Assistant Professor Tom Bessai will be a panelist in the upcoming symposium, ar.chi.tect [redefined], hosted by Ryerson University on Tuesday, January 28th.  The symposium will explore changes in design professions brought on by technological advancements in design and fabrication.

Bessai’s design projects and research focus on experimental digital design techniques, including: digital shape capture, complex form modeling and evolutionary computation. He explores these design strategies within the context of contemporary architectural theory and practice with an emphasis on sustainable infrastructure and building design.

The Assistant Professor will be joined by three other architects who will compare and contrast their design processes. Together, they will explore the impact that new technologies will have on architecture and the role of the architect.

The event will be held on Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014, at 6:30pm at The Design Exchange, 234 Bay Street. The discussion will be moderated by the Globe and Mail's Architecture Critic, Alex Bozikovic.

Guest Speakers include:
 
Hanif Kara, Professor in Practice of Architectural Technology at Harvard University GSD; Director, AKT II Structural Engineering
Jonathan Mallie, Principal, SHoP Architects; Managing Director SHoP Construction
Stephen Kieran, Partner, KieranTimberlake; Adjunct Professor of Architecture at University of Pennsylvania School of Design
Tom Bessai, Assistant Professor, University of Toronto John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design;
Principal, Denegri Bessai Studio Architecture | DBS Design and Fabrication