Material Time

Currently, the relationship of building to time is fixed, with weathering and material transformations only superficially accounted for through necessary repairs. The frozen-in-time relationship we have with the built environment relies on materials from a nearly exhausted supply chain, prompting a shift towards local and regenerative sources. While bio-based materials are possible sustainable alternatives, their susceptibility to weathering and shorter lifespan compared to mineral-based counterparts invites thinking about temporality through observable material transformations. How could we reconsider our relationship to the built environment through materials of various temporalities? This symposium examines bio-based materials, including their growth, assemblies, maintenance, and experimentation practices. It explores their current and potential applications across different design scales, while also discussing strategies for thinking, teaching, and design approaches. Date: Friday, April 12, 2024 Time: 10:30am – 3:30pm Location: Piper Auditorium Panel speakers include Martin Bechthold, Lola Ben-Alon, Jennifer Bissonnette, Lina Ghotmeh, Laura Maria Gonzalez, Laia Mogas-Soldevila, Leonard Palmer, Pablo Pérez-Ramos and Paul Lewis. Panels will be moderated by Daniel Tish, John May, and Amelia Gan. Field Notes presenters are Joseph Kennedy (DDes ‘25), Maroula Zacharias (DDes ‘24), Hugh Taylor (MArch ‘24), and Nicky Rhodes (MArch ‘25), Ian Erickson (MArch ‘24) & Vincent Jackow (MIT MArch ‘26). This symposium is convened by Amelia Gan for the Irving Innovation Fellowship, in collaboration with Ann Whiteside, Assistant Dean for Information Studies at Harvard Graduate School of Design, and Margot Nishimura, Dean of Libraries at Rhode Island School of Design. This fellowship and symposium is guided by advisors Eve Blau, Martin Bechthold, Niall Kirkwood, Allen Sayegh, and Sebastian Schmidt Dalzon, and is administratively supported by Nico Hayes-Huer, with graphic design by Hugh Taylor MArch ‘24. This event is jointly funded by the Irving Innovation Fellowship, the GSD Frances Loeb Library, the Fleet Library at Rhode Island School of Design, and the GSD Development/Alumni Relations Office.