NEWSLETTER - October 10, 2025

"IM/MATERIAL" 2025-2026 LECTURE SERIES

Join us on Monday, October 20^th, for the next event of our 2025-2026 lecture series titled "Im/Material."

Im/Material explores architecture’s capacity to engage both the tangible—matter, construction, tectonics—and the intangible—atmosphere, perception, memory, and cultural resonance.

Our next lecture, titled "GROUND UP," will be presented by ALEKSANDRA JAESCHKE at 3:30 PM CT in the GALLERY on the ground floor of the HCOA.

This lecture has been approved for AIA/CES credit and AIA Lubbock (Not AIAS) will offer 1.5 LU|HSW to AIA members who attend. AIA members participating in the lecture will need to fill out and submit a form to receive the AIA/CES credit for attending. The form can be found by clicking here. Please email rachel.roe@ttu.edu with any additional questions.

ALEKSANDRA JAESCHKE is an Associate Professor of Architecture at The University of Texas at Austin. She holds a Doctor of Design degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, an AA Diploma from the Architectural Association in London, and a professional license in Italy. For her work at AION, an architectural firm that she co-founded and co-directed, Aleksandra received the Europe 40 Under 40 Award for 2011 conferred by the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and the Chicago Athenaeum. She has also won the Harvard Graduate School of Design’s 2019 Wheelwright Prize and the 2021 Mark Cousins Theory Award from DigitalFUTURES. In 2021, Aleksandra curated the Plant Potential event series on human-plant relations and in the following year published The Greening of America’s Building Codes: Promises and Paradoxes based on her doctoral dissertation. Read more on Aleksandra Jaeschke...

Jaeschke's lecture and Q&A will be held in the Gallery on the ground floor of the Huckabee College of Architecture. The event will also be streamed live via the Zoom information below:

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.

When: October 20, 2025 (3:30 PM CT)

Topic: Im/Material

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://texastech.zoom.us/j/98440030102?pwd=MlZhVHBIKzRMdkpEemdBZmI4RHdjUT09 

Passcode: 665526

For any further inquiries, please contact Sr. Event Coordinator Rachel Roe at rachel.roe@ttu.edu.

Scholarships & Awards

M.S. Arch Students Recognized at National Historic Preservation Conference

Roozbeh Ayazi and Damoun Pezeshki, both M.S. in Architecture candidates in Historic Preservation, participated in the 2025 National Trust for Historic Preservation/National Council for Preservation Education annual conference in Milwaukee on September 19^th, along with their faculty advisor Associate Professor Dr. Mahyar Hadighi.

Roozbeh received the Diversity in Preservation Scholarship from the National Trust for Historic Preservation as well as a Student Scholarship from the National Council for Preservation Education for his research titled “Improving Digital Documentation in Historic Preservation: Addressing Challenges Through Laser Scanning.” His current thesis focuses on optimizing the digital documentation process by combining laser scanning, hand measurements, and photogrammetry.

Damoun received a Student Scholarship from the National Council for Preservation Education for his research titled “Hybrid AI Design for Reviving the Heritage of Downtown El Paso.” His current research investigates how different types of AI prompts and generative tools can reinterpret lost heritage, proposing new design solutions that balance preservation with contemporary needs. Damoun's work seeks to develop an adaptive design framework that uses AI not only as a visualization tool but also as a medium for understanding cultural memory and collective identity in historic architecture.

Upcoming Events

Student Success Hosts "A Day in the Life at HCOA" during Red Raider Family Weekend

The Huckabee College of Architecture (HCOA) Student Services Office will host "A Day in the Life at HCOA" during Red Raider Family Weekend on Friday, October 24^th, from 1:00 - 5:00 PM in the Gallery.

Student, family members, and friends of the college are invited to attend a lecture, participate in a hands-on mini studio project, and learn more about the opportunities available within the HCOA. There will be light refreshments available for attendees.

For additional information related to this event, please contact Unit Manager of Undergraduate Advising Amy Peterman at Amy.Peterman@ttu.edu for more information.

Conferences & Presentations

Dr. Asma Mehan Presents and Chairs at SESAH 2025

Assistant Professor Dr. Asma Mehan presented her paper, “Climate-Responsive Architecture in Appalachian Settlements,” at the Society of Architectural Historians Southeast Chapter (SESAH) 2025 Annual Conference in Asheville, North Carolina. Her paper was included in Session 5A: Changing Architecture for a Changing World.

Dr. Mehan also served as Session Chair for Session 7C: Meaning in Materials. The panel featured Tyler Swingle, who examined industrial brick as a cultural agent; Benjamin Ullrich, who explored contested Stone Mountain granite; and Kalpanee Jayatilleke, who traced the evolving symbolism of wood through the works of Kengo Kuma. The session highlighted how material choices shape architectural meaning, cultural narratives, and design philosophies.

SESAH is a regional organization spanning twelve states that promotes scholarship in architecture, preservation, and the built environment across the southeastern United States.

Featured right to left: Tyler Swingle, Benjamin Ullrich, Asma Mehan, Kalpanee Jayatilleke

Essays & Publications

Dr. Sina Mostafavi and Dr. Asma Mehan Co-Author Article on Resilient Housing

Associate Professor Dr. Sina Mostafavi, Director of Hi-DARS Lab, along with Assistant Professor Dr. Asma Mehan, Director of AHU_Lab, and Full Professor Dr. Ali Nejat, Director of CECREH, a HUD Center at the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering at Texas Tech, have co-authored an article published in Urban Planning, Vol. 10 (2025), a recognized Q1 journal, as part of the thematic issue Smart and Resilient Infrastructure in the Wake of Climate Change. The paper is the outcome of NSF-funded research and highlights the planning phase of the project through mapping and research-led teaching at the TTU Huckabee College of Architecture.

The essay, titled “Integrating Emerging Design-Build Technologies for Resilient Housing in the Navajo Nation,” addresses the integration of material adaptation and ecological responsiveness into resilient infrastructure, examining how sustainable technology, traditional Navajo design principles, and community voices intersect to generate resilient housing prototypes. The authors challenge dominant planning paradigms by centering local perspectives in design and evaluation, highlighting how technical innovation, material systems, and cultural integrity can be aligned to support climate-responsive housing.

To access the article, click here.

Upcoming Events

October 11^th, 2025

Raider Alley

Engineering Key - Texas Tech Campus

For additional assistance related to this event, please contact Sr. Event Coordinator Rachel Roe at rachel.roe@ttu.edu for more information.

Please refer to the instructions below for directions to the Tailgate.

Upcoming Events

Join the Huckabee College of Architecture for an Alumni Reception in conjunction with the Texas Society of Architects Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas!

CONNECT WITH FELLOW ALUMNI, SUPPORT THE COLLEGE, AND JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE DLA AWARD WINNERS FOR 2025!

THURSDAY | OCTOBER 30, 2025 | 6:30 – 8:00 PM CT

HILTON ANATOLE DALLAS | CARPENTER ROOM

2201 N STEMMONS FWY, DALLAS, TEXAS

Please be sure to bring your business cards for door prizes!

Essays & Publications

Alumnus Matt Garcia Highlights DLA Awards in Texas Architect

Alumnus Matt Garcia authored an article in Texas Architect magazine on the college’s Design Leadership Alliance (DLA) Awards program. The article discusses the achievements of Huckabee College of Architecture alumni, students, and supporters recognized through the program. The article also emphasizes the DLA’s ongoing role in encouraging alumni engagement and showcasing the leadership and professional impact of the HCOA community within the broader architectural field.

To read the article, click here.

In Memoriam

Fred Sharpe Alexander III, Class of 1967

HCOA Alumnus Fred Sharpe Alexander III passed away on Friday, July 18, 2025 at the age of 83.

Fred was born in Houston, Texas in 1941. During his sophomore year, Fred transferred to Texas Tech University and graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1967. He opened Alexander Associates Architects in 1971, specializing in restaurants and industrial projects. In 1976, Fred formed Alexander Industries, LLC and opened architecture offices in New Mexico, Minnesota, and Colorado. He was also an Emeritus member of the American Institute of Architects.

Fred is survived by his three children, Katherine, Zachary, and Andrew and his grandson Dorian.

The HCOA is saddened by the news of Fred’s passing and extends its condolences to his family and loved ones during this time.

Mr. Alexander's full obituary can be found here.

Announcements

Upcoming book, Limitless Horizons: The First 100 Years of Texas Tech’s Architecture Program

CALLING ALL STUDENTS, ALUMNI, FACULTY, AND FORMER DEANS:
As we look forward to celebrating the 100^th anniversary of Texas Tech’s architecture program in 2027, we’re calling on the HCOA community to share their memories and experiences with the program. YOUR STORIES are a vital part of the shared history of our College. Our upcoming book, Limitless Horizons: The First 100 Years of Texas Tech’s Architecture Program, will highlight this rich legacy.

We invite YOU to help us fully capture the impact and influence of Texas Tech’s architecture program—stories that reflect the experiences we all remember, share, and celebrate!

All contributors will be recognized in the book.

To share your story, please reach out to 1972 alumni, Noel Barrick at nbarrick@hksinc.com, Gary Lindsey at gary.lindsey@lcu.edu, or email architecture.limitlesshorizons@ttu.edu.

Donations are critical to the advancement of our program. With your contributions, we can fund our merit-based scholarships, recruit extraordinary faculty, fund research endeavors and improve our facilities. No gift is too small to make an impact on our students, faculty, and staff. If you're interested in giving, the Texas Tech University Office of Institutional Advancement has a convenient web portal for making secure, online donations to one of the established Huckabee College of Architecture funds. Click here to donate.

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