Can architecture improve our health? Can architecture be used to radically improve people's lives? Conversely, can architecture injure the population it houses? Can architecture kill?

Put differently, what is the role of architecture beyond the building itself?

MASS Design Group is an architecture and design organization committed to stretching the boundaries of what we expect our built environment to provide . We have seen architecture restrict people's access to essential services, but in the process of working on buildings as far afield as Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Haiti, we've also seen design and the process of building generate systemic change, break the cycle of poverty, and radically improve people's health, livelihoods, and lives.

This lecture will discuss our work, our process, and the opportunities through which architects and designers can apply their skills for impact.

Michael Murphy is the executive director of MASS Design Group, a nonprofit architecture firm that leverages buildings, as well as the design and construction process, to become engines for health, economic growth, and long-term sustainability.

MASS' work has been recognized globally, most recently at the UN Solutions Summit, the AGA Khan Award for Architecture, and as winner of the 2015 Design Biennial Boston. Since founding the firm in 2010, Michael has overseen the expansion of MASS into ten countries. He sits on the boards of the Clinton Global Initiative Advisory Committee, the Harvard Graduate School of Design Alumni Board, the Center for Healthcare Design and is an Expert in Residence of the Harvard Innovation Lab.

Michael is from Poughkeepsie, NY and holds a Master in Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.


More information...

Location:	Moss Arts Center
Price:	Free
Sponsor:	College of Architecture and Urban Studies
Contact:	Katie Gehrt kgehrt@vt.edu 540-231-2108
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