Lecture Series

AED Presents: FIFTEEN Architecture + Design

Join us for a presentation titled "The Time is Now" by Katrina Connors and Ximena Valle of FIFTEEN Architecture + Design, a Philadelphia-based design-focused architecture practice driven by the desire to affect positive change.

Access the event on Zoom here.

About the speakers:
Ximena Valle, AIA is a licensed Architect and Founding Principal of FIFTEEN. With a passion for innovating design, processes, and practices, Ximena’s commitment to fostering transformation and dialogue between disciplines, trades, and industries is evidenced both in her role as educator and in her practice. Ximena’s hallmark is to engage in the design process collaboratively with clients, approaching design as a process of experimentation and discovery. She leads teams in complex projects ranging from new construction to renovation of educational, corporate, research, and health care spaces. She studied Architecture and Business Administration at the University of Florida and received a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania.
 
Ximena is Adjunct Associate Professor at Tyler, serves on the Philadelphia Planning Commission, PIDC’s Design Review Advisory Committee, and on the Board of Directors of Philadelphia’s AIA as Director of Design. As a former Kress Fellow, she served as Director of Architectural Studies for the Mt. Lykaion Excavation and Survey Project, a multidisciplinary investigation researching, protecting, and documenting the Sanctuary of Zeus in Greece.

Katrina Connors, AIA is a licensed Architect and Associate at FIFTEEN. Katrina’s design and architectural experience is diverse, featuring a rich portfolio that spans education, corporate, and public health projects. Dedicated to creating purposeful and inspiring spaces, Katrina is passionate about designing with clients and end-users. She aspires to challenge the status quo of the role that architects can play in our communities through both practice and advocacy. Katrina received her Bachelor of Architecture from Drexel University.

In addition to practicing architecture, Katrina has served as an adjunct professor at Drexel University and Thomas Jefferson University, where she finds inspiration in mentoring young professionals. Katrina is a Co-Chair of the AIA Philadelphia Advocacy Committee and AIA Philadelphia CANstruction, and has been a member of PEA and the Community Design Collaborative.

212 Stuart Street project

AED Presents: Eric Höweler of Höweler + Yoon

Join us for a presentation by Eric Höweler, co-founding partner of Höweler + Yoon and Professor in Architecture at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Höweler's presentation, titled "Verify in Field", will discuss a range of projects using Verify in Field (VIF) as a lens to understand the work and how it fits into a broader cultural context.

Access the event on Zoom here.

About the speaker:

Eric Höweler, FAIA, LEED AP, is an architect, designer, and educator. He is co-founding partner of Höweler + Yoon and Professor in Architecture at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, where he is the Program Director for the Masters of Architecture Program. Höweler’s design work and research focuses on building technology integration and material systems. His projects range from cultural buildings and mixed-use residential buildings, to public spaces and interactive environments. Recently completed projects include the MIT Museum at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers at the University of Virginia, and the Coolidge Corner Theatre expansion. Höweler's work has been exhibited widely, including at the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in New York City, and the Venice Biennale. He is the co-author of Expanded Practice (Princeton Architectural Press 2009), Verify In Field: Projects and Conversations Höweler + Yoon (Park Books, 2021), and author of the forthcoming Design for Construction: The Tectonic Imagination in Contemporary Architecture (Routledge 2025).

Image: 212 Stuart Street residential tower in Boston, MA designed by Höweler + Yoon. Photography:  Chuck Choi.
Okubo Animal Hospital

2024 Robert Z. Shuman Lecture: Masafumi Yukimoto (BArch '98), Komy Studio

Masafumi Yukimoto has established an architectural and interior design studio based in his hometown of Takasaki, Japan, and Tokyo that focuses on experimentation with process, materials and fabrication. He will explore his experiences studying and working in the U.S., and how, upon returning to Japan, he integrated the perspectives gained from American practices into his work, particularly emphasizing the concept of 'making' in architecture. 

Join via Zoom. 

About the speaker:
Born in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, Yukimoto pursued architectural studies at Temple University, graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1998. During and after his graduation, he worked in various architecture firms  and design-build firms in Philadelphia, including Onion Flat and MBA, where he was deeply influenced by the idea of "architecture as making." In 2006, he moved to Michigan to attend Cranbrook Academy of Art, earning his Master of Architecture degree. His postgraduate journey led him back to Japan, where he embarked on a new chapter in his career, working with renowned Japanese architects at Shigeru Ban Architects and Kengo Kuma and Associates. In 2021, he established komy studio, returning to his roots in his hometown of Takasaki City. In 2023, he was appointed as a member of the "Opinion 21 Committee" for the Jomo Newspaper, furthering his engagement with the community.

This event is supported by the Temple University General Activities Fund. 

Image: Okubo Animal Hospital, Kengo Kuma and Associates, Masafami Yukimoto Project Architect. Okubo Animal Hospital, with a unique "home-like" concept, features an extensive eave to foster relationships between people and animals. Situated on a busy street corner, its wooden box shape with a prominent eave deviates from conventional hospital designs, reflecting its foundational philosophy.