The Florida International University School of Architecture had a strong presence at the 57th Annual Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA57) Conference, hosted by the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The conference, Embracing Regional Sustainability: Networks for People and Places, brought together scholars, practitioners, and educators to explore the intersection of design, research, and community. FIU School of Architecture faculty in the departments of Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Landscape Architecture + Environmental and Urban Design presented their research to an international audience.
Linda Chamorro, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture; Sara Valente, LEED AP, Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor of Architecture; and Rebecca Friedman, Ph.D., Professor and Director of FIU’s Public Humanities Lab, presented their interdisciplinary studio case study, “The Open Library: Reimagining Civic Space Through Interdisciplinary Design.”
Developed collaboratively by FIU’s Departments of Architecture and Landscape Architecture in partnership with the FIU Public Humanities Lab, The Open Library is an innovative interdisciplinary design studio and pedagogical framework that reimagines libraries as open, inclusive, and ecologically responsive civic spaces. Rather than viewing libraries as enclosed repositories of information, the Open Library challenged students to envision them as dynamic public platforms where cultural memory, community life, and the natural environment converge.
FIU’s Interior Architecture Department presented the ongoing work of its CoDEC Lab (Collaboratory for Design, Environment & Cognition), presenting research on Neurodiversity in the Workplace in collaboration with the Miami office of HOK, a global interdisciplinary design practice. The research team included Assistant Professor Sam Moshaver, Ph.D., who presented two papers, Adjunct Professor Tania Torrado, and industry partner Steven Burgos, NCIDQ, IIDA, Assoc. AIA, Principal at HOK Miami. Their work highlights the growing importance of evidence-based design strategies that create more inclusive and supportive workplace environments.
Finally, Marilys Nepomechie, FAIA, DPACSA, Professor and Associate Dean for Architecture, represented the FIU School of Architecture on a panel of higher education administrators titled “Toward Shared Metrics for Research Productivity in Design Schools.” The panel focused on identifying national best practices in tracking and assessing university scholarship and research productivity in such areas as architecture and the arts.
Beyond presenting research, EDRA57 provided valuable opportunities for professional development, interdisciplinary dialogue, and collaboration. Faculty reconnected with longtime colleagues, established new partnerships, and engaged in conversations that continue to shape the future of environmental design research.
FIU SOA’s participation at EDRA57 reflects the school’s continued leadership in design research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and scholarly engagement. The conference also served as a meaningful milestone as the FIU community looks ahead to continuing its contributions at the next EDRA conference, which will be hosted in Miami next June 2027.
