AP had the pleasure to host Julian Bonder, architect, professor, and principal of Julian Bonder & Associates and Wodiczko + Bonder, for a Friday Review. A professor at Roger Williams University and former Harvard GSD design critic, Bonder is a leading voice on the relationship between memory, spatial practices, and social justice.
His work addresses historic traumas, including the Holocaust, Argentina’s Desaparecidos, and the global slave trade. Key projects include the Strassler Centre at Clark University and the award-winning Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery in Nantes, France. This 350-meter urban transformation has welcomed over 2 million visitors, earning a Mies van der Rohe Award shortlist and serving as a global catalyst for human rights activism.
During his presentation at AP, Bonder highlighted debates on memory, architecture, art and civic engagement. His multidisciplinary research and public advocacy continue to expand the role of design in addressing historic trauma and human rights across the globe.