Notre Dame School of Architecture

Last week, I had the privilege of representing the University of Illinois Chicago as part of the 2025 cohort of the Our Futures Program at the University of Notre Dame. It was an honor to hear the inspiring stories and words of wisdom of alumni, current graduate students, and faculty. Their words were impactful, and I’ll carry them with me as I continue my journey. I am especially grateful to the Notre Dame School of Architecture for hosting an exceptional tour of the Walsh Family Hall of Architecture and the?Ryan Rare Book Room (RRBR). Thank you to Jennifer Parker, Whitney Mondschein, Samantha Salden, and John Mellor for explaining the school’s ethos and mission of design excellence, beauty, and justice in the context of classical architecture and answering all things related to historic preservation, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) , and AXP hours. I also want to give a heartfelt shout-out to my fellow architecture cohort members—Zaareen Hrideeta, Jared A. Mullins, and Rocco Graziano. Hearing about your unique paths in architecture/engineering resonated with me, and I wish you all the best in your endeavors. I also had the privilege of hearing the stories and connecting with exceptional students from various institutions nationwide: Yuxuan Xu, Jessica Goncalves, Mateo Gomez Bedoya, Daniella Cristando, and Jaydyn Callender. Lastly, I also want to acknowledge everyone involved in making the Our Futures program a reality, the hospitality provided by the staff at the Morris Inn, and the transportation arrangements. A special thanks to Jamila Lee-Johnson, PhD, whose initiative and coordination brought us together to partake in this fantastic event.

In January I was excited to spend two weeks in Scotland exploring beautiful public libraries. Many thanks to Notre Dame School of Architecture and to Notre Dame de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture for their generous support of my research. I am keen to put the lessons I learnt from these beautiful stone buildings into practice as I begin my Masters Thesis and the final semester of my study in the United States!

The risk of heat-related death and illness disproportionately affects lower-income individuals. But researchers at the University of Notre Dame are responding to this reality with advanced computational technology and strong community partnerships. With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the BUILT2AFFORD initiative uses data and analytics to lower energy costs and improve living conditions —?starting in South Bend. “Our infrastructure, including our housing, is not built for excessive heat,“ said Ming Hu, who leads the research team and also serves as the associate dean for research, scholarship, and creative work in the Notre Dame School of Architecture. “Our energy grid is not built to accommodate higher peak load during the summertime. So what we’re worried about is the domino effect. If the grid goes out, there’s no cooling in those houses. What happens if that lasts a couple of weeks? Where do people go?” In responding to these questions, the team aims to develop, test and validate a tool that uses machine learning and Google Street View to identify housing units suitable for low-cost passive retrofits — things such as improved insulation and air sealing, new windows, upgraded ventilation systems, and exterior shading. Hu works with expert collaborators, including Chaoli Wang, Matthew Sisk of the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society, and Eugenio Acosta, alongside faculty from Notre Dame's Center for Broader Impacts. As a critical part of the process, BUILT2AFFORD is partnering with the City of South Bend, the Near Northwest Neighborhood, South Bend Heritage Foundation and Oldtown Capital Partners to target single-family homes and apartment buildings downtown and on the city’s near northwest side. https://lnkd.in/eVmNVwCP

While most architecture students are packing up to return to South Bend, half of our graduate students are packing their passports for Rome! Buon viaggio. Looking to experience architecture on a global scale? Submit your application for our graduate programs by January 16, 2025. Notre Dame Global https://lnkd.in/eqdX7S6

Due to poor and outdated housing infrastructure and lack of material resources, lower-income individuals are less prepared than those with higher incomes to weather the coming climate crisis — in particular, the increasing risk of heat-related death and illness from longer and hotter summers and more severe heat waves. But with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), researchers at the University of Notre Dame — including?Ming Hu, associate professor of architecture;?Chaoli Wang, professor of computer science and engineering;?Matthew Sisk, associate professor of the practice of data science; and?Eugenio Acosta, senior associate director of the?Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate?— are using data and analytics to lower energy costs and improve living conditions for those living in older, less efficient homes, starting in South Bend. Read the entire article below.

The 2024 Richard H. Driehaus jury convened in Albuquerque, New Mexico to deliberate the next set of laureates for the Driehaus Prize and the Henry Hope Reed Award. After a full day of lively discussion, with the southwest desert as the backdrop and in a meeting room of the Historic Los Poblanos Inn and Farm, designed and built by John Gaw Meem — with the Inn’s latest expansion earning a Michelin key — we have a decision for both awards! Stay tuned for our upcoming announcement on the 2025 laureates. Professor Chris Wilson hosted the jury for a tour of downtown Albuquerque, Santa Fe and John Gaw Meem’s home, plus an incredibly special visit to the Kewa (Santo Domingo) Pueblo to learn about the traditional adobe building methods that the Pueblo nation here is ensuring are passed onto future generations. We look forward to sharing with you the laureate’s achievements that led to the Richard H. Driehaus Prize at the University of Notre Dame and the Henry Hope Reed Award honors.

The University of Notre Dame School of Architecture is seeking a Tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor in Environmental Systems. This role offers a unique opportunity to teach architectural technology courses across levels, integrate environmental systems into design, and engage with pressing global challenges such as climate change, social justice, and sustainable urbanism. The ideal candidate will demonstrate accomplishments in building systems design, technology innovation, and/or construction methods, with a commitment to fostering equity and diversity in the built environment. Join our mission to restore reason, beauty, and trust in architecture.

We are thrilled to share our latest paper, " Decoding Carbon Footprints: How U.S. Climate Zones Shape Building Emissions," published in?Climate [Read the full text here, open access] https://lnkd.in/gNZYnvKK. MDPI ?? Huge kudos to my amazing Ph.D. student, Ali Nouri, for leading this important work! ?? How can building design fight climate change? Our research decodes the carbon footprint of construction across U.S. climate zones: ?? Cold Climates and Higher Embodied Carbon: Buildings in colder climates emit more embodied carbon due to greater insulation needs for walls and roofs. ?? Carbon Culprits: Exterior walls, roofs, and foundations contribute the most to embodied carbon, with roofs seeing the biggest increases in cold zones. ?? Design Matters: Strategic choices like window-to-wall ratios and materials can drastically impact embodied carbon, tailored to climate zones. ?? Hopefully, this work will shed light on how smarter design and material choices can significantly cut embodied carbon, paving the way for greener, more sustainable building practices globally. #Sustainability #ClimateAction #BuildingDesign @Notre Dame School of Architecture

CNU President Mallory Baches will join Stefanos Polyzoides, one of the founders of CNU, for a keynote lecture on 12/16 in San Juan, PR. The lecture will focus on the design and revitalization of urban centers as an alternative to the suburban expansion of our cities. Register now: https://lnkd.in/epcyrqNT Moule & Polyzoides Architects and Urbanists Notre Dame School of Architecture

Powerful Means Alumnus Advances Global Dialogue on Sustainable Design! Matthew Espeland (‘24) received a Powerful Means Initiative Student Impact Grant to travel abroad this fall to present at the 61st International Making Cities Livable Conference in Cortona, Italy. Matthew had the opportunity to present his senior thesis (see below) through the Notre Dame School of Architecture on “A Proposed School for Traditional Building Arts & Crafts in Kalongo, Uganda” (currently published in The Journal for Traditional Building, Architecture, and Urbanism (Issue No. 5)). Here, Matthew shared his work (inspired by Saint Bakhita's Vocational Training Center) in integrating traditional Ugandan architecture with modern urban ideas, developed through his multiple trips to Kalongo to assist in the design and development of the Saint Bakhita restaurant and Early Childhood Development Center. Matthew’s presentation emphasized alignment with global perspectives on sustainable urbanism and city development. Reflecting on his growth into the world of sustainable architecture and urban design, Matthew noted, “I am excited to carry forward the passion sparked by this experience into my professional career, with the hope of contributing to the creation of cities and buildings that honor both cultural heritage and sustainable development goals.”