AIA Baltimore

On Wednesday, April 1, Daniela Atencio and Claudio Rossi from the Universidad de los Andes will be continuing our 2026 Spring Lecture Series: Materials & Methods with their lecture, “Bio_Lent Machines’ at the historic Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church! Join us as we explore how robotics can influence design!

About the lecture:
This presentation examines the contemporary Latin American landscape as a complex, time-based assemblage of economic, social, cultural, and ecological systems, shaped by multiple forms of violence ranging from urbanization, extraction, and inequality to planetary processes such as climate change. Rather than treating these conditions as static problems, the lecture frames the collision between architecture, infrastructure, and landscape as a productive field for restitution and repair. Through the concept of Bio_lent Machines, the work proposes restorative architectural devices and pedagogical methodologies that integrate time, technology, and nature as mediators. Emphasis is placed on the use of robotic arms as both tools and conceptual mediums within design processes to explore mechanisms capable of reverting, recomposing, and redefining relationships within damaged territories. The lecture unfolds an open, transdisciplinary discussion of design strategies, technological workflows, and representational practices across scales, addressing architecture and landscape as active agents in reorienting violent processes toward regenerative futures.

Register through the link in our bio.

On Thursday, March 26, Daniel Sundlin from Bjarke Ingels Group sets off our 2026 Spring Lecture Series with his opening lecture, ‘Materialism’ at MICA Brown Center! Join us as we explore the material world!

About the lecture:
We seek to reclaim the term materialism- not as a symbol of empty consumerism, but as a meaningful practice: shaping our future through form and matter. For most of our history, life has adapted to the material world around us. That changed the moment we discovered tools, technology, and architecture. With them, we gained the power to shape the material world in service of the life we wanted to lead. Human history can be read as a story told through materials- each breakthrough marking a new chapter in our evolution We named entire eras after the substances we learned to master: the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, and the Silicon Age. Our ability to manipulate matter has been one of the most powerful forces driving civilization forward. In this spirit, we invite you on an odyssey through the material world, as seen through the works of BIG- from the permanence of solid rock to the invisible flow of electrons.

Photo credits: Nic Lehoux

Architects are advocates for the built environment. CivicLAB is an opportunity to learn from experts about the local, state, and federal issues that directly affect architects and develop the skills to be an effective advocate. Learn how to use your skills as an architect to take on leadership roles in your community and professional life. More information on our website.

Application deadline is February 16.

Applications are open! Architects are advocates for the built environment. CivicLAB is an opportunity to learn from experts about the local, state, and federal issues that directly affect architects and develop the skills to be an effective advocate. Learn how to use your skills as an architect to take on leadership roles in your community and professional life. Apply through our website!

Application deadline is February 16.