Join the Conversation: Fall 2025 Public Programs to Spotlight Visionary Thinkers

Kelly Sheldon August 21, 2025

Three individuals are seated on a bench constructed from natural wooden branches. The bench is divided into three separate seats, each occupied by one person. Their orientations vary: the individual on the left faces forward, the one in the middle faces away from the camera, and the person on the right is turned to the side. The setting is minimalistic with a plain gray wall and a concrete floor.

Lukas Kirschnick will kick off the Fall 2025 Public Programs series with "Round Timber in Construction" on September 10.

Starting in September, the UB School of Architecture and Planning will host a distinguished lineup of designers, architects, authors, and artists through its Fall 2025 Public Programs series.

Free and open to the public, this series of lectures and conversations will explore a variety of thought-provoking topics from the role of art in a time of climate crisis, to explorations of race and place, to the role of public education in shaping public space.

We welcome you to join us either in person at UB’s South Campus or remotely through Zoom on the dates noted below.

Please click on the links below for more information and to RSVP.

A metallic, spherical structure is outfitted with multiple shelves that hold a variety of objects, including water jugs, hoses, buckets, and other miscellaneous items. This installation is situated outdoors between two buildings with grey walls and blue accents and the ground is paved with tiles. Some greenery is visible on the right side of the image, adding a touch of nature to the urban setting.

Mary Mattingly's "Flock House" installation on Staten Island, NY

Lukas Kirschnick - Round Timber in Construction: PhD researcher Lukas Kirschnick will use illustrative project examples to present the latest findings on the diverse uses of round timber in construction and design. September 10, 6:00 p.m.

Ludovico Centis Presents "Reyner Banham: A Set of Actual Tracks": Centis – UB’s 2013-14 Peter Reyner Banham Fellow – will discuss his new book, which brings a contemporary critical lens to Banham’s work. September 17, 6:00 p.m.

Mary Mattingly - Sydney Gross Memorial Lecture: Mattingly will speak about her large-scale public art projects that explore collectivity, ecological interdependence, and the role of artists in imagining alternative futures. September 24, 6:00 p.m.

Marlene Shigekawa - Poston Live - Through the Lens of Race & Place: Shigekawa will examine the historical forces that shaped the creation of the Poston Incarceration Camp where she was born, revealing the cultural, political, and economic influences involved. A screening of her short film, The Blue Jay, will follow. October 6, 6:00 p.m.

McKenzie Funk - Building (and rebuilding) the MATRIX: Journalist and author McKenzie Funk will discuss the surveillance legacy of Hank Asher, the data broker featured in his 2023 book The Hank Show, whose work has compiled data on each one of us for use by law enforcement, corporate America, and the government. October 8, 6:00 p.m.

Three people are standing inside a rustic wooden room. The woman on the left is dressed in a white blouse and a red skirt with white polka dots, gesturing toward the other two. The man in the center wears a light blue shirt and jeans, while the man on the right is in a plaid shirt and jeans. The room features wooden walls and a ceiling with fabric draped across the beams. On the left side, there's an old-fashioned black stove with firewood stacked nearby. A window with sheer curtains lets in natural light, and the space is filled with various items including chairs, shelves, and other household objects.

A scene from Marlene Shigekawa's "The Blue Jay"

An open book with a green cover. On the left page, there is a photograph of a small, colorful object mounted on a white wall. The right page features a display case containing nine butterflies, arranged in a grid and held by a pair of hands.

Kuehn, W., & Sekulić, D. (Eds.) (2025). "Curatorial design: A place between". Photo by N. Gnesi

James Corner – Dean’s Lecture: Award-winning designer James Corner will deliver this year’s Dean’s Lecture. For the past 30 years, he has shaped landscape architecture and urbanism through major public projects such as Manhattan’s High Line, Chicago’s Navy Pier, and Seattle’s Waterfront. October 22, 6:00 p.m.

Dubravka Sekulić - Curatorial Design: A Place Between: A panel discussion between Dubravka Sekulić, Joyce Hwang, Erkin Özay, and Emmanuel Frimpong Boamah will center on public education and its role in assessing and shaping public space in our current political landscape. November 19, 6:00 p.m.