Rice School of Architecture invites you to the 2025 Rice Civic Forum, In Motion: Downtown Streets, Stories, and People, convened by Professor in the Practice Amna Ansari and co-organized with AIA Houston. This year’s forum turns its focus to downtown Houston, a district amid a remarkable transformation—from a traditional business core to a dynamic, mixed-use urban center that reflects the city’s broader growth and diversification.
Once defined primarily by office towers and a 9-to-5 workforce, downtown is now a 24/7 destination marked by residential growth, cultural vibrancy, public green spaces, and a steadily diversifying economy—even amid the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past two decades, strategic investments have reshaped the area: the expansion of METRORail, the ecological restoration of Buffalo Bayou, the development of Avenida Houston, new residential and hospitality projects, and increased investment in parks and public spaces. Together, these changes have brought new energy, attracting residents, entrepreneurs, artists, and visitors to a redefined urban core.
Looking ahead, downtown Houston is positioned to lead the city into its next chapter. Key questions frame this year’s discussion: How can downtown serve as a model for a livable district and inclusive growth, connecting with the historic wards at its edges? What role will housing, transit, schools, healthcare, public-private partnerships, and cultural innovation play in shaping its future? As we plan for the decades to come, downtown will remain both a testing ground and a beacon for Houston’s ambitions.
Speakers
- Mandi Chapa — Rice Lecturer, Planner and Project Manager at Huitt-Zollars
- Sarai Osorio — Principal Planner and Strategic Program Manager at Houston-Galveston Area Council
- Cassie Hoeprich — Director of Planning and Economic Development at Downtown Houston+
- Yair Titelboim — Data Scientist – Global Digital Strategy at Hines
Event Details
Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Architecture Center Houston
Admission: Free and open to the public
This program 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; and the Wm. W. Caudill Lecture Series Fund.
About the Rice Civic Forum
Launched in 2023, the Rice Civic Forum brings together architects, designers, scholars, policymakers, and community members to explore the civic dimensions of architecture and urban design. Each year, the forum focuses on a specific neighborhood, site, or theme in Houston, using the city’s unique conditions as a lens to engage broader conversations about equity, resilience, and the public realm. Through on-site dialogue and public programs, the forum seeks to amplify local voices, share diverse perspectives, and imagine new possibilities for the city’s future.