Promote Your Event in our Newsletter
Events relevant to the architectural community may be published in our bi-weekly newsletter for a fee. Learn more
ANNUAL PARTNERS
BLOG
Celebrating Krutika Shah: BD+C 40 Under 40 Class of 2026
10/13/2026
Huge congratulations to Krutika Shah, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, SEED, COA on her selection to the prestigious Building Design+Construction (BD+C) 40 Under 40 Class of 2026!
Read More ►
AIA Quarterly Update | Q3 2026
10/12/2026
Read the latest update from AIA EVP/CEO Carole Wedge, FAIA.
Read More ►UMD Fall 2026 Lecture: Why Listen?
November 04, 2026
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Add to Calendar
University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
3835 Campus Drive
College Park, MD 20742
Venue website
Directions
UMD MAPP Fall 2026 Lecture Series
Architecture Building Auditorium
Free
Description:
Colden Florence-Thomas Eichbaum Lecture
This lecture asks the question, “what is an African architectural practice?” Through this question, the lecturer explores the following framework for what constitutes an African practice: One that primarily draws inspiration from African influences; one where the work is contextual (environmental, cultural, social, or economical); one that uses local material and human resources; one that engages in a participatory process from inception and contact post project. The lecture posits that an African practice requires one to listen and be observant. This process begins with an extensive consultation involving a wide range of stakeholders. Many months go by where a clear understanding of the future users’ needs is explored in a number of participatory workshops. Depending on the project, the process may also incorporate theatre, poetry sessions, counselling, and other creative activities. Design workshops then translate these discussions into drawings and models, giving future users a meaningful opportunity to influence the design of the spaces they will inhabit.
AIA credits are provided courtesy of AIA Potomac Valley.
Credits:
1.5 LU/HSW
Learning Objectives:
-
Identify the core pillars of African architectural practice—cultural inspiration, contextual responsiveness, local resource utilization, and participatory engagement.
-
Analyze methods for conducting extensive stakeholder consultations and multi-disciplinary participatory workshops to uncover community and user needs.
-
Demonstrate techniques for translating user input into actionable design elements to empower future occupants to shape their built environment.
-
Evaluate strategies for integrating local materials and human resources into project workflows to strengthen environmental, economic, and social contextuality throughout inception, construction, and post-occupancy.
Speaker:
Carin Smuts, Founder, CS Studio Architects - Carin Smuts, began her architectural career in 1982, while she was a second-year architectural student at the University of Cape Town, by assisting 8 (eight) migrant workers from Cradock in the Eastern Cape to obtain land and build a skills center. This work took place at the height of Apartheid; when the state of emergency made meetings and the planning of building projects an illegal activity. Participation and collaboration are central to Carin Smuts approach to architecture. In 1989, Carin Smuts established CS Studio Architects with Urs Schmid. Since then, the practice has received numerous local and international awards for its unique spatial solutions.
AIA Provider: AIA Potomac Valley (A183); Course #PV110426
Location:
Architecture Building Auditorium
University of Maryland
School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
3835 Campus Drive
College Park, MD 20742
