Pressing Matters 10

Already number TEN, Pressing Matters 10 is a special issue reflecting a year of reflection and change, after several waves of the pandemic, Black Lives Matter protests and newly developed hybrid teaching methods.

It follows last year’s Pressing Matters 9 that was completely rethought with the aim to present an Open Source publication that shares the Department of Architecture’s concept of design-research, an integral approach of critical thinking, rigorous research, and design, representing a deep understanding of the complex layers of architecture. Together with Jonathan Jackson & team of WSDIA, a more integral design was developed, allowing input from research [ARI labs], students, faculty and Penn’s special events.

This anniversary of Pressing Matters is celebrated by adding the 'decade' colour of silver to the usual recycled cardboard cover of Weitzman’s architecture publication. It also represents a year of new opportunities brought by a complete rethinking of education through the introduction of remote learning, zoom lectures and meetings. A much larger international group of diverse jurors, experts, and critics could be invited as travel was of no hindrance for attendance.

About the Authors

Part of an important research university, the University of Pennsylvania's Weitzman School of Design, as one of the top ten Graduate Architecture Departments in the USA, prepares students to address complex sociocultural and environmental issues through thoughtful inquiry, creative expression, and innovation. The Department of Architecture operates at the forefront of research and design by focusing on new design methodologies and future manufacturing through the interlinked intelligence of digital design, computational analyses, and robotics.

Winka Dubbeldam, MArch MS-AAD, is a seasoned academic and design leader, serving in her 8th year as Chair and Miller Professor of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design, where she has gathered an international network of innovative research and design professionals. She is currently the Creative director for the Venice Architecture Biennale's virtual Italian pavilion, and also serves as the External Examiner at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London (2019-present) and juror in several international competitions. Professor Dubbeldam was named one of the DesignIntelligence 30 Most Admired Educators [2015]. As the founder/principal of the WBE certified New York firm Archi-Tectonics, Dubbeldam is widely known for her award-winning work, recognized as much for its use of hybrid sustainable materials and smart building systems as for its elegance and innovative structures.