Rice University’s mission statement calls for ”contributions to the betterment of the world.” As we recover from a global pandemic, face a reckoning on racial injustice, and confront tipping points in climate change, income inequality, political polarization, automation, and other challenges, how do we answer this call? What actionable steps are necessary to raise awareness, build consensus, and solve urgent problems? What should it mean for research and education at Rice? Join us as Rice faculty discuss the cutting edge ideas and practical measures they are taking to help create a better world.
Abstract
In many ways, nothing about architecture is abstract. We all know buildings, and we all live in communities. We inhabit architecture routinely, and we read about it all the time, embracing buildings and cities as prime expressions of our culture. Yet this tangible world is built on architectural research and creative practice that is diverse and complex—material, formal, historical, technological—and, unlike any other form of scholarship, is deeply rooted in human imagination. Comprising a series of snapshots from the Rice School of Architecture, this collaborative lecture will present the ways in which architectural research and teaching impact the lives of people, both here in Houston and globally.
Engaging Pluralism
When ideologies and cultures collide, new ways of working with and living in the world emerge. As a form of political philosophy, pluralism draws upon this dynamic condition, promoting the coexistence of multiple approaches and worldviews. Yet in the context of compounding crises and unchecked inequality, this is far from a neutral position: it becomes a commitment to struggle and discourse. Drawing from a broad-ranging group of speakers, Rice Architecture’s annual lecture series, Engaging Pluralism, explores how architects and designers can work with friction, contradiction, and multiplicity to effect broader social, cultural, and environmental change. It is an all-school platform for reflecting on the possibilities and challenges of designing for a pluralistic society.
All lectures are free and open to the public and, unless noted otherwise, will be held in person in Farish Gallery, MD Anderson Hall, with a livestream component. In the event that COVID-19 circumstances prohibit in-person lectures, the series will be held virtually via Zoom. Each lecture has been submitted for AIA CES approval.
This lecture series is made possible through the generous support of the Betty R. and George F. Pierce Jr., FAIA, Fund; the William B. Coleman Jr. Colloquium Fund for Architecture; the Wm. W. Caudill Lecture Series Fund; and Rice Design Alliance (RDA), the public programs and outreach arm of Rice Architecture, which includes the generous support of its members and RDA Underwriters: Harvey | Harvey-Cleary; Tellepsen Family; Big State Electric; Brochsteins; CED Houston; MAREK; Turner Construction; and Walter P. Moore. Additional support is provided by the Texas Commission on the Arts.