Design | Penn Today

A Progressive-era architect gets her due

An exhibition at the Fisher Fine Arts Library by alumna Molly Lester and William Whitaker of the Weitzman School of Design celebrates Minerva Parker Nichols, the first American woman to practice architecture independently.

Laurie Olin and a student in Woodland Cemetery, with drawing supplies.

Laurie Olin: Drawing on nature

The famed landscape architect teaches final-semester Weitzman School of Design students the art of sketching.

Penn exhibition surfaces the story of Minerva Parker Nichols, the first American woman to have an independent architecture practice

A profile highlights an exhibition at the Architectural Archives of the Weitzman School of Design about Minerva Parker Nichols, the first American woman to practice architecture independently.

More is more: Reimagining relics of the gilded age

In discussing Philadelphia’s Lynnewood Hall mansion, Aaron Wunsch of the Weitzman School of Design says that reactionary simplification doesn’t do justice to its historical context or the possibility for creative imagination.

Tensile test for welding procedure. It, also known as tension testing, is a fundamental materials science and engineering test in which a sample is subjected to a controlled tension until failure

Repairing fractured metals for more sustainable construction

Mining, refining, and processing metals commonly used in construction are estimated to contribute around three billion tons of CO2-equivalent emissions. Now, researchers have developed a new metal-healing technique that fully restores previously unrepairable metals, presenting sustainable options for manufacturers.

The forgotten story of America’s first female architect

Molly Lester of the Weitzman School of Design and William Whitaker of the Architectural Archives discuss a new exhibition dedicated to Minerva Parker Nichols, the first woman to establish an independent architectural practice in the U.S.

Congratulations, you’re the owner of a house by Minerva Parker Nichols

Molly Lester of the Weitzman School of Design discusses the impact of Minerva Parker Nichols, the first woman to practice architecture independently in the U.S.

Sonja Dumpelmann on the staircase leading down to the Schuylkill River Trail

Sonja Dümpelmann on designing nature

Sonja Dümpelmann, professor of landscape architecture, explores ‘the reciprocal relationship’ between humans and their environments.

Want to tackle gun violence? Think about trees

Research by Eugenia C. South of the Perelman School of Medicine, John MacDonald of the School of Arts & Sciences, and Vincent Reina of the Weitzman School of Design shows that fixing up dilapidated homes in low-income Philadelphia neighborhoods is an effective way to prevent shootings.

From left: Lon Henderson, U.S. Forest Service; Weitzman students Ari Vamos, Vyusti Agarwalla, Jiajing Dai, Caz Gagne, and Oliver Atwood.

Designing for, and with, forests

Nicholas Pevzner, assistant professor of landscape architecture at the Weitzman School of Design, is leading a landscape architecture studio that focuses on forest management in the American West.

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