KU School of Architecture & Design announces spring 2026 Architecture Lecture Series lineup

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Architecture Lecture Series spring 2026 schedule features practitioners, researchers and interdisciplinary leaders focused on advancing public well‑being through evidence‑informed design, sustainable practice and community‑centered solutions. The series kicks off Feb. 23 with the ninth annual KU Health & Wellness Symposium.

Each semester, the KU School of Architecture & Design invites leading architects and design researchers to the Lawrence campus, offering students and the public opportunities to engage with timely research, innovative practice and pedagogical perspectives through lectures, symposia and cross‑disciplinary dialogues. Sessions are free and open to the public. Select events will be livestreamed; details will be published on the series webpage.

Spring 2026 schedule 

Feb. 23: KU Health & Wellness Symposium

2 p.m., Adams Alumni Center

The KU Health & Wellness Symposium — Health & Wellness by Design: Innovations at the Intersections of Research, Practice, and Education — will bring together leaders in health care management, design and research to examine how the built environment can improve care. Featuring opening statements and a moderated panel discussion, this year’s symposium will define today’s most urgent challenges in health and wellness settings and spotlight the innovations likely to shape patient care and health care environments over the next decade.

Speakers and panelists will include moderator Dani Kolker Mai, health care planner and architect at Stantec; Darin Daguanno, senior design principal at SmithGroup; Chris Ruder, senior vice president and chief operating officer at The University of Kansas Health System; and Deborah Wingler, partner and global practice director for applied research at HKS.

March 6: Doug Wignall, HDR

4:30 p.m. | Marvin Hall, John C. Gaunt Forum 

Doug Wignall is president of global architecture practice at HDR. An advocate for the continued relevance of the architecture profession, he emphasizes the vital role architects play in addressing today’s social, environmental and economic challenges at both national and global scales. Wignall is also a champion of architectural education, invested in the student journey and the preparation of future architects, encouraging dialogue, collaboration, risk-taking and innovation as foundations for cultivating the next generation of design leaders. 

March 27: Darryl Condon, hcma

4:30 p.m. | Marvin Hall, John C. Gaunt Forum 

Darryl Condon is managing principal at hcma, where he leads a transdisciplinary practice committed to people-first, compassionate design. With more than 30 years of experience, Condon is re-envisioning architectural practice to prioritize social impact, environmental performance and the potential of community-centered public spaces. His contributions span practice, education, advocacy and professional leadership, and his work has been recognized internationally with more than 80 awards, including four World Architecture Festival awards. A frequent international lecturer, he focuses on accessibility, inclusion, community recreation and transformative architectural practice.