Homecoming
As a native Washingtonian who grew up in Southwest and Northwest D.C., Maia Shanklin Roberts (M.C.P. ‘14) embraced being in an urban environment surrounded by a majority-Black community.“Everything was so Black,” she said, from her neighbors to her doctors—indicative of why D.C. was once known as “Chocolate City.”
Students and Alums Win Big at 2024 AIA Maryland Design Awards
University of Maryland students and alums received top honors for their architectural projects at the annual AIA Maryland Excellence in Design Awards Celebration. This year’s event was held on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation - Philip Merrill Environmental Center in Annapolis, Maryland.
Building Towards AI?
The story originally appeared in Inhabit Magazine. The following images in this story were generated using Midjourney by MAPP designer Jelena Djakovic, using keywords pulled from each of the interviews.
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.
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!
Five Questions with John Bryant
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.
Five Questions with Jason Sartori
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.
Changing the Face of Affordable Housing: Mansur Abdul-Malik (MRED ’12)
When Mansur Abdul-Malik crunches a building’s pro forma, he doesn’t see numbers—he sees faces: the 10-year-old boy popping wheelies in Baltimore’s Hollander Ridge neighborhood; the D.C. family who needs a new stove; the dozens of residents who have his personal cellphone number.
Five Questions with Gabrielle Hapi
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