LTU_CoAD

LTU_CoAD Lawrence Technological University College of Architecture and Design (LTU_CoAD), located in Southfield, Michigan offers 13 degrees programs.

The College of Architecture and Design is dedicated to a pedagogy of “theory and practice”, the original motto of Lawrence Technological University. We advocate not one or the other, but both, integrated and coherent. Correspondingly, CoAD offers students insight into grounded design practice, crafted so that our students might enter thoughtfully into current modes of practice and, when appropriat

e, expand the conversations so that the practices of architecture and design might be more innovative, inclusive, and democratic. We endorse the idea of expanded practice, a “multi-disciplinary” approach to design that includes community-based activities as well as an emphasis upon immersive international experiences. And we promote the notion of advancing practice, design practice and ideas that enable us, as a culture, to make lives better. At the College of Architecture and Design, this idea has reinforced our conviction that technology is a human endeavor and a reflection of people at their best.

LTU CoAD’s Director of Interior Design and Assistant Professor of Practice Sophie Yan and adjunct faculty Valeria de Jon...
09/01/2026

LTU CoAD’s Director of Interior Design and Assistant Professor of Practice Sophie Yan and adjunct faculty Valeria de Jongh co-curated Wild.Form, a new democratic design initiative. This event brings together a curated cohort of designers and artists for "Domestic Survival," an inaugural exhibition and publication launching during Detroit Month of Design. Opening September 11, 2026, at Floyd HQ, the project invites designers and artists to develop original furniture and objects for the home that can be relatively easy to build using accessible tools and materials.

Wild.Form exists as a response to high-priced luxury design and the cycle of cheap, disposable furniture. This exhibition offers durable, low-cost alternatives that are easy to build, adapt, repair, or break down when it's time to pack up.

Included in this exhibition are LTU alumni, Alessandro Pagura, Industrial Design ‘21 and Brendan Seyka, BFA Graphic Design ‘19 plus LTU adjunct Ryan Kahen and LTU Build Lab Manager Jason Kehdi

Free and open to the public. Register: https://buff.ly/KMfi0bF

Lawrence Technological University’s College of Architecture and Design (CoAD) will showcase its award-winning Product De...
08/31/2026

Lawrence Technological University’s College of Architecture and Design (CoAD) will showcase its award-winning Product Design student work at Friday’s at the Station in the iconic Grand Hall of Michigan Central Station.

The exhibition features the groundbreaking body of work that earned LTU Product Design the 2026 ICFF WANTED “Best of Schools” Award at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair. In collaboration with Design Declassified and supported by the CentrepolisAccelerator, LTU Product Design students transformed the company’s 100% recycled HDPE sheets—sourced from materials such as discarded milk crates—into a sophisticated collection of furnishings that demonstrates creativity, material exploration, and sustainable design.

The exhibition will be open to the public on Friday, September 11, from 6–10 p.m. in the Grand Hall of Michigan Central Station, located at 2001 15th St., Detroit.

REGISTER: https://buff.ly/Ew7bF8j

The Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA) selected LTU'S College of Architecture and Design to ...
08/28/2026

The Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA) selected LTU'S College of Architecture and Design to host this year’s international Conference. The pillars of our college: design, technology and practice. are the very concepts ACADIA will explore Humanism Recoded, the theme of the conference. We're delighted to serve as the catalyst for this international exchange of ideas at the forefront of computational design and advanced fabrication.

Workshop 13-Neuroscience for Architecture: Behavioral Modeling, Sound, and AI in Architecture

Organizer: Dr. Kristine Mun, Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture

Lecturers:
Dr. David Kirsh, University of California, San Diego (Cognitive Science)
Dr. Michela Turrin, TU Delft, Faculty of Architecture, Digital Technologies

Technical Workshop Leaders:
ArKar Hein, (M.S. Neuroscience, M.Arch.) Columbia University
Sofia Boarino, (Researcher & Architect/Artist)
Dr. Michela Turrin & Antonia Sattler (TU Delft) with Feras Alsaggaf (PhD candidate), Bart Mispelblom Beyer (Tangram) and Michaël Vrijhof (New Earth ONE), among others.

Technical Assistant:
Vishwa Bhatt, Design Consultant (M.S Human Computer Interaction)

This program brings together neuroscience, cognitive science, and computational design around a shared question: how do empirical findings on cognition and perception translate into methods that architecture can use? The workshop is comprised in 2 parts - 2 lectures and 3 practical workshops: the morning sessions are lectures presented by leading experts establishing some of the theoretical foundations in this field; the afternoon sessions are practical workshops from three distinct directions: agent-based modeling of spatial cognition, sound as an underexamined register of environmental perception, and AI-supported computational pipelines for capturing soft values in design. Each workshop track produces a short collective output, presented to the ACADIA conference at the end of the day.

This workshop limits 75 people. The lecture portion will be attended by the entire group. For the workshop sessions, we will divide into 3 groups (25 people max). The workshops will be recorded so everyone will be able to view the workshops they could not attend.

Duration: 1 Day

Location: Online

Tickets: https://buff.ly/9tA18KB
Check out the website to see a full list of workshops and more info.



Each session offers hands-on opportunities to engage tools, workflows, and fabrication

During Detroit Month of Design 2026, LTU’s Assistant Professor of Architecture Quan Thai will be part of an important de...
08/27/2026

During Detroit Month of Design 2026, LTU’s Assistant Professor of Architecture Quan Thai will be part of an important design conversation titled, Global Diasporas, Local Design Culture: City of Design Conversation Series on Multi-National Creative Experiences.

On Sep 04, 2026 from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM at River Trail - Little Village in Detroit, artists, architects and designers with multi-national backgrounds and experiences will talk about how design and creativity comes from embracing a mix of cultures and backgrounds while remaining rooted in local communities.

REGISTER: https://buff.ly/idzTzha

ACADIA 2026 provides Lawrence Technological University with a unique opportunity to host an international community of a...
08/27/2026

ACADIA 2026 provides Lawrence Technological University with a unique opportunity to host an international community of architects, designers, researchers, educators, and technologists working at the forefront of computational design and emerging technologies. With events taking place both on LTU’s campus and at the Hudson’s site in downtown Detroit, the conference connects the university directly to the world’s broader architectural, design, technology, and industry communities. This dual setting places LTU at the center of conversations spanning artificial intelligence, digital fabrication, robotics, computation, advanced manufacturing, and new modes of architectural practice.

Workshop 12-Neuro-Ornament: Generative Facades and Neurophysiological Feedback in Computational Design

Workshop Team:
Ali Ghomi, HKS LINE
Yoana Taseva, HKS LINE
Jon Bailey, HKS LINE
James Rounds, HKS, Cornell University
Upali Nanda, HKS, University of Michigan

This workshop explores how neurophysiological feedback can inform architectural form through computational design. Building on research in neuroarchitecture, it considers geometry not only as a formal or aesthetic construct, but as information perceived and processed by the nervous system. Participants will develop a voxelized facade system, defining geometric rules, aggregation logic, and computational behaviors across multiple scales. Using algorithmic design tools, they will generate families of modules that vary in complexity, hierarchy, repetition, scale, and visual organization, then deploy them within immersive virtual environments.

EEG-based sensing will be used to investigate how these geometric conditions influence attention, cognitive load, and perceptual engagement. Rather than treating neurophysiological response solely as a post-occupancy evaluation metric, the workshop positions it as a potential generative input for design. The workshop links computational rulemaking, immersive simulation, and human-centered measurement, extending ongoing research initiated at the NeuroSpatial Lab at HKS with support from the Pedersen Foundation.

Duration : 3 Days
Location: In Person

Tickets: https://buff.ly/9tA18KB
Check out the website to see a full list of workshops and more info.

The Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA) selected LTU'S College of Architecture and Design to ...
08/26/2026

The Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA) selected LTU'S College of Architecture and Design to host this year’s international Conference. The pillars of our college: design, technology and practice. are the very concepts ACADIA will explore Humanism Recoded, the theme of the conference.

Hosting ACADIA 2026 brings global leaders in computational design to CoAD and creates an extraordinary learning and research platform for our students, faculty, and partners.

Workshop 11 - Growing Facades: Large Format Robotic Clay Printing for Bio-Integrated Architecture

Workshop Team:
Rachael Henry, University of Michigan
Nick LiCausi, Tulane School of Architecture and Built Environment
Oliver Perry, Newcastle University School of Architecture
Dan Batty, Newcastle University

Workshop Consultants:
Tsz Yan Ng, University of Michigan
Adam Marcus, Tulane School of Architecture and Built Environment
Jane Scott, Newcastle University School of Architecture

Programming Support:
Wes McGee, University of Michigan

This workshop explores large-format 3D printing of bioreceptive ceramic building components, integrating biomaterials, material research, and robotic fabrication. Participants will learn clay composite preparation, biotech applications for the built environment, extrusion workflows, and methods for evaluating printability and biological growth.

A remote Zoom session on October 10 will introduce custom Grasshopper toolpathing scripts, including surface geometry, texture, and infill strategies. Participants will then develop proposals for full-scale prototypes.

During the in-person ACADIA workshop at the University of Michigan FABLab, attendees will work in pairs using a KR120 robotic arm with a custom clay extrusion system. They will prepare and print ceramic modules, develop surfaces for algae incorporation, and calibrate environmental conditions to support growth. Accelerated drying will allow printed components to be displayed by the conference’s end at LTU. Fabricated elements will then be installed and monitored as test substrates for ongoing evaluation of material performance and bioreceptivity over time.

Duration : 3 Days
Location: In Person

Tickets: https://buff.ly/9tA18KB
Check out the website to see a full list of workshops and more info.

CoAD congratulations goes out to LTU Director of Interior Design and Assistant Professor of Practice Sophie Yan for lead...
08/25/2026

CoAD congratulations goes out to LTU Director of Interior Design and Assistant Professor of Practice Sophie Yan for leading the interior design portion of END Studio's Pineview Residence which won the AIA Detroit Single Family Residential Award.

Learn more and view all winners here: https://buff.ly/IvPxcvj

Rooted in Detroit, a city world-renowned for exceptional architecture and design, LTU actively continues that legacy as ...
08/25/2026

Rooted in Detroit, a city world-renowned for exceptional architecture and design, LTU actively continues that legacy as the proud steward of Frank Lloyd Wright’s historic Affleck House and the treasure-filled Albert Kahn Library. CoAD is proud to host this year’s Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA) Conference, October 22-24, a testament to the quality of the architecture and design programs at LTU.

LTU faculty members Karl Daubman, FAIA, FAAR, former Dean of CoAD, Interim Provost, and University Distinguished Professor; Lee-Su Huang; Sara Codarin, PhD; Teng Teng, PhD, also an ACADIA board member; Gretchen Wilkins, PhD; Masataka Yoshikawa; Quan Thai; and Carla Diana serve as organizers and scientific committee members at ACADIA 2026.

Workshop 10 - Abundant Intelligence: Guidance and curation of ai generated computational co-design

Instructors: Moritz Rietschel (Cofounder Raven), Magnus Huber (RAVEN)

The explosive development of agentic systems in design has led to an abundance of production, first in visual media and now in computational logic and modeling as well. This shifts the value proposition of design from the act of production to the act of curation, while at the same time raising unsolved issues of authorship, regression to the mean, and what it means to do thorough work.

In this workshop, we will engage with a cutting edge ai system for computational design, Raven, to explore the current state and future evolution of computational design practise. We will learn to engage with and critically examine AI generated output, and learn how to leverage the endless possibilities in service of design projects while protecting the authorship control and liabilities of the design profession.

Duration: 1 Day
Location: Online
Tickets: https://buff.ly/9tA18KB
Check out the website to see a full list of workshops and more info.

CoAD congratulations goes out to LTU alumna Saundra Little, FAIA, LEED AP, NOMA, BSAr'94, MAr'98, a principal and direct...
08/24/2026

CoAD congratulations goes out to LTU alumna Saundra Little, FAIA, LEED AP, NOMA, BSAr'94, MAr'98, a principal and director of diversity and inclusion with Quinn Evans for being this year's AIA Detroit Gold Medal Award recipient. Saundra is an accomplished architect and dedicated advocate for revitalizing the urban realm. With expertise in developing assessments and implementing innovative yet practical design strategies, she assists clients in transforming buildings, enhancing property values, and revitalizing aging communities.

Learn more: https://buff.ly/mLEI746

The Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture selected Lawrence Tech as the host of this year’s important in...
08/24/2026

The Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture selected Lawrence Tech as the host of this year’s important international conference. From October 22-24, workshops and sessions will be held on our Southfield campus and at the newly constructed Hudson's Detroit

Extending the conference into downtown Detroit and the Hudson’s site creates an important bridge between academic research and professional practice. Detroit’s histories of architecture, manufacturing, material innovation, and technological reinvention provide a particularly relevant context for ACADIA, while the downtown venue brings the conference into closer dialogue with architecture and design firms, technology companies, fabricators, industry partners, and the broader Michigan professional community. Together, the LTU and Detroit venues reinforce the conference as not only an academic gathering, but as a platform for exchange among education, research, industry, and practice.

Workshop 9 - Recoding Spatial Narratives: Real-Time AI Workflows & Interactive Viz in D5

D5 Render

As computational workflows, algorithmic design, and AI-assisted tools become increasingly embedded in architectural practice, a gap has emerged between complex digital models and human-centered spatial experience. This workshop explores how real-time 3D environments can transform architectural representation from passive viewing into participatory experience. Using LiveSync and D5 Lite, participants will integrate algorithmic modeling, generative AI, interactive state-switching, and immersive VR within a continuous visualization workflow. They will connect design models to responsive environments and explore AI as a creative collaborator for interpreting cultural, ecological, and spatial narratives.

Participants will create interactive presentations and stereoscopic VR experiences, using custom 3D triggers to control environmental, material, and seasonal conditions. A conceptual demonstration of Arco, D5’s upcoming rendering architecture, will highlight future workflow possibilities.

By the end, participants will produce a multi-state digital environment and gain practical skills in AI-assisted visualization, real-time synchronization, immersive presentation, and participatory design communication for architectural practice today.

Duration: 1/2 Day
Location: Online
Register: https://buff.ly/9tA18KB
Check out the website for a full list of workshops and more info.

Address

21000 W 10 Mile Road
Southfield, MI
48075

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