Martin Felsen (born 1968) is an American

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

and

Fellow of the American Institute of Architects Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA) is a postnominal title or membership, designating an individual who has been named a fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Fellowship is bestowed by the institute on AIA-memb ...

(FAIA). He directs

UrbanLab UrbanLab is an American architecture and urban design firm with headquarters in Chicago. Founded by Martin Felsen, FAIA, and Sarah Dunn in 2001, the office is known for its focus on sustainability, creative experimentation and a collaborative app ...

, a

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

-based architecture and urban design firm. Felsen's projects range in scale from houses such as the

Hennepin, Illinois Hennepin is a village located on the Illinois River in Putnam County, Illinois, United States. The population was 757 in 2010, an increase of 50 since the 2000 census. It is the county seat and second largest village in Putnam County, Illinois, P ...

Residence, mixed-use residential and commercial buildings such as Upton's Naturals Headquarters, public open spaces such as the Smart Museum of Art Courtyard at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

, and large scale, urban design projects such as Growing Water in Chicago and a masterplan (13 square kilometers / 5 square miles) for the Yangming Lake region of

Changde Changde (; Traditional Chinese characters, traditional Chinese: 常德區 ) is a prefecture-level city in the northwest of Hunan province, People's Republic of China. Changde, known as "Wuling" in ancient times, is located on the west side of Do ...

, China. Felsen was awarded the 2009 Latrobe Prize by the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach progr ...

, College of Fellows.

Biography

Felsen earned his Bachelor of Architecture from

Virginia Tech College of Architecture and Urban Studies The College of Architecture, Arts, and Design formerly the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech consists of four schools, including the School of Architecture, which consistently ranks among the best in the country. Headquar ...

in 1991 and a

Master of Science A Master of Science (; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree. In contrast to the Master of Arts degree, the Master of Science degree is typically granted for studies in sciences, engineering and medici ...

in Advanced Architectural Design from

Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation The Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) is the architecture school of Columbia University, a private research university in New York City. It is also home to the Masters of Science program in Advanced Architect ...

in 1994. Prior to founding his own firm, he worked for

Peter Eisenman Peter David Eisenman (born August 11, 1932) is an American architect, writer, and professor. Considered one of the New York Five, Eisenman is known for his high modernist and deconstructive designs, as well as for his authorship of several archi ...

Stan Allen Stan Allen (born 1956) is an American architect, theorist and former dean of Princeton University School of Architecture. Biography He received a B.A. from Brown University, a B.Arch. from Cooper Union and an M.Arch. from Princeton Univer ...

, and OMA/

Rem Koolhaas Remment Lucas Koolhaas (; born 17 November 1944) is a Dutch architect, architectural theory, architectural theorist, urbanist and Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Graduate School of ...

Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...

. In addition to practicing architecture at

, Felsen has lectured internationally, and curated and participated in several international exhibitions about contemporary architecture and urbanism. Two public exhibitions curated by Felsen were held at the

Chicago Architecture Center The Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), formerly the Chicago Architecture Foundation, is a nonprofit cultural organization based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, whose mission is to inspire people to discover why design matters. Founded in ...

in 2016 and 2017. The 2016 show, titled "50 Designers, 50 Ideas, 50 Wards," exhibited transformative proposals aimed at improving the quality of life for residents in each of Chicago's 50 wards. Felsen invited fifty notable architects and teams of architects/artists to participate and produce original work. The 2017 show, titled "Between States - 50 Designers Transform Chicago's Neighborhoods," exhibited design solutions to transform underappreciated and underperforming parts of Chicago into rejuvenated civic anchors. Again, fifty notable architects and teams of architects/artists were invited to participate and produce original work. Felsen has publicly spoken about these exhibitions, along with the importance of architecture in tackling urgent issues such as globalization in cities on several occasions. Felsen was invited to participate in the

Venice Biennale of Architecture The Venice Biennale of Architecture ( Italian: ''Mostra di Architettura di Venezia'') is an international exhibition showcasing architectural works from around the world, held in Venice, Italy, every other year. Originally held in even-numbered ...

(La Biennale de Venezia) in 2010 and 2012, and the

Chicago Architecture Biennial The Chicago Architecture Biennial is an international exhibition of architectural ideas, projects and displays. It seeks "to provide a platform for groundbreaking architectural projects and spatial experiments that demonstrate how creativity and ...

in 2015 and 2017. In 2010, as the Director of Archeworks, an alternative design school, Felsen exhibited "Mobile Food Collective" in the U.S. Pavilion at the 12th International Venice Biennale of Architecture. In 2012, Felsen and UrbanLab exhibited "Fresh Water District" at the 13th International

curated by

David Chipperfield Sir David Alan Chipperfield, , (born 18 December 1953) is a British architect. He established David Chipperfield Architects in 1985, which grew into a global architectural practice with offices in London, Berlin, Milan, Shanghai, and Santiago d ...

. In 2015, Felsen and UrbanLab exhibited "Filter Island" at the

curated by Sarah Herda and Joseph Grima. In 2017, Felsen and UrbanLab exhibited "Re-Encampment" at the Chicago Architecture Biennial curated by Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee. Felsen's work has also been exhibited at the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

, the

National Building Museum The National Building Museum is a museum of architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning in Northwest Washington, D.C., U.S. It was created by an act of Congress in 1980, and is a private non-profit institution. Located at ...

, and the

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. The museum is based in the Art Institute of Chicago Building in Chicago's Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park. Its collection, stewa ...

. Felsen has been featured in several publications such as ''Architect Magazine''. He has received many honors for his work, including several design awards from the

. Since 1996, Felsen has taught architecture and urban design as an associate professor at the

Illinois Institute of Technology The Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Illinois Tech and IIT, is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Tracing its history to 1890, the present name was adopted upon the m ...

. He has been a visiting professor at

and the

Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts The Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts is a part of Washington University in St. Louis. The Sam Fox School was founded in 2006 by uniting the academic units of Architecture and Art with the university's Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum. It is d ...

Washington University in St. Louis Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) is a private research university in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1853 by a group of civic leaders and named for George Washington, the university spans 355 acres across its Danforth ...

. Felsen served as Director of Archeworks, an alternative design school in Chicago from 2008-11. Under his leadership, Archeworks completed several significant public interest design projects, and developed and organized two influential urban design workshops titled ''Infrastructures for Change''. During Felsen's tenure, Archeworks’ projects were exhibited internationally at the Venice Biennale of Architecture and

The Architecture Foundation Founded in 1991, The Architecture Foundation is Britain's oldest independent architecture centre. It examines contemporary issues in architectural theory and practice, through a public programme that has involved exhibitions, competitions, publicati ...

in London. Felsen founded and served as editor of a new Archeworks publication titled ''Works''.

Bowling

''UrbanLab: Bowling'' is a new book about UrbanLab's work authored by Martin Felsen and Sarah Dunn, published by Applied Research + Design. The book explores relationships and realities between cities, architecture and water. As populations steadily increase in cities, the world's natural resources are consumed at ever-faster rates. The majority of the world's populations live in countries where clean water supplies are dwindling, and these water shortages are also quickly translating into food shortages. What can designers do to avert looming water-related realities? ''UrbanLab: Bowling'' views potential water crises as opportunities to speculate on future urban design possibilities, especially in cities. Several projects are presented that take an ecological approach to re-thinking received urban design methodologies of addressing the design of water-related infrastructures in existing and new cities.

Awards and honors

*2017 named

(FAIA) *2017 AIA Chicago Distinguished Building Award Citation of Merit - ''Mohawk House'' *2016 AIA Chicago Regional & Urban Design Honor Award - ''Masterplan for Changde, China'' *2015

, ''The State of the Art of Architecture'' *2014/15 MCHAP: Mies Crown Hall Architecture Prize, Nominated Work – ''Mohawk Residence'' *2014 AIA Chicago Distinguished Building Honor Award – ''Morgan Street Live/Work'' *2014 AIA Chicago Unbuilt Design Award, Special Recognition – ''

MoMA PS1 MoMA PS1 is a contemporary art institution at 2201 Jackson Avenue in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens in New York City, United States. In addition to its exhibitions, the institution organizes the Sunday Sessions performance series, th ...

'' *2014

Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts The Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts is a 501(c)3 non-profit that "fosters the development and exchange of diverse and challenging ideas about architecture and its role in the arts, culture, and society. The Graham realize ...

Publication Grant *2013 AIA Chicago Sustainability Leadership Special Recognition Award – ''MoMA PS1'' *2012

, the 13th International Exhibition *2012 AIA Chicago Small Project Award - ''Video Arcade,

Merchandise Mart The Merchandise Mart (or the Merch Mart, or the Mart) is a commercial building in Chicago Loop, downtown Chicago, Illinois. When it opened in 1930, it was the List of largest buildings, world's largest building, with of floor space. The Art De ...

'' *2011 AIA Chicago Regional & Urban Design Honor Award - ''Vertical Farming the

Union Stock Yards The Union Stock Yard & Transit Co., or The Yards, was the meatpacking district in Chicago for more than a century, starting in 1865. The district was formed by a group of railroad companies that acquired marshland and turned it into a vast cen ...

'' *2010 AIA Chicago Interior Architecture Honor Award - ''Hennepin House,

'' *2010

Buckminster Fuller Challenge The Buckminster Fuller Challenge is an annual international design competition that awards $100,000 to the most comprehensive solution to a pressing global problem. The Challenge was launched in 2007 and is a program oThe Buckminster Fuller Instit ...

, Honorable Mention *2010 Emerging Voices,

Architectural League of New York The Architectural League of New York is a non-profit organization "for creative and intellectual work in architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construct ...

- ''lecture delivered at the

New Museum The New Museum of Contemporary Art is a museum at 235 Bowery, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1977 by Marcia Tucker. History The museum originally opened in a space in the Graduate Center of the then-nam ...

'' *2010

, Archeworks at the 12th International Exhibition *2009 AIA Chicago Distinguished Building Award - ''Hennepin House, Hennepin, Illinois'' *2009 AIA Chicago Urban Design Award - ''Growing Water, Chicago'' *2009 Latrobe Prize, from the

(AIA) College of Fellows. *2009 Named Global Visionary by

WBEZ WBEZ (91.5 FM) – branded ''WBEZ 91.5'' – is a non-commercial educational radio station licensed to Chicago, Illinois, and primarily serving the tri-state region of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is owned by Chicago Public Media and is f ...

, Chicago Public Radio *2008 AIA Chicago Unbuilt Design Award, Growing Water, Chicago *2008 Excellence in Education Award,

American Institute of Architecture Students The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) is an independent, nonprofit, student-run organization that offers programs, information, and resources critical to architectural education. It primarily serves about 25,000 architecture stu ...

*2007 AIA Chicago Dubin Family Young Architect Award, AIA Chicago *2007 AIA Chicago Divine Detail Award - ''Hannah’s Bretzel'' *2007 National Grand Prize, The City of the Future: A Design and Engineering Challenge,

The History Channel History (formerly and commonly known as the History Channel) is an American pay television network and the flagship channel of A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the General Entertainment Content division of The Wa ...

*2003 Emerging Visions Competition Prize, Chicago Architecture Club *1995 Lloyd Warren Fellowship: 82nd Paris Prize,

Van Alen Institute Van Alen Institute is a Brooklyn-based independent nonprofit architectural organization that works to create equitable cities through inclusive design. It is located at 303 Bond St in Gowanus, Brooklyn. History Van Alen Institute was founded in ...

Selected works

* ''UrbanLab: Bowling'' (Applied Research + Design Publishing, 2017)

References

External links

UrbanLab's official website {{DEFAULTSORT:Felsen, Martin 1968 births Living people Virginia Tech alumni Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation alumni Illinois Institute of Technology faculty Architects from Chicago Jewish architects Architectural theoreticians Washington University in St. Louis faculty Fellows of the American Institute of Architects 21st-century American architects