Students often encounter the world's most influential architects and designers through textbooks, case studies and magazine features. At Samford University, they will have the opportunity to hear from them in person.
Samford's Architecture & Interior Design Lecture Series welcomes this year’s extraordinary roster of internationally recognized practitioners whose work is influencing the future of architecture, interiors, sustainability, material innovation and human-centered design. From an acclaimed architect shaping civic and cultural spaces around the globe to a design visionary whose work is redefining the relationship between emotion and the built environment, the 2026-27 series represents the caliber of professional engagement that has become a hallmark of Samford's design programs.
The annual series reflects Samford's commitment to connecting students with leaders at the forefront of the profession while also serving as a resource for the broader design community. Free and open to the public, the lectures invite architects, interior designers, planners, developers, artists and other creative professionals throughout Birmingham and the Southeast to engage with ideas and conversations shaping contemporary practice.
"Our students benefit tremendously from learning directly from professionals whose work is having a real impact on the world around us," said associate professor Ryan Misner, chair of the Department of Architecture & Interior Design. "Just as importantly, these lectures create opportunities for meaningful dialogue between students, faculty and industry professionals–including the local design community—strengthening the connections between education and practice."
The series opens Sept. 22 with Jing Liu, AIA, co-founder and principal of the internationally acclaimed architecture practice SO-IL. With offices in New York and Amsterdam, SO-IL boasts a global reputation for projects that thoughtfully engage culture, community and the public realm. During her lecture, “Once Again, With More Feelings,” Liu will explore the firm's work in the cultural realm and discuss architecture's ability to foster connection, participation and exchange.
For more than 15 years, Liu has led projects including artist housing, public libraries and large-scale urban initiatives. Her work reflects an intellectually rigorous and socially conscious approach to architecture, one that balances innovation, craftsmanship and civic responsibility while inviting users to actively engage with the spaces around them.
On Nov. 17, the series welcomes Suzanne Tick, one of the most respected voices in contemporary interior design and textile innovation. An internationally recognized designer, artist and entrepreneur, Tick has built an influential career at the intersection of sustainability, material research and creative practice.
Her lecture, “The Energy of Making: Sustainability in Art and Design,” will examine how traditional craft, material experimentation and contemporary fabrication can create more responsible approaches to design. Known for pioneering innovative textile solutions and advancing sustainable material development, Tick brings a unique perspective that bridges industry, art and environmental stewardship.
Her work has been exhibited at institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, the Museum of Arts and Design and Art Basel. As an Interior Design Hall of Fame inductee and recipient of numerous industry honors, Tick's career exemplifies the transformative power of creativity, research and purposeful making.
The series continues Feb. 2 with Bryan Young, FAIA, founder and principal of the New York-based studio Young Projects. Widely recognized for its experimental approach to architecture, interiors and furniture design, Young Projects has earned national acclaim for work that challenges conventional boundaries between disciplines while embracing material exploration and craftsmanship.
In his lecture, “Hybrids & Ambiguity,” Young will discuss the ideas and principles that have guided the firm's work over the past 17 years. Spanning architecture, interiors, furniture, material prototypes and objects of curiosity, the studio's portfolio demonstrates how creative inquiry can generate new possibilities across scales and design typologies.
Young's influence extends beyond professional practice. His work has been featured in leading design publications, and he has taught at institutions including MIT, Cornell University, Columbia University, Parsons School of Design and The Cooper Union. In 2026, he was elevated to the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows, one of the profession's highest distinctions.
The lecture series concludes March 23 with Meena Krenek, global sector interiors director and principal at HKS Atlanta, one of the world's leading architecture and design firms. A recognized thought leader in experience design, Krenek has spent more than two decades exploring how physical environments influence human behavior, memory and emotion.
Her presentation, “Designed to Feel: Experience Design and the Business of Emotion,” will examine the measurable impact of design on human experience through her Return on Emotion framework. Drawing on projects that span hospitality, workplace, cultural and sports environments across four continents, Krenek will make the case that designing for emotion is not simply an artistic consideration but a strategic one.
A sought-after speaker, writer and creative strategist, Krenek's work has been featured by organizations and publications including Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, Forbes, NPR and Psychology Today. Her perspective offers a compelling look at how designers can create environments that not only function well but also resonate deeply with the people who inhabit them.
Taken together, this year's speakers represent an impressive range of expertise and accomplishment. Their work has shaped cities, advanced sustainable practices and challenged conventional thinking about how environments are designed and experienced. More importantly, they embody the intellectual curiosity, creativity and commitment to excellence that Samford seeks to cultivate in its students.
For architecture and interior design students, the lecture series provides direct exposure to leaders and ideas influencing professional practice today. For alumni and industry professionals, it offers an opportunity to engage with nationally and internationally recognized voices without leaving Birmingham. And for the broader community, it creates a forum for exploring the ways design affects daily life, culture and society.
As Samford's architecture and interior design programs continue to grow, the lecture series remains a defining part of the educational experience and an expression of the university's commitment to design excellence. By bringing some of the profession's most influential innovators to campus, Samford isenriching student learning and helping position Birmingham among important conversations about the future of the built environment.
2026-27 Architecture & Interior Design Lecture Series
Sept. 22, 2026
Jing Liu, AIA
“Once Again, With More Feelings”
Nov. 17, 2026
Suzanne Tick
“The Energy of Making: Sustainability in Art and Design”
Feb. 2, 2027
Bryan Young, FAIA
“Hybrids & Ambiguity”
March 23, 2027
Meena Krenek
“Designed to Feel: Experience Design and the Business of Emotion”
All lectures will be held in Brock Recital Hall. Networking receptions begin at 4:30 p.m., followed by lectures at 5 p.m. The series is free and open to the public. Architects, interior designers, students and members of the community are encouraged to attend.
