Patiently Searching: Architecture & Identity | Karen Nichols | TEDxCarnegieLake

In this talk about creativity in architecture and design, Karen Nichols discusses the patient search for an individual’s creative identity and the effective solutions arising from interdisciplinary collaboration with others. Perhaps more important than individual identity, she argues, is the collective curiosity that leads us to discover new questions and participate in explorations that spark imagination, invention, and shared impact. Architect Karen Nichols, FAIA is one of the founding members and the managing principal of Michael Graves Architecture & Design based in Princeton, New Jersey. Throughout her over-40-year career, she has championed a broad multi-disciplinary approach that integrates planning, architecture, interiors, product design and graphics with the belief that creativity arises from the often unexpected intersection of ideas. She was educated in art history at Smith College (B.A. Magna cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and in architecture at M.I.T. (M.Arch.), where she taught interdisciplinary courses for several years. She sits on the Advisory Boards of the Michael Graves College at Kean University and the College of Architecture and Design at NJIT. Elevated to Fellowship in the American Institute of Architects in 2003 for innovations in architectural practice, she is currently the Chair of the AIA’s national and international Jury of Fellows. She has authored or edited seven books and numerous articles This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx