for Save Our Buildings, Save Ourselves 
An Abandoned D.C. Water Site Regains its Utility
For decades, abandoned concrete silos cresting the horizon like post-apocalyptic chess pieces presented an eerie curiosity for drivers crawling along one of the busiest arteries in and out of Washington, D.C.The McMillan Sand Filtration Site was once an engineering marvel that supplied clean drinkin...View Article Details for An Abandoned D.C. Water Site Regains its Utility 
5 Questions with Cathy Morrison
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.”Giving residents the time to believe in a designer’s intentions—when historically they haven’t been given a seat at the tabl...View Article Details for 5 Questions with Cathy Morrison 
Student Project Reclaims a Sacred Space
For over 20 years, an ornate, gothic-style Roman Catholic church located in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Baltimore, Md. served as a “safe haven” for a Filipino community to gather and worship 9,000 miles from home. But what was once a lively, joyful place for potlucks, Christmas mass and com...View Article Details for Student Project Reclaims a Sacred Space