assistant professor
school of architecture
university of
illinois
at urbana-champaign.
In the courses I teach, students explore the connection between the art of design and the craft of construction. They recognize the consequences that their design decisions have for construction, and realize the opportunities that materials and technologies unveil in the design process. I emphasize collaboration and communication in all my courses, and students frequently explore innovative design methods and technologies together with students from other departments and universities via the internet. Students in my courses engage in a project-based approach to learning, whether weaving design and technology together in a comprehensive studio project, working with experimental design and information technologies, or tackling hands-on real-world design and construction projects. Together we experience learning as a dynamic balance between action and reflection. Action challenges our ideas and keeps us in touch with the dirt-under-the-fingernails reality of building. Reflection keeps us questioning - never assuming, never accepting - knowing our ideas and actions can always be better and bringing us closer to the truth of great building.