Founders Architecture Talk: Creative Visions Inspired by the Landscape

This ‘Archtober’, four founders — Francine Houben (Mecanoo), Dorte Mandrup (Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter), Sharon Prince (Grace Farms, Grace Farms Tea & Coffee), and Julia Gamolina (Madame Architect) share dynamic perspectives to inspire greater connection with our irreplaceable planet and people through architecture. Moderated by Julia Gamolina, Editor-in-Chief at Madame Architect, the panel will explore visual examples of materiality, sustainability, and the diverse beauty of our global landscape, set at peak fall foliage at Grace Farms.

Hear Dorte Mandrup describe the way she designed the Ilulissat Icefjord Centre, a climate visitor center on Greenland’s rugged coastal landscape, with a lightweight form akin to “a snowy owl’s flight through the landscape,” with spaces beneath the building for wildlife habitat.

Learn about Francine Houben‘s approach to designing Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi in the Saadiyat Cultural District, which resonates with natural rock formations, reflecting the museum’s goal of improving understanding of and engagement with the natural world.

And hear Sharon Prince describe how Grace Farms becomes part of the landscape and her approach to creating a building that becomes part of a local and global context for 100 years and more. Learn about projects Prince is spearheading through Design for Freedom research and Pilot Projects that embed values of human dignity into space.

At Grace Farms, this dialogue about the way space communicates continues year-round through architecture programming that invites deeper engagement, including an upcoming documentary film, weekly Architecture Tours of the River building and Barns, school tours by our Education Team, and the annual Design for Freedom Summit, which brings together industry leaders to address forced labor in the building materials supply chain, next held on March 31, 2027.

Approved for 1 AIA LU | HSW and 1 SARA CEU.