Rice Design Chats
The Stadium and the Dome: Preserving Collective Memory
Convened by Igor Marjanović and Rusty Bienvenue with participants David Bucek (Stern and Bucek Architects), Jennifer Kapral (Preservation Houston), and Beth Wiedower Jackson (Astrodome Conservancy).
Co-organized with AIA Houston
Exhibitions at Rice, Cannady Hall
September 26, 1:00 pm
Participant Biographies:
Rusty Bienvenue has served as Executive Director of AIA Houston since October 2010 and has run professional associations for more than 30 years. Rusty was elected to the Council of Architecture Component Executives (CACE) in 2017, served as CACE President in 2021 & 2022 and on the AIA National Board of Directors in 2022 & 2023.
David Bucek formed Stern and Bucek Architects in 1999 with William Stern. His portfolio includes residential, university, and museum work, including the preservation of Houston’s Contemporary Arts Museum, the Frame/Harper House, the Menil House, and Sengelmann Hall.
Jennifer Kapral is the executive director of Preservation Houston and holds more than twenty years of experience in education, nonprofit leadership and strategic partnerships. She is a Fulbright-Hays award recipient and holds degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and the University of St. Thomas.
Beth Wiedower Jackson has served as the Executive Director of the Astrodome Conservancy since 2018. Under her leadership, the Astrodome Conservancy has implemented a 5-year strategic plan, hosted community and fundraising events, launched an ambitious community engagement campaign titled “Future Dome,” and is currently leading the facilitation of multiple feasibility studies with private and corporate interests in the Astrodome.
About Rice Design Chats
Rice Design Chats, a public program of the Rice School of Architecture, are dedicated to fostering dialogue around the ideas, challenges, and opportunities shaping architecture and design today. Targeting the community of architecture and design practitioners while inviting broader participation, Rice Design Chats connect the school’s events, research, and exhibitions to the local Houston community and beyond.