Keynote Presentation

 

Keynote Presentation

"Rural Studio and the Front Porch Initiative: Educating Citizen Architects for 30 years"   
Speaker: Rusty Smith, Associate Director, Rural Studio
Earn 1 LU/HSW (ALA and AIA approved)
Fall Signature Conference, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023


Description:
Drawing from Rural Studio’s 30 years of leadership in Public Interest Design, this keynote seminar will outline the Studio’s “Best Practices” with regard to design, constructability, access, and affordability while simultaneously engaging in community growth, health, welfare, stewardship, and education. It will provide an inside look at how Rural Studio continues to a) evolve within the growing complexities of a low-wealth, persistently impoverished rural community, b) extend the impact of this work well beyond our own service area in West Alabama, all while c) striving to educate our students as the next generation of students as Citizen architects.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Gain important insights into the future of design education.
2. Be able to more clearly define the positive attributes of sustainable design through the integrated frameworks of materials, energy systems, economies, and cultures.
3. Recognize the expanding role of the architect as an active participant in community growth, health, welfare, and education.
4. Be better able to integrate the "real life" skills of community and social responsibility, collaboration, and leadership into their own practices.

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