There are two movements within every transformation: the ending of something that no longer serves, and the emergence of something not yet fully formed. Across natural systems we see this cycle continuously — decay makes way for growth; compost becomes garden. Death, in this sense, is not merely loss. It is transition.

— Justin Den Herder, Vice President and Principal, TYLin

The way we design our built environment is increasingly integrating AI, machine learning, and data-driven workflows. How can the design professions navigate this transformation with discernment and care? Explore what assumptions, systems, and habits may need to end in order to create a more generative, just, and resilient future.

Join built environment experts in an open debate, exploring questions like:

What practices are no longer serving the public good?
What professional habits are rooted in scarcity, speed, or spectacle rather than care?
What forms of authorship, hierarchy, or labor structure may be reaching their limits?
What should we preserve, and what are we prepared to release?

EVENT SCHEDULE

6 pm: Doors open
6:30 pm: Intro remarks by Justin Den Herder, TYLin
6:40 pm: PechaKucha-style presentations by Dave Bennik, Building Deconstruction Institute; Joe Brennan, KPF; Carl Damas, Perkins&Will; and Austin Wade Smith, Regen Foundation
7:15–8 pm: Group discussion and debate

A Zoom/Virtual option is available: Please use the following link to join us from anywhere in the world, or if you are not able to attend in person in Brooklyn.

https://vanalen-org.zoom.us/j/89754769148

This event is organized by Justin Den Herder as part of Van Alen Vanguard, a cohort of rising professionals reimagining cities, public space, and designers' roles in civic life. Learn more at vanalen.org/vanguard.

Death: A Salon on Ethics of Technology