PROGRAM OCTOBER 2024
PARTICIPANTS ENTER HERE
Let’s look around. What happened to architectural design? Do our buildings all look the same? Do you even remember? Has architecture lost its connection to its public?
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building. We take this as a starting point asking ourselves what the status of architecture as an art and design practice is. We believe that architecture connects to us humans through design and ask how architectural design can effect and shape human experience to improve our lives.
For 2024, in collaboration with the Swedish Institute, Architects Sweden, the Swedish Consulate-General New York, the Pittsburgh Platform and the AIA Pittsburgh, we are gathering architects, landscape architects, city architects, academia, critics and other disciplines to reformulate the value of architectural design in a series of conversations called Architecture Matters.
Pittsburgh |
Tuesday, October 8th
Architecture Matters: Designing for Well-Being
5:15pm – 8:00pm | Energy Innovation Center, 1435 Bedfort Ave, Patterns of Meaning
Free
Join an important discussion about the pivotal role architectural design plays in shaping our health and well-being. The evening’s panel of architects and planners from Pittsburgh and Sweden will share perspectives on how the design of our places and spaces impact us more than we think.
This event is part of the Pittsburgh Architecture Week. The evening will bring together architects, landscape architects, city planners, academics, community leaders, and professionals from various disciplines to exchange knowledge and engage in critical discussions about the pivotal role architectural design plays in shaping our built environment.
Welcome by:
Sander Schuur, Founding Partner STHLMNYC & The Pittsburgh Platform
Tove Dumon Wallsten, Producer – Arenas and International Programs at Architects Sweden
Moderator:
Michelle Fanzo, Executive Director AIA Pittsburgh
Speakers PGH
Bea Spolidoro, Principal at Fisher ARCHitecture
Christine Mondor, Principal EvolveEA
Jeff Murray, Principal, Science & Technology Practice Leader Cannon Design
Greg Coni, Associate GBBN
Kevin Kunak, Assistant Director Department of City Planning
Speakers SE
Erik Bruhn, Partner Archus Arkitektur
Ivana Kildsgaard, Director of Sustainability Tengbom
Jakob Örtendal, Head Business Development and Partner Semrén & Månsson
Martin Edfelt , City Architect Uppsala
Pye Aurell Ehrström, Founding Partner Marge Arkitekter
more information: Architecture Matters: Designing for Well-Being
New York City |
Thursday, October 10th
Architecture Matters: From Vision to reality
6:00pm – 8:00pm | Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, Gerald D. Hines Gallery
Free
Join an important discussion about the pivotal role architectural design plays in shaping our health and well-being with special focus on timber construction. The evening’s panel of architects, planners and other specialist from New York and Sweden will share perspectives on how the design of our places and spaces impact us.
The event is part of the Archtober program. The group will discuss the value of architectural design and explore how architecture can drive meaningful change. The participants will present built examples “from vision to reality” – addressing how architecture can help to push boundaries and drive innovation forward focusing on the renewable material wood, exploring the possibilities of the material as a design asset. The panel will reflect on the relation between design and well-being — and how “designing with wood” can play a vital role.
Welcome by:
Erik Ullenhag, Consul General of Sweden
Anna Rudels, Deputy Director General the Swedish Institute
Sander Schuur, Founding Partner STHLMNYC & The Pittsburgh Platform
Moderator:
Jessica Becker, Wallenberg Senior Fellow, Nordic innovation House
Speakers NYC
Brian Talbot, Associate Principal DS+R
Gizem Karagoz, Senior Project Manager, Green Economy at New York City Economic Development Corporation
Guido Hartray, founding partner at Marvel
Jerry van Eyck, Founder & Principal !Melk
Sagi Golan, Deputy Director, Urban Design at NYC Department of City Planning
Speakers SE
David Saand, Regional Manager Link Arkitektur
Jessika Szyber, Business Development Manager Stora Enso
Kristina Bornholm, Deputy CEO Arkitektbolaget
Stefan Sjöberg, Founding Director Kjellander + Sjöberg
Therese Kreisel, Head of Urban Planning Skellefteå
Closing remarks
Tove Dumon Wallsten, Producer – Arenas and International Programs at Architects Sweden
more information: Architecture Matters: From Vision to reality
CONVERSATIONS
2024
The conversations |
During 2024, in collaboration with the Pittsburgh Platform and the AIA Pittsburgh, we hosted a conversation series gathering architects, landscape architects, city architects, academia, critics and other disciplines to reformulate the value of architectural design in a series of conversations called Architecture Matters.
The report of the conversation series will be published during the Architecture Week in Pittsburgh!
2024.09.17 | The last conversation before the gathering in Pittsburgh and New York City. In this conversation we delved into “the challenges beyond design” — addressing issues like air pollution, especially in cities like Pittsburgh, and inequities that extend beyond what design alone can solve — and “designing for change,” exploring how architecture can drive meaningful change in these areas. Impressed, as always, with the engagement, knowledge and openness to share! Yet another great conversation in the series Architecture Matters.
A big thank you to all participants:
Brian Tabolt | Diller Scofidio + Renfro
Bea Spolidoro | FisherArch
Jeff Murray | Cannon Design
Matthew Mehalik | the Breathe Collaborative
Erik Werner | SETTdesignstudio
Finn Williams | City of Malmö
Martin Edfelt | Uppsala Kommun
Stefan Sjöberg | Kjellander Sjöberg
Taiga Koponen | Koponen Stenqvist
2024.06.19 | Wow! Impressed, as always, with the engagement, knowledge and openness to share! Yet another great conversation in the series Architecture Matters.
A very big thank you to all participants:
Erick Gregory | DCP NYC
Erica Cochran Hameen | CMU School of Architecture
Greg Coni | GBBN
Jeff Murray | Cannon Design
Erik Bruhn | Archus
Erik Werner | SETTdesignstudio
Martin Edfelt | Uppsala Kommun
Mikael Stenqvist | Koponen Stenqvist
2024.05.31 | We are thankful to AIA NY Social Science and Architecture Committee for the opportunity to connect with their members to discuss the social impact of architecture and design as part of the Architecture Matters conversation series.
“[Architects should be] advocating architecture – to engage people” – Sara Grant, MBB Arch
“[There is a need for] shifting power, [to share] a common language to allow people to join the conversation” – Evie Klein, PRATT Institute
2024.05.16 | Wow! Another great conversation in the series Architecture Matters this time connecting architects from Pittsburgh and Sweden:
Bea Spolidoro | FisherArch
Erica Cochran Hameen | CMU School of Architecture
Greg Coni | GBBN
Anders Larsson | BAS ID
Anna Rex | Vardag Arkitekter
Björn Förstberg | Förstberg Ling
Samuel Vilson | Reppen Vilson
Mikael Stenqvist | Koponen Stenqvist
“If we really want to have equity and social equity [we need to] be able to provide high levels of quality to everyone, regardless of their demographic, social, [and] economic status.” – Erica Cochran Hameen, CMU School of Architecture
“The context that surrounds us can […] strongly influence us and our behavior, [it] will have a huge impact on the users.” – Bea Spolidoro, FisherArch
“the role of the architect […] to create the beauty and the environments people really want” – Björn Förstberg, FörstbergLing
2024.05.03 | On Friday May 3, we hosted our the second conversation in the series with architects from New York City and Sweden:
Brian Tabolt | Diller Scofidio + Renfro
Jerry van Eyck | !Melk
Suchi Reddy | Reddymade Design
Anna Sunnerö | Sunnerö
Erik Bruhn | Archus
Jakob Örtendahl | Semrén + Månsson
Ola Kjellander | Kjellander Sjöberg
“Not every building has to be or should be a masterpiece. Not every building should sing and dance.” – Jerry van Eyck, !Melk
“Certainly, the architecture that seems most inspiring to me. […] is contributing to the city or the place that it is first.” – Brian Talbot, DS+R
2024.03.25 | On Monday March 25, we hosted our first conversation in the series with the Swedish architects:
Anders Larsson | BAS ID
Björn Förstberg | Förstberg Ling
Ola Kjellander | Kjellander Sjöberg
Taiga Koponen & Mikael Stenqvist | Koponen Stenqvist
Fabian Reppen & Samuel Vilson | Reppen Vilson
Jakob Örtendahl | Semrén + Månsson
Caroline Björk Novak | Urban Minds
“that’s why I think it’s fun to be here, to listen to other people’s perspectives and get even more depth in what you’re doing.” – Ola Kjellander, Kjellander Sjöberg