2018 Richard N. Campen Lecture in Architecture and Sculpture: “Material Performance and Ecological Priorities”

The 2018 Richard N. Campen Lecture in Architecture and Sculpture will feature Rashida Ng, department chair and associate professor at the Tyler School of Art at Temple University. The event, titled “Material Performance and Ecological Priorities,” will take place Monday, Nov. 5, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Tinkham Veale University Center, Ballroom A. Ng will present research and design work that expands the concept of material performance to include aspirations of environmental remediation to reverse the destructive consequences of previous (and current) practices.

About the lecture

As society contends with rising concerns over the viability of our ecosystems, the convergence of human and ecological priorities is increasingly evident. Architecture bears a long history of prioritizing the needs and desires of human experience, including the provision of shelter, creation of community and design of conditions for physical comfort and human health. Over the past several decades, architecture has responded to challenges of sustainability, seeking to minimize the overall environmental impact of buildings and establish new metrics of energy performance. These measures increasingly acknowledge the impact of buildings on the biosphere. However, these standards and principles do not yet fully embrace the fundamental alignment of human and natural contexts. Register through the Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities website.