Presented by Daniel Kaven, AIA, William/Kaven Architecture
1 AIA LU|HSW

Daniel Kaven, architect and author of Architecture of Normal: The Colonization of the American Landscape (2022), argues that America's built environment has largely evolved in reaction to transportation advances rather than through intentional, human-centered design. Frontier expansion and a drive for speed have produced ubiquitous yet mundane forms: strip malls, big box stores, parking garages, motels, and tract housing that define "normal" architecture. With emerging technologies like drones, flying taxis, autonomous cars, and rockets poised to reshape cities, Kaven stresses the urgency of envisioning their impact before they dominate it. Drawing on his research, he proposes ways to better guide transportation systems toward creating more energy-efficient, socially connected urban environments.