Area chair
The environment (natural and built) is arguably the most significant aspect of human culture and society. It pervades every facet of our personal and professional lives, from where we live, work, and play to how we choose to think about our surroundings. From the personal to the global, we create and inhabit buildings and environmental spaces not only to fulfill the pragmatic need for shelter, but also to facilitate and communicate various social, cultural, political, economic, and organizational environments and realities.
This area explores the relationships and interconnectedness between human life and its surroundings and the various ways natural and built environments shape and are shaped by human action/interaction. It addresses the sciences, theories, personalities, styles, and technologies that influence preservation, sustainability, buildings/individual structures, city planning, architecture, and community design. Proposals are encouraged from scholars as well as students and practitioners and may consist of readings from academic papers or presentations of current or recent projects, preferably addressing cultural issues relevant beyond the work itself.