Marlon Blackwell Architects is a design firm based in northwest Arkansas. Since 1992, the practice has completed projects which range from major education and cultural centers to sustainable housing prototypes, united by the studio’s formally distinctive yet deeply contextual vision of contemporary design and grounding in the American southeast. In the firm’s own words: “We deliver a maximum of meaning in places where architecture is often not expected to be found.” The designer of the U.S. Pavilion for this year’s Venice Biennale, Marlon Blackwell Architects has achieved international recognition through numerous publications and honors such as the 2016 Cooper Hewitt National Design Award and the 2020 AIA Gold Medal, awarded to Marlon Blackwell.

Recent projects include:

Heartland Whole Health Institute Located on the campus of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, this complex for the health-focused organization includes a public lobby and programming facilities on the ground floor enclosed by native stone and flexible office space in the curvilinear upper stories.

PORCH: An Architecture of Generosity Drawing on vernacular silhouettes of the iconic American structure, Marlon Blackwell Architect’s U.S. Pavilion for the 2025 Venice Biennale aims to create a stage for gathering and exchange, reflection, and rest.

Thaden School Incorporating regional influences through undulating roofs and colors inspired by local agriculture, the core buildings of this independent middle and high school in Bentonville, Arkansas, are designed to encourage movement between indoor and outdoor learning spaces.

Upcoming projects include:

UAMS Health Orthopaedics and Sports Performance Center This 85,000 square foot facility in West Springdale, Arkansas, unites clinical, surgical, and therapeutic programs around a central courtyard, featuring native landscapes.

Columbus Air Traffic Control Tower A new landmark for the architecturally significant Indiana city, this stainless steel and aluminum-clad tower includes a public briefing room. 

3D Printed Concrete Attainable Housing Developed with Groundwork Workforce Housing and Wiss Janey Elstner Ecological Design Group, this prototype for duplexes that can be printed on-site using a robotic arm aims to offer a replicable framework for efficiently produced, affordable housing. 

The event will be moderated by author, editor, and columnist Matt Shaw. Shaw recently completed the book American Modern: Architecture, Community, Columbus, Indiana, and his writing has been published in The New York Times, The Guardian, PIN-UP, Artforum, Spike, The Architectural Review, and Domus. He teaches critical writing and media studies at the University of Pennsylvania, The Cooper Union, and SCI-Arc.