Pressing Matters 10

Already number TEN, Pressing Matters 10 is a special issue reflecting a year of reflection and change, after several waves of the pandemic, Black Lives Matter protests and newly developed hybrid teaching methods.

It follows last year’s Pressing Matters 9 that was completely rethought with the aim to present an Open Source publication that shares the Department of Architecture’s concept of design-research, an integral approach of critical thinking, rigorous research, and design, representing a deep understanding of the complex layers of architecture. Together with Jonathan Jackson & team of WSDIA, a more integral design was developed, allowing input from research [ARI labs], students, faculty and Penn’s special events.

This anniversary of Pressing Matters is celebrated by adding the ‘decade’ colour of silver to the usual recycled cardboard cover of Weitzman’s architecture publication. It also represents a year of new opportunities brought by a complete rethinking of education through the introduction of remote learning, zoom lectures and meetings. A much larger international group of diverse jurors, experts, and critics could be invited as travel was of no hindrance for attendance.