Lifted from the Pages

The first “Bringing Columns to Life” presentation welcomed guests and speakers on August 27 at the Dallas Center for Architecture. Panelists Keith Owens, associate professor of design and managing director of the Design Research Center at the University of North Texas College of Visual Arts and Design, Don Gatzke, AIA, dean of the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) School of Architecture, and Kevin Sloan, ASLA, founder of Kevin Sloan Studio in Dallas and assistant professor at UTA, referenced their articles in the recent fall issue of Columns, including coming changes in architecture education, the democratization of design and the relevance of architects. Chris Grossnicklaus, Assoc. AIA and editor of Columns, moderated the discussion.

The speakers agreed that architects today must embrace complexity, and at times, must be willing to make the problem bigger when searching for solutions. When asked with what issues design professionals concern themselves today, Gatzke heralded technology as the biggest driver of change in architecture and architecture education. “Technology affords us more and more information and data,” he said. “The future will connect that data with qualities inherent in good design.”

Not missing a beat, Owens emphasized that, “Technology is more than a tool. Technology shapes us as much as we shape it.” Sloan then discussed urbanization, both broadly and specific to Dallas. He concluded the evening by praising the program as a, “…fantastic forum of high quality to discuss and challenge the status quo.”