Architecture As Catalyst 2013

The Architecture as Catalyst program is an innovative feature of University of Minnesota's graduate M.Arch curriculum that occurs each year in the middle of the spring semester. In this award-winning program, professional degree students in architecture step out of the day-to-day curriculum to work with small teams of faculty in safe havens that encourage high-risk work. Through catalyst workshops students gain the confidence to grapple with large messy problems and become impassioned to ask very big questions and fearlessly probe in specific and tangible ways. Each workshop is led by a host UMN faculty member in conjunction with an invited guest instructor from outside the University. The visiting faculty help provide novel insights and techniques for students, and they are typically recognized leaders within their field or specialty. Each guest also delivers a public lecture during the week; all events are open to the public and provide a chance for local designers to hear from some of the world's most creative practitioners. This year's Catalysts are organized under the broad theme of "1913/2013/2113." The theme is inspired by the School's upcoming Centennial celebration in October, 2013, and the intent is to use this moment as an opportunity to think concurrently about the past, present, and future of architectural design. Each of the workshops has incorporated this theme by framing the respective topic in terms of both looking back to history and projecting forward to the future. All events are free and open to the public. Support for the Architecture as Catalyst program is provided by the Cass Gilbert Fund and Target. Schedule of Events: MONDAY 3/11 12:15pm: Nathan Miller, CASE - "Design Thinking in an Automated World" 6:00pm: Daniel Friedman, Univ. of Washington - "Auto Erotica" TUESDAY 3/12 12:00pm: Kiel Moe, Harvard GSD & Billie Faircloth, KieranTimberlake - "Discussion on Convergent Practices" 6:00pm: Karen Lewis, Implement/Ohio State - "Spatializing Systems" WEDNESDAY 3/13 12:15pm: Barry Kudrowitz, Univ. of Minnesota - "The Importance of Play and Humor in Creative Design" FRIDAY 3/15 2:00pm: Architecture as Catalyst Open House - Exhibition and Studio Presentations http://z.umn.edu/catalyst2013