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Stephen Cassell

ARO - New York City, NY
Lecture: "Architecture. Research. Office"

Wednesday, November 5, 2025 | 6:00PM | ARCH 132 DF Pray Lecture Theatre

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Stephen Cassell, FAIA, is Principal of (ARO). He holds an undergraduate degree in architecture from and a Master of Architecture from the . He has twice served as the Shure Professor at the and as the Friedman Professor at the . He has also taught at MIT, Columbia University, Harvard University, Princeton University, and other institutions. He has lectured throughout the United States and abroad. Stephen is the former Chair of the Board of the . He was a Fall/Winter 2023 .

Architecture Research Office, founded in 1993, is the New York City firm united by their collaborative process, commitment to accountable action, and social and environmental responsibility. Research gives their work purpose and intention. Their architecture unites beauty and form with strategy and intelligence. ARO designs spaces that inspire people, further institutional missions, and advance equity and resilience. This philosophy has earned the firm over one hundred design awards including the 2020 , the , and the . Published in October 2024, Architecture. Research. Office. presents ARO’s diverse body of work, its ethos, and the people behind its projects.

With the publication of their book Architecture. Research. Office., Principal Stephen Cassell presents the design of his practice as its own project. ARO’s principles-based model of practice that aims towards more responsible architecture that is grounded in both people and process. “Architecture” is the firm’s ultimate objective, which for ARO, means creating beautifully crafted work that benefits people; “research” grounds its methodology and informs its approach; and “office” reflects the idea that creating architecture in support of people starts with the community and culture of the firm itself. Key projects across three decades represent the firm’s diverse body of work and illustrate the principles that guide ARO’s work, the firm’s methodology, and its culture.
 

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