Expanding Perspectives: Think, Share, Change
Friday, April 5, 2024 8:00AM - 7:00PM EST
An Alumni-Curated Symposium
Dear BAC Talks Guests,
On behalf of the Alumni Advisory Council and the Boston Architectural College, thank you for joining us today for the return of our popular alumni event, BAC Talks - a full day alumni symposium consisting of a captivating roster of speakers from all over the world that are professionals and experts in their chosen fields.
Whether you are joining us from far away or in person at the BAC, we welcome you and fellow BAC alumni, students, and community members for what is sure to be a wonderful day of sharing and learning.
We hope you enjoy today's program and look forward to continuing to provide educational experiences and engagement opportunities to our alumni and worldwide community.
Sincerely,
Chair I Alumni Advisory Council
Janet Roche I MDS-HH'l7
Co-Chairs I 2024 BAC Talks
David Deininger, AIA, LEED AP, EM H L I B.Arch'84
Anthony Frausto-Robledo, AIA, LEED AP I B.Arch'96
Robin Willcox, AIA I M.Arch'll
YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
THANK
Dear BAC Community Members,
In the spirit of this year’s theme, Expanding Perspectives: Think, Share, Change, I am delighted to welcome you to the 2024 edition of BAC Talks, with exciting opportunities for both in-person and online participation!
This initiative has been a beacon of connectivity, bridging geographical distances and fostering a sense of unity among our diverse alumni network as well as firms, faculty, students, staff, and friends of the College.
As we embark on our journey today, I want to express my sincerest appreciation to the BAC Alumni Advisory Council members and Chair Janet Roche for their steadfast dedication in making this event possible. Their unwavering commitment has played a pivotal role in shaping the success of BAC Talks, ensuring its enduring impact.
A special shoutout to our sponsors as well - your generous backing not only fuels this event's success but also resonates deeply with our college's goals, reinforcing the strength and collaborative spirit of our network.
This year, we're showcasing speakers at the forefront of design and innovation, tackling a wide array of relevant topics that promise to spark significant conversations and insights, and igniting profound discussions.
I am particularly thrilled to participate in BAC Talks this year and deeply honored to announce that renowned artist Janet Echelman will be our featured keynote speaker. Her groundbreaking work in sculpture and public art serves as an inspiration to us all, and I am eager to hear her insights during this special occasion.
As we dive into this year's BAC Talks, I encourage everyone to fully engage with the sense of connection and discovery that's at the heart of our community. Whether you're joining us physically or digitally, may you be inspired by the stories unfolded and cultivate new relationships within our extensive and diverse global network. Thank you for joining us as we embark on this journey of exploration and discovery together!
Warm regards,
Dr. Mahesh Daas, President & ACSA Distinguished Professor
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
8:00 AM | Architectural Design Forecast in the Year 2100
9:30 AM | Future Digital Technologies in Architecture: AI, Immersive, and BIM 2.0
10:30 AM | BREAKOUT SESSIONS
· Improving US Healthcare: What We Can Learn From the World
· The One Architect in the Room
11:00 AM | Leading With Intercultural Integration
11:30 AM-1:00PM | BREAK IN DAY
If you plan on joining BAC Talks in person for the afternoon, please use this time to travel to the College to enjoy the afternoon lectures and network with fellow BAC community members.
1:00 PM | Resilience Design in Transit Infrastructure
1:45 PM | From Vision to Reality: Integrating Design Research in AEC Practice
2:15 PM | Change, hic et nunc: Intersection of Three Landscape Architectural Perspectives
3:15 PM | Understanding the Next Generation of Business
4:00 PM | Inclusive Design - Designing For, Designing With
5:00 PM | BAC Talks Reception
6:00 PM | Janet Echelman presenting Taking Imagination Seriously
If you have any questions, contact alumni@the-bac.edu
8:00 AM
8:00 AM
Architectural Design Forecast in the Year 2100
Arlen Stawasz, B.Arch'13, LEED AP ND, CPHC, DGNB, RELi AP, EU Regional Resilience Leader, Gensler Europe
The design profession is under high demand to respond to a radically changing world. Global challenges such as climate change, refugee displacement, carbon emission expansion, and biodiversity loss are putting significant stress on our cities and communities. Designers have a critical role to play in these conversations for future development, and there are technological solutions, as well as a shift in government regulations that is making an impact. Come and learn about the Design Forecast over the next century, and innovative solutions at our fingertips that are influencing our design thinking.
BAC Talks 2024 Sponsor
Future
9:00 AM
Digital Technologies
in
Architecture: AI, Immersive, and BIM 2.0
In this session moderated by Anthony Frausto-Robledo, B.Arch'96, AIA, LEED AP, Founder and Publisher, Architosh.com, and Evan Troxel, NCARB, Founder and Producer, TRXL.co, our expert panelists will discuss three areas of technology destined to change the future of digital practice. We will highlight both pedagogical and practice challenges, confront aspects that appear broken, and offer perspectives for an improved future in the field of architecture and design. Both academic and professional work will be shown by panelists that illustrate the session's focus.
Featuring:
Jason Arndt, RA, LEED AP, Founding Principal, Zephyr Architects, Adjunct Professor, Boston Architectural College
Dr. Mahesh Daas, DPACSA, President of Boston Architectural College, and ACSA Distinguished Professor
Randy Deutsch, FAIA, LEED AP, Clinical Associate Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Architecture
Nirva Fereshetian, Principal, Chief Information Officer, CBT Architects
Moderators
Speakers
10:30 AM
The One Architect in the Room
James Vaseff, B.Arch'71, AIA, Retired
James Vaseff has dedicated his career to public service under a private payroll, navigating the unique position of being "The Only Architect in the Room." Throughout his tenure, he has served two principal clients: the employer and a diverse portfolio of projects. Each project requires patience and humility while harnessing unique expertise, skills, and sense of ownership to yield exemplary results. Explore a compelling case study from 1982, delving into the early redevelopment of a mainstreet town, Tifton, Georgia.
Improving US Healthcare: What We Can Learn From the World
David Deininger, B.Arch'84, Healthcare Facility Masterplanning Consultant, 2dplanning
The United States faces a healthcare crisis, but there are numerous innovative and effective strategies employed by other countries that merit consideration as potential solutions to our challenges. David Deininger will discuss how we might improve our own healthcare policies by looking at other successful nations.
11:00 AM
Leading With Intercultural Integration
Mani Ardalan Farhadi, B.Arch'95, Associate AIA, Senior Planner, Stanford University, School of Medicine
There is a symbiotic relationship between how the environment influences behavior & culture (architectural sociology), and how in turn our culture impacts architecture (what I’m calling intercultural integration). With my own hybrid identity and ethnic mélange, created from Eastern and Western influences, I will talk about how cultural knowledge can be developed. Taking it one step further, we can explore how that relates to social justice and a sense of belonging.
BAC Talks 2024 Sponsor
Resilience Design in Transit Infrastructure
Isra Banks, M.Arch'16, AIA, LEED AP, WELL AP, Senior Architect, Gannett Fleming
Huzefa Irfani, AIA, Director of Architecture, Gannett Fleming 1:00 PM
*This lecture is approved for 1 LU | HSW AIA CES credit.
In the wake of Superstorm Sandy in 2012, cities like New York and Boston recognized the need for stronger, more climate-resilient transit systems. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) have launched major initiatives to protect their transportation systems against climate change. These efforts involve collaborations with the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industries. This presentation will showcase innovative projects that address the climate change challenge to infrastructure elements from a storm hardening/resiliency and architectural/urbanism point of view. At the heart of these initiatives is the deployment of cutting-edge architectural and engineering solutions employed on critical fan plant structures within densely populated locales, ingeniously designed to enhance both the public transportation network and the community surrounding these structures.
1:45 PM
From Vision to Reality: Integrating Design Research in AEC Practice
Adrienne Erdman, MDS'17, Director of Design Research, EwingCole
*This lecture is approved for .05 LU | Elective AIA CES credit.
This lecture will explore the transformative power of design research in shaping the built environment, enabling consideration of multiple perspectives of current and future stakeholders. We'll delve into the evolution of design research and its profound impact on product and service design industries, revealing insights applicable to Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) projects. Learn how design research goes beyond data collection, becoming a conduit for meaningful stakeholder engagement and informed decision-making. Gain an introduction to qualitative and quantitative research techniques, rooted in human-centered and inclusive design principles, to infuse your projects with empathy, creativity, and effectiveness.
BAC Talks 2024 Sponsor
2:15 PM
Change, hic et nunc: Intersection of Three Landscape Architectural Perspectives
Adam Molinski, PLA, ASLA, Faculty Member, Boston Architectural College
Yufan Gao, PLA, ASLA, Faculty Member, Boston Architectural College
Alexandre Champagne, Ph.D., Faculty Member, Boston Architectural College
While almost every facet of the world we inhabit is undergoing rapid transformation at an accelerating pace and with captivating intricacy, landscape architectural practice must negotiate novel relationships between human beings and their milieux. If strategies of radicality announce metamorphosis in theory, the critical moves come from the dialectic between theory and practice. How can the profession find its way and reach its full potential to initiate change, hic et nunc? In this panel, BAC Landscape Architecture Faculty will share their perspectives on how the field begins to answer this question.
BAC Talks 2024 Sponsor
3:15 PM
Understanding the Next Generation of Business
Principal and Creative Director, Eric Haydel Design / M-Geough
The presentation will address the upcoming wave of workforce members, introducing their requirements and expectations in the professional sphere. We'll explore our collaboration with AI and its potential to enhance our work environments, while also shedding light on key market demands for the future.
4:00 PM | BAC TALKS 2024
Inclusive Design - Designing For, Designing With
Ai Kurokawa, M.Arch’06, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Principal, isgenuity LLC
Kate Spinelli, MID'11, IIDA, Principal & Director of Interiors, isgenuity, LLC
At the intersection of creativity and diversity is inclusive design. Our design process, as architects and as designers, calls upon us to observe, listen, research, and respond to multiple facets of the human condition. In the physical environments that we shape, our opportunity to enhance the experience of design – to bring joy and wonder, beyond functionality – is heightened as we mindfully include the perspectives of others. Inclusive design is designing for and designing with diversity and diverse experiences, to expand our widest embrace of the human condition.
6:00 PM
Taking Imagination Seriously
Janet Echelman, Artist and Principal, Studio Echelman
How can we design experiential private and public spaces to embody a spirit of innovation, foster spontaneous communities, and engage viewers in new and powerful ways?
Janet Echelman presents ways to harness the creative power of the flexible, the soft, and the transparent in cities around the world. Her experiential sculptures at the scale of buildings have become inviting focal points for civic life, combining ancient craft with the newest design and interactive technology. The result is a communal urban experience that is simultaneously virtual and physical.
Janet Echelman's 2015 temporary installation was installed above the Greenway in downtown Boston
BAC Talks Leadership
Co-Chairs
David Deininger, AIA, LEED AP, EMHL | B.Arch’84
Anthony Frausto-Robledo, AIA, LEED AP | B.Arch’96
Robin Willcox, AIA | M.Arch’11
Alumni Advisory Board (AAC)
Janet Roche, MDS-HH'17 | Chair
James Vaseff, AIA, B.Arch'71 | Co-Chair
Tania Aguilar, M.Arch'22
Isra Banks, M.Arch‘16
Christian Boran, BLA'18
David Deininger, AIA, LEED AP, EMHL, B.Arch'84
Adrienne (Jones) Erdman, MDS'17
Anthony Frausto-Robledo, AIA, LEED AP, B.Arch'96
Carlos Guzmán, M.Arch'18, MLA'21
Glen Kewley, Cert'22
Robin Willcox, M.Arch'11
Christopher Kurland, M.Arch'12
Prasanna Lachagari, M.Arch’20
Michael Panetta, M.Arch'84
David Wilkins, MDS-SD'13, B.Arch'11
UPCOMING EVENTS
McCormick Gallery Exhibit
A Legacy of Design Innovation: Shepley Bulfinch at 150 and Beyond
Now through May 7, 2024
This exhibit connects the transformative world events of the last century-and-a-half with projects designed by Shepley Bulfinch that have defined the practice and expertise of architecture and planning. For more information, visit the web-page
2024 Commencement
11:00 AM | May 24, 2024
Berklee Performance Center
We look forward to gathering as a community to celebrate the class of 2024! For more information, visit the Commencement web-page
Pre-College Programs
For the entire month of June, join us as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Summer Academy. More information is coming soon! Visit the Pre-College webpage to learn more.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
