AIA Baltimore 2026 Lecture Series: Materialism

AIA Baltimore Lecture Series: Materialism

About this lecture

We seek to reclaim the term materialism—not as a symbol of empty consumerism, but as a meaningful practice: shaping our future through form and matter. For most of our history,  life adapted to the material world around us. That changed the moment we discovered tools, technology, and architecture. With them, we gained the power to shape the material world in service of the life we wanted to lead. Human history can be read as a story told through materials—each breakthrough marking a new chapter in our evolution. We named entire eras after the substances we learned to master: the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, the Silicon Age. Our ability to manipulate matter has been one of the most powerful forces driving civilization forward. In this spirit, we invite you on an odyssey through the material world, as seen through the works of BIG—from the permanence of solid rock to the invisible flow of electrons.

About Daniel Sundlin, SAA

Daniel Sundlin’s approach to design is anchored in holistic thinking, focusing on the synergies between community, economy, ecology, and sustainability. His design expertise spans various scales, from product design, interiors, and architecture to master planning. Daniel joined BIG Copenhagen in 2008, and in 2010, he opened BIG’s first office outside Denmark by establishing BIG New York. As a Partner at BIG, he has worked on The Height Public School in Arlington, Virginia; VIA 57 West in Manhattan; Wildflower Film Studios in New York City; and the sustainable Google Bay View campus in California. His work also extends to the urban scale, including the East Side Coastal Resiliency project (BIG U), a master plan to protect 10 miles of Manhattan’s coastline. His urban design projects span the globe, including Penang South Islands in Malaysia and OCEANIX Busan, a sustainable floating city prototype in collaboration with the United Nations. In addition to his professional work, Daniel is involved in academia as a guest critic at various universities and as an instructor at the New York Institute of Technology.

Learning Objectives: (HSW Pending) 

AIA, ASLA and NOMA members may register at a discounted rate.

*We are offering school students free admission! Please bring your school ID to show upon arrival