The library, as an archetype, has always been about more than books. Over its long history, it has been recognized as repositories of information, institutions of learning, and destinations for scholars, educators, and leaders. It has endured as places for knowledge, discovery, and connection, and evolved to represent so much more for the communities in which they are built. They…
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The Luminary
The arts play a critical role in society. Medium aside, the arts speak to the human experience and are born from a place that cannot be easily replicated or generated by external systems. The arts are about heart, about emotion, about beauty, and about thought, contributing in powerfully meaningful ways to larger dialogues and collective conversations. Interactive, playful, celebratory, or…
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More than architecture
For Jennifer Park, AIA, NCARB, founding principal of ParkFowler Plus in Chicago, Illinois, architecture is as much an abstract exploration of the philosophies and theories that have shaped its long history, as it is a practical delivery in which iteration, collaboration, and inclusive practices can inform the built landscape for the future. To Park, design is a way of thinking…
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At the exchange of ideas
The exchange of ideas is a powerful thing. It has driven innovation and disruption, inspired revolution and change, and galvanized communities and movements. It has taken on many forms over the centuries, from spoken and written word to transcontinental rail and digital platform, as time has welcomed new eras in communication and in the movement of people, ideas, and things.…
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Visual-tactile design
In 2010, Hansel Bauman, award-winning architect, and pioneer in multi-sensory design methodologies, shared a vision for a building informed by visual-tactile design principles with Jeff Luker, AIA, LEED AP, principal at Quinn Evans in Washington, D.C. It was a vision that challenged standard architectural practices at the time, and arguably to this day, addressing major points of intersection between the…
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Dan Iacovoni, RA
Associate Partner, Project Architect Cornerstone Architects Inc. | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Traverse City, Michigan Dan Iacovoni, RA, has an affinity for the technical side of architecture, where cantilevered steel designed in a specific manner can redefine what is possible and individual foundations integrated into floors and walls can mitigate sound vibration for performance spaces. It is in the…
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Ben Franceschi, AIA
Principal Mathison | Mathison Architects | Grand Rapids, Michigan To Ben Franceschi, AIA, architecture is a fundamental tool for making decisions that can impact the lives of those who inhabit designed spaces. It is in the details, the poetic moments, and appreciation of site that can lead to thoughtful solutions that inspire—and it is the social architectural element, or…
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Shannon Easter White, AIA, NCARB
Founding Principal, Owner FUNchitecture LLC | Flint, Michigan While considered simple in her own words, Shannon Easter White, owner and founding principal of FUNchitecture LLC of Flint, Michigan, is driven by an architectural philosophy that embraces an authenticity, a permanence, and an element of joy in both the process and the end result. Defined by a commitment to fun,…
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Joseph Filippelli, AIA
Principal Architect, Owner North House Architects | Grand Haven, Michigan Buildings, like stories, often reflect the world in which they are built. It is in the thoughtful material and form, and the intentional organization of space and position in landscape that physical narratives are crafted, leaving behind symbols and record of the many who once used it—from public libraries…
