Building Identities​

Construction of physical structures is inseparable from the construction of human identities. Rice Architecture aims to broaden our understanding of building construction and identity formation as two interrelated processes, seeking to close the gap between the social and the formal in the field of architecture and our world more broadly. Reflecting the pluralism of Houston as the most diverse city in the United States, Building Identities advances the agency of architecture in a new multicultural world. We believe this is an urgent theme for our school, our community, and our field at large.

Eric Höweler
Höweler + Yoon Architecture, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Boston
“What’s the Matter?”
Wednesday, September 22, 12pm
Register here

Michael E. Willis, FAIA, NOMA
Michael Willis Architects, Oakland
“Building Identities Through My Practice—The Personality of Architecture”
Wednesday, September 29, 12pm
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Cecilia Puga & Paula Velasco
Cecilia Puga – Paula Velasco Arquitectura, Santiago
“Ongoing Work”
Wednesday, October 13, 12pm
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Houston Design Research Grant Lectures
Liz Gálvez (Faculty Winner, Rice Architecture), “The Transgressive Kitchen”
Estefanía Barajas (Student Winner, Rice Architecture), “Tables in Deserts and Swamps: How Food Education Can Help Solve the Root of Food Insecurity”
Friday, October 22, 12pm
Rice Design Alliance Lecture
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Paul Farber and Ken Lum
Monument Lab, Philadelphia
“Monument Lab”
Wednesday, October 27, 12pm
Rice Design Alliance Lecture
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Ivi Diamantopoulou & Jaffer Kolb
New Affiliates, New York
“Present Past, Future Perfect”
Wednesday, November 3, 12pm
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Philippe Block
ETH Zurich
“Rethinking Concrete Construction”
Friday, November 5, 12pm
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PLAT 10.0: Behold Panel
Mario Carpo, The Bartlett School of Architecture 
Todd Cronan, Emory University
Daniel Jacobs & Brittany Utting, HOME-OFFICE/University of Houston and Rice University
Gili Merin, The Architectural Association 
Friday, November 12, 12pm
PLAT 10.0 Launch Event
Register here

All lectures take place CST via Zoom. All lectures are free and open to the public. Each lecture is eligible for one AIA/CES Learning Unit. Please be sure to register online for each lecture to receive the link to join. For more information on all lectures and to register to attend, visit: arch.rice.edu/latest/events or ricedesignalliance.org.

This lecture series is made possible through the generous support of the Betty R. and the George F. Pierce Jr., FAIA, Fund, the William B. Coleman Jr. Colloquium Fund for Architecture, the Wm. W. Caudill Lecture Series Fund, and Rice Design Alliance (RDA), the public programs and outreach arm of Rice Architecture. The RDA Houston Design Research Grant Lectures are made possible through the generous support of The Mitsui U.S.A. Foundation. Additional programming support is provided by RDA members and the Texas Commission on the Arts. PLAT is an independent student journal of Rice Architecture and is supported by the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts.