Stephen Ayers Named Interim CEO of American Institute of Architects
The Honorable Stephen T. Ayers ‘85, FAIA, LEED AP has been appointed interim executive vice president and CEO of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). An accomplished architect and administrator with decades of leadership in public service, Ayers will assume the role in February following the departure of current EVP/CEO Lakisha Woods.
6 Little-Known Facts About a Founding Father
This story was originally published in Maryland Today.
Brutal Truths About “The Brutalist”
At a key moment in Brady Corbet’s film “The Brutalist,” architect Laszlo Toth, a tortured visionary played by Adrian Brody, berates another architect for revising his design of a career-making project in rural Pennsylvania: “Everything that is ugly, stupid, cruel, but most importantly, ugly … is your fault,” he roars. The scathing scene is one reason the film lives up to its name (copious drug use, violence and sexual assault, and a nearly four-hour run time also help). But it’s realistic, said architecture Assistant Clinical Professor Ken Filler.
The School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation Mourns Harold Adams, FAIA
Legendary architect and teacher Harold Adams, FAIA, died April 12, 2022, at his home near College Station, Texas, following a short illness. He was 82. An early faculty member instrumental in devising the Maryland architecture program’s first professional practice courses, Adams was the visionary behind national design firm RTKL Associates (now CallisonRTKL) and a prominent architect in the Washington, D.C. region. He remained a mentor, supporter and benefactor of the school, most recently as a member of the Board of Visitors, until his death.
“The Most Fun I’ve Ever Had as an Architecture Student”
Written by Maggie Haslam and Brianna Rhodes. Photos by Jelena Djakovic.How do you create more foot traffic in a slice of downtown Washington, D.C. that has seen more retreat than feet—first emptying after the pandemic, and now with a shrinking federal workforce?
Five Questions with Heather Wellington
Heather Wellington MRED ’11 admits she had no idea what real estate development was as an undergraduate student. A finance major at George Washington University, she had reluctantly resigned herself to a future on Wall Street. “My classmates were super excited about it—I was not,” she said. “I liked being out and looking and touching and feeling, but didn't know the word for it at the time.”
Celebrating the School of Architecture Class of 1975 50th Reunion
In 2022, the University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation began celebrating 50th reunions with our first graduating classes. We have been delighted to host the classes of 1972, 1973 and 1974 in College Park. Now Class of 1975, it’s your turn!
In Concrete Design Competition, UMD Breaks the Mold
The typical data farm’s destiny as a dreary digital fortress was reconceived as a stunning homage to the nation’s first union station by University of Maryland architecture students, “cementing” victory in an inaugural nationwide competition.
Designing Solutions to “Emerging Challenges”
In the mid-aughts, acclaimed architect Nader Tehrani was tapped to reconceive the historic Hinman Research Building on Georgia Tech’s campus for its College of Architecture. But when the market crashed in the early days of the project, Tehrani and the team at his architecture firm, NADAAA, had to find a way to deliver on the college’s programming needs—with half the budget.
Lung-Amam Named Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution
Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning Willow Lung-Amam has been named a Nonresident Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy organization located in Washington, D.C. Lung-Amam joins more than 300 experts in government and academia to address a spectrum of policy issues through research, recommendations and analysis.