Brian Holland
Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas
Founder, Open Set
Architecture and Social Change: Shaping an Impactful Practice
Despite recent political shifts in the U.S. and beyond, the desire to practice architecture in a socially responsive and impactful way now appears to be increasingly widespread. As a result, the urgent question facing architects now is no longer whether they should do so, but rather how they should do it. In speaking about his book, Architecture and Social Change: Shaping an Impactful Practice (Routledge, 2025), Holland will share insights garnered from his interviews with fifteen contemporary architects who are creatively leveraging their expertise for the greater good. Drawing from the book’s many case studies, he will highlight the architect’s role in creating innovative initiatives to address unmet needs and in partnering with and empowering underserved communities. In posing fundamental questions about the nature of the architect’s agency in society, Holland will highlight the challenges and opportunities of shaping an impactful architectural practice that is dedicated to the pursuit of social change.
