We are at a critical transition in architectural education – a transition that must propel schools to address the urgency of the multiple challenges facing our current environment. Join us in engaging this transition at the 2019 Reynolds Symposium: Education by Design, in Portland, Oregon, October 18-19, 2019.

Through an abstract and reviewed-paper process (including traditional, poster, and lightning presentations), we call on faculty, practitioners, content experts, and students to shape the future of design teaching. Synthesize, document, and share your most effective lessons; those that will move design away from creating fossil-fuel based communities, toward building environments that are healthy, resilient, and carbon-emissions-free. We plan multiple ways to capture the outcomes of the conference, one of which will be an edited book or journal of selected symposium papers.

Proposals, due March 1, 2019, must include innovative pedagogical content that relates to teaching and learning for design studios, lectures, or seminar courses. We are seeking presentations on these topics: Design Integration, Design for a Changing Climate, Digital Approaches, and Education in Practice. Presentations will take place as one track in a venue that will hold approximately 120 people. The objective of the 2019 Reynolds Symposium: Education by Design is to gather significant and innovative pedagogical work from national and international scholars and practitioners.

The Symposium will launch on Friday (October 18, 2019) with an evening keynote and reception and run the full day on Saturday (October 19, 2019) at the University of Oregon’s White Stag Building in downtown Portland, Oregon. We’re planning optional tours on Sunday (October 20, 2019). A limited hotel room block has been reserved for participants.

We invite faculty, practitioners, content experts, and students to submit work that demonstrates how research innovates education, how practice can spur research, and how exemplary lessons and activities will inspire future stewards to shape zero net carbon buildings and communities. Submissions and reviews  will be made through this website: https://www.conftool.org/2019-reynoldssymposium/

Selection of papers will be based on a two-stage, blind peer-review process: Phase 1: Abstract review; Phase 2: full-paper review.  Authors of selected abstracts will be invited to submit full papers for peer-review. Abstracts not accepted for full paper submission may be invited to submit posters. Abstracts are limited to 300 words and may include supporting graphics. Paper presentations will be traditional (15-20 min) or a lightning presentation (20 slides shown for 20 seconds each; 6 minutes and 40 seconds in total, PechaKucha timing). Additionally, selected papers presented at the symposium will be invited for publication in an edited book or journal.

Posters will be exhibited through the duration of the symposium, with a designated Q&A period with the authors.  Authors of selected peer-reviewed abstracts will be invited to submit a poster to be exhibited in the symposium.

The symposium seeks innovative and effective lessons with a particular interest in the following topics:

Topic 1:  Design Integration
Sustainable or regenerative design strategies require the tight integration of technical and scientific knowledge about energy, materials, and water into the design process to iteratively approach high-performance design goals. Are new curricular structures emerging which address the shift in NAAB from comprehensive to integrative design-related education? Calling for innovative pedagogy or professional practice, this theme surveys the current integrative studio design pedagogy by asking the following questions:

  • How is the integration of energy modeling, daylight simulation, and/or occupant behavior progressing towards integrative design pedagogy?
  • Are new pedagogical approaches emerging to integrate water conservation and waste management systems into the design process?
  • What are the new models of interdisciplinary education between architecture and engineering disciplines or landscape architecture and urban design in this regard?

Topic 2:  Design with (a Changing) Climate
In Design with Climate: Bioclimatic Approach to Architectural Regionalism, Victor Olgyay describes designing a “climate balanced” building that would provide for comfort while minimizing the need for mechanical systems. Olgyay’s bioclimatic approach heavily influenced the passive solar building movement, was incorporated into energy modeling software and became a cornerstone of building science education. However, the rapid advancement of climate change requires us to rethink applying Olgyay’s methodology. This theme asks:

  • How does designing with climate need to shift to address a rapid change in climate?
  • How does the content and pedagogy of a studio shift to integrate issues of climate-related equity, vulnerability, and adaptation in addition to traditional integration of building systems?
  • How do design studios accurately convey and address metrics of passive and/or active design?

Topic 3: Digital Approaches to Design Education
Digital tools and methods have transformed design education, research, and practice over the last several decades. Tools and methods such as computer-aided design software, parametric modeling plug-ins, 3D printers, and immersive virtual and augmented reality, have changed the way buildings are designed. At the same time, the race to master, expand, and integrate new tools places constant pressure on the integration of new pedagogical approaches and can run the risk of valuing digital proficiency over design ability. To this end, this theme asks:

  • How do analog and digital methods reinforce one another to create better architecture?
  • How can digital tools allow us to engage in sustainable design education in new ways?
  • With so many different approaches and methods, what defines digital design education?

Topic 4: Education in Practice, Practice in Education
Design practice, research organizations, and continuing education providers often serve as an extension of architectural education that includes activities such as mentoring, research, testing of ideas, learning about new materials and innovative technologies. With the urgency to address global climate targets, this theme delves into the educational practices that organizations use beyond lunchtime training and what influence non-traditional educational roles might have on addressing the following questions:

  • How does your firm structure disciplines within a team – in-house? Hire outside consultants?
  • What kinds of tools and experiential learning are most effective in your practice? What strategies and tools has your organization fostered collaboration?
  • How does your organization educate its own (in -staff in-house or in the field) to address the climate challenges of the future?

Abstracts: Abstracts are limited to a maximum of 300 words and can include one-page of supporting graphics. For submission at the following link: https://www.conftool.org/2019-reynoldssymposium/