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Kansas State's College of Architecture, Planning and Design Fall events feature Guy Nordenson, Laurie Olin, and Jenny Myers

2024-09-16T14:48:00-04:00

The Kansas State University College of Architecture, Planning & Design has shared their plans for the 2024 Fall semester as part of our ongoing event highlight at Archinect Partner Schools.

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the college’s Ekdahl Lecture Series. K-State shares: “The Ekdahl Lecture Series, named in honor of the distinguished architect Oscar S. Ekdahl, continues to serve as a forum for students, professionals, and the public to explore innovative ideas that address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.”

The schedule begins with an October 23rd twin bill. Landscape architect Laurie Olin will speak first at 10:00 am, followed later that day by remarks from RIOS design director Jenny Myers at 4:30 pm. Guy Nordenson’s lecture on climate adaptation will follow the next day (October 24th) at 10:30 am, followed by a panel discussion on the future of the profession and reception at 4:30 pm.

Guy Nordenson. Related interview on Archinect: A Conversation with Guy Nor...

Manica Architecture debuts new NFL stadium proposal for potential Kansas City Chiefs relocation

2024-05-01T17:17:00-04:00

Manica Architecture has released renderings related to a late bid to lure the Kansas City Chiefs NFL franchise across the state border to Wyandotte County, Kansas. The design has been made public for the first time a week after the firm’s plans for a new Bears lakefront stadium in Chicago were panned by critics.

Rendering courtesy Manica Architecture

The proposed new dome-enclosed stadium was presented to Kansas lawmakers this week as part of a pitch to bring its first-ever major American sports franchise to the Jayhawk state in addition to potentially hosting the NCAA Final Four and concert tours, according to architect David Manica's recent statements to local outlets.

Rendering courtesy Manica Architecture

The repeat Super Bowl champions released a separate proposal for an $800 million renovation in Kansas City led by Populous in February. Its neighbor Kauffman Field (home to the Royals MLB franchise) is also weighing the costs of renovating its classic midcentury design over buil...

Multistudio begins work on special infill housing project designed with the help of local schoolchildren

2023-08-31T12:12:00-04:00

Multistudio has broken ground on a noteworthy new four-residence supportive housing project in Lawrence, Kansas, which they say is evocative of their goal of pushing the limits of what’s possible within their community and the industry as a whole.

The project involved collaborating with clients of the nonprofit Tenants to Homeowners and two classes of local elementary school students from the Limestone Community School who sourced materials for the construction with help from the Parsons School of Design.

Image: © Multistudio

The project was enacted to create infill housing on a lot connected to an adjacent bike loop. The first home design features two bedrooms and an open-concept kitchen and living area in addition to a covered patio and bathroom that can be used as an emergency shelter in the event of a tornado. A solution involving a pair of donated solar panels that helped to make the home’s functioning all-electric is likely to be enacted later. Further donations to the project...

University of Kansas details multipronged campus gateway project with HNTB and Multistudio

2023-08-16T16:43:00-04:00

HNTB and Multistudio have released details for a planned campus gateway district and athletics complex upgrades at the University of Kansas’ main flagship location in Lawrence.

The project will cover the school’s existing 102-year-old David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium and provide updated amenities to the adjacent Anderson Family Football Complex while creating a dynamic new mixed-use district at the intersections of 11th and Mississippi Streets. Architects and school officials are both hoping it will help the Big 12 school become an athletic powerhouse while boosting the regional economy.

Image: © HNTB + Multistudio

“The corner of 11th & Mississippi will forever transform this part of campus and provide a memorable experience for visitors entering the KU campus,” Gerardo Prado, Vice President and National Sports Practice Leader for HNTB, said in a news announcement. “These types of transformational projects and vision is what drives us towards excellence in the delivery of our desi...

University of Kansas appoints BIG to reimagine its school of architecture

2023-03-10T10:44:00-05:00

The University of Kansas’ School of Architecture and Design has appointed Bjarke Ingels Group to design a new multidisciplinary design school. BIG’s commission, which includes space planning, programming, and concept design, seeks to establish a “redesigned home for the school that respects the established character of the site while also being optimized for innovative teaching and research.”

The school’s expansion follows a decade of increasing enrolment numbers and an expanded program offering. While details of BIG’s proposal have not yet been announced, the school suggests that BIG’s plan will involve an engagement with the school’s existing facilities on Jayhawk Boulevard.

"For an architect, each project is kicked off with a crash course seeking to educate ourselves in an entirely new field, because we rarely design for other ar...

Gould Evans receives 6th Chicago Athenaeum Award with adaptive reuse library project

2021-11-15T15:21:00-05:00

Gould Evans is no stranger to executing award-winning library and community-focused projects as a nationally recognized architecture and design firm. From the expansion of the 1970's Brutalist-style Lawrence Public Library to the renovations of New Orleans Public Libraries, the team at Gould Evans just added another prize-winning library project to their portfolio, the Olathe Indian Creek Public Library.

The building has received accolades like the Honor Award by AIA Kansas City for its concept of developing a hub for "community and content creation — instead of only content consumption." On November 4, it was announced that the firm received its 6th Chicago Athenaeum Award for the Kansas-based project. The institution's American Architectural Awards program highlights new and "cutting-edge" design projects within the United States.

Image © Michael Robinson/Courtesy of Gould Evans

The firm's Associate Principal Sean Zaudke shared: "Libraries of today are no longer about books or ma...

Get Lectured: The University of Kansas, Fall '20

2020-10-30T17:57:00-04:00

For the Fall The University of Kansas' School of Architecture & Design collaborated with the school's Institute for Health + Wellness Design to develop a series of lectures addressing health care design.

Archinect's ongoing Get Lectured series features each school's lecture series and their graphic design prowess with graphic lecture posters.

Want to share your school's lecture series? Send us your lecture series poster and details to connect@archinect.com.

Their "Grand Rounds" lecture series dives into healthcare design during and after the current Covid-19 pandemic. KU Associate Professor of Architecture Keith Van de Riet shares, "Amid the pandemic, this timely lecture series brings academic and industry leaders currently navigating the technological, social and environmental factors that are forever changing architectural research and practice,

Broken into three discussions the first round of lectures took place on Sept 10th focusing on Covid/Care/Community. Speakers such as Ra...

University of Kansas alumnus launches architecture scholarship for students from rural areas

2016-01-12T17:51:00-05:00

[University of Kansas alumnus + architect Michael Cummings] and his wife have donated $1.6 million to establish the Michael A. Cummings Scholarship for architecture students at KU, with a preference for those from rural communities...'I’m hoping this scholarship will help some people who will have a similar experience to what I have had, which is to find a career that wasn’t on their radar and from there to end up with a wonderful and fulfilling career.'

Read the University of Kansas' full press statement here.

Mahesh Daas named as new KU architecture dean

2015-03-23T15:53:00-04:00

Kansas University has hired a new dean for the School of Architecture, Design and Planning. Mahesh Daas, professor and chairman of the Department of Architecture at Ball State University, will start the job June 15, KU announced Monday. Daas will succeed Dean John Gaunt, who has led the school more than 20 years. Daas is known for innovation in design computing, architectural robotics, design thinking, innovation methods and management, according to KU.

Previously: University of Kansas architecture dean John Gaunt stepping down after 20 years

Five design teams vie to build a pavilion for Nelson-Atkins

2012-01-20T11:46:00-05:00

Proposals by five teams of architects and designers have been named finalists in a competition to build a temporary pavilion on the grounds of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

Contending for the Nelson-Atkins project are four local teams and one from elsewhere. The finalists:

“Ex3,” by Hufft Projects, a Kansas City architectural firm; with furniture maker Edwin Blue; Derek Porter Studio (lighting consultant); and artist Lea Griggs.
“Sun Pavilion,” by Generator Studio of Kansas City, a firm headed by architect Tom Proebstle, with artist Tim Gratkowski, Brightergy Solar Solutions and engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti.
“Praxino-Scape,” by the Kansas City office of the global firm AECOM; with the video-production firm T2, builder Centric Projects, metal fabricator A. Zahner Co. and Brightergy Solar Solutions.
“Nimbus,” by Echomaterico, a small global firm with principals in New York, Italy, England and Mexico.
Untitled pavilion, by El Dorado Inc., of Kansas City with fabricators Design +Make Studio, Derek Porter Studio and the engineering firm of Burns & McDonnell.