Fall 2024 public programs

73 speakers, 14 weeks, 17 public events
This fall, Columbia GSAPP will affirm the inseparability of practice, discourse, and activism in its commitment to anticipate change. Through a variety of formats that will bring together over 70 speakers from around the planet, the school will think together how to action change through the built environment—and the forms of practice, professional engagement, and research needed to accelerate a change of paradigm from extractivism to fair coexistence and mutual care.

Starting this September, GSAPP introduces an entirely new format. The ACTIONING SUMMITS are an unprecedented effort over eight months that will convene activists, architects, artists, designers, developers, ethnographers, historians, planners, policymakers, politicians, thinkers, and community organizers from around the world to address together eight crucial methodological shifts in the way the disciplines of the built environment operate and collaborate with each other. Participants will include Anna Tsing, Ada Colau, Mabel Wilson, Carles Baiges, Marjetica Potrč, Elizabeth Povinelli, Joseph Zeal Henry, Philippe Rahm, Paulo Tavares, Marisol de la Cadena, Barika Williams, David Benjamin, Aimi Hamraie, Albena Yaneva, Hilary Sample, Snoweria Zhang, Laura Kurgan, David Gissen, Michael Wang, Alejandro Echeverri, Supawut Boonmahathanakorn, Mehrdad Mahoutian, Michael Marder, Juan Herreros, Ziad Jamaleddine, Lydia Kallipoliti, Kaja Kühl, Edmund Asiedu, Erica Avrami, Michael Bell, Lola Ben-Alon, Lindy Roy, Lydia Chilton, Seth Cluett, Renato Cymbalista, Anthony Vanky, Ignacio G. Galán, Catherine Griffiths, Mark Hansen, Adam Lubinsky, Tom Slater, William Martin, Alysson Martinez, Na’Im Merchant, Christopher Munsell, Chelina Odbert, Marina Otero, Karla Rothstein, Dan Taeyoung, Laura Tripaldi, Adam Vosburgh, Violet Whitney, and additional guests.

In addition to the summits, GSAPP will host lectures by alumnus Minsuk Cho (‘92 M.Arch), the founder and principal of Mass Studies, as well as Mariam Issoufou, Eduardo Souto de Moura, and Marina Tabassum. 

The 2024 Fitch Colloquium, Repairing Architecture Schools, is a collaborative effort between the GSAPP Historic Preservation Program and Places Journal that follows their eponymous article to spark a national conversation about how to rebalance architecture curricula in light of the increasing potential of the existing built environment in solving the intersecting crises of climate change and housing. Speakers include Erica Avrami, Nick Axel, Daniel Barber, Deborah Berke, Shumi Bose, Josephine Minutillo, Andrea Roberts, and Mireille Roddier.  

After a highly successful first year, “The Library is Open” will continue honoring Avery Hall’s historical connection with publications and archives this fall with four additional book talks featuring MOS’s Hilary Sample and Michael Meredith, Anooradha Iyer Siddiqi, Virginia Hanusik, and Matt Shaw. 

GSAPP’s Temple Hoyne Buell Center for the Study of American Architecture will convene State Effects, a one-day conference interrogating the relationship between that entity we call “the state” and the built environment. Daniel Abramson, Sophie Cras, Sheila Crane, Sonali Dhanpal, Brodwyn Fischer, Brian Larkin, Cole Roskam, and Yara Saqfalhait, with responses by Bruno Carvalho and Rosalind Morris. The Buell Center will also continue its speaker series Abundance Talks, beginning with Invasive Building featuring Manu Karuka and Adrian Agagnost, and followed by Flammable Building featuring Matthew C. Hunter and Daniel Immerwahr. 

Please visit GSAPP’s event calendar (times noted in Eastern Time) for all activities and to learn more about each event. All events will be livestreamed on GSAPP’s YouTube channel unless otherwise noted. To receive updates, readings, and reminders on the ACTIONING SUMMITS please sign up using this form. 

ACTIONING SUMMIT 1: How to work collectively now (in cases of community engagement)
Monday, September 9, 6:10pm
With Supawut Boonmahathanakorn (Jai Baan Studio, Community Architects Network), Alejandro Echeverri (URBAM/TEC Monterrey), Allyson Martinez (Brooklyn Level Up), Chelina Odbert (Kounkuey Design Initiative), with interventions by Erica Avrami (GSAPP), Joseph Zeal Henry (GSAPP, Sound Advice), and Kaja Kühl (GSAPP, youarethecity)

The Library is Open 10: Laboratorio de Vivienda/Housing Laboratory
Friday, September 20, 1pm
With Michael Meredith (Princeton, MOS) and Hilary Sample (GSAPP, MOS)

Mariam Issoufou (Mariam Issoufou Architects)
Thursday, September 26, 6:30pm
In conversation with Mario Gooden (GSAPP, Mario Gooden Studio)

State Effects Conference
Friday, September 27, 9:30am–5pm
With Daniel Abramson (Boston University), Sophie Cras (Paris 1), Sheila Crane (University of Virginia), Sonali Dhanpal (GSAPP), Brodwyn Fischer (UChicago), Brian Larkin (Barnard), Cole Roskam (HKU), and Yara Saqfalhait (GSAPP), with responses by Bruno Carvalho (Harvard) and Rosalind Morris (Columbia)

ACTIONING SUMMIT 2: How to speed up the response to urgent crises (in facing the eviction and housing crisis)
Monday, September 30, 6:10pm
With Carles Baiges (Lacol), Ada Colau, Renato Cymbalista (FICA), Barika Williams (ANHD), with interventions by Juan Herreros (GSAPP, estudio Herreros), Adam Lubinsky (GSAPP, WXY), Hilary Sample (GSAPP, MOS), and Tom Slater (GSAPP)

Marina Tabassum (Marina Tabassum Architects)
Thursday, October 10, 6:30pm
Response by Mireia Luzárraga (GSAPP, TAKK)

The Library is Open 11: The Architecture of Migration
Friday, October 11, 1pm
With Anooradha Iyer Siddiqi (Barnard College). Response by Nora Akawi (Cooper Union) and Mabel Wilson (GSAPP, AAADS)

Kate Orff (GSAPP, Columbia Climate School, SCAPE), Open House Lecture
Monday, October 21, 6:30pm
Response by Dean Andrés Jaque 

Minsuk Cho (MASS Studies)
Wednesday, October 30, 6:30pm
Response by Ada Tolla (GSAPP, LOT-EK) and Wonne Ickx (GSAPP, PRODUCTORA)

Abundance Talks: Invasive Building
Thursday, October 31, 12pm
Organized by The Buell Center at Columbia GSAPP. With Manu Karuka and Adrian Agagnost

ACTIONING SUMMIT 3: How to connect local-AI with local knowledge
Friday, November 1, 9am–5pm
Conference organized by the AI Activation Network with MS Computational Design Practices. With speakers David Benjamin (GSAPP, The Living), Lydia Chilton (Columbia Engineering), Catherine Griffiths (GSAPP), Seth Cluett (Columbia Computer Music Center), Violet Whitney + William Martin (GSAPP, Spatial Pixel), Dan Taeyoung (GSAPP), Anthony Vanky (GSAPP), Christopher Munsell (GSAPP), Snoweria Zhang (GSAPP, Google Delve), Sarah Williams (MIT) and more to follow. Responses by Mark Hansen (Brown Institute), Laura Kurgan (GSAPP) and Adam Vosburgh (GSAPP)

Eduardo Souto de Moura
Thursday, November 7, 6:30pm
Organized in collaboration with the Casa da Arquitectura. Followed by a conversation with Vanessa Grossman (UPenn), Mimi Hoang (GSAPP, nArchitects), and moderated by Bart-Jan Polman (GSAPP)

ACTIONING SUMMIT 4: How to scale up (to make carbon sequestration impactful)
Monday, November 11, 6:10pm
With David Benjamin (GSAPP, The Living), Mehrdad Mahoutian (Carbicrete), Na’im Merchant (Carbon Removal Canada), Albena Yaneva (GSAPP, University of Manchester), with interventions by Lola Ben-Alon (GSAPP), Michael Bell (GSAPP, Bell Seong Architecture), Lydia Kallipoliti (GSAPP, ANAcycle), and Philippe Rahm (GSAPP, Philippe Rahm architects) 

The Library is Open 12: Into the Quiet and the Light
Friday, November 15, 1pm
With Virginia Hanusik. Response by Joanna Joseph, Isabelle Kirkham-Lewitt, and Meriam Soltan of Columbia Books on Architecture and the City

The Library is Open 13: American Modern: Architecture; Community; Columbus, Indiana
Friday, November 22, 1pm
With Matt Shaw. Response by Jorge Otero-Pailos (GSAPP, Otero-Pailos Studio)

Abundance Talks: Flammable Building
Thursday, December 5, 12pm
Organized by The Buell Center at Columbia GSAPP. With Matthew C. Hunter and Daniel Immerwahr

Fitch Preservation Colloquium: Repairing Architecture Schools
Saturday, December 7, 10am–5pm
Organized by MS in Historic Preservation and Places Journal. With Erica Avrami (GSAPP), Nick Axel (e-flux), Daniel Barber (Eindhoven University of Technology), Deborah Berke (Yale), Shumi Bose (Central St Martins), Josephine Minutillo (Architectural Record), Andrea Roberts (UVA/Texas Freedom Colonies Project), Mireille Roddier (UM Taubman College)