Reflections on the present and future state of experiencing architecture

What does it mean to experience architecture and public spaces today? M. Bechthold shares some reflections in an essay published in TAD. From the article:

“The education of architects has long reflected broader developments in society, technology, and the environment. Recent decades have witnessed the curricular adoption of digital fabrication, then of sustainability, as well as the renewed emphasis on teaching the skills to integrate the increasingly complex aspects of contemporary practice with its myriad stakeholders and consultants. The emergence of artificial intelligence is the latest development likely to shake up curricula. While the focus on AI is understandable, with its mix of excitement and fear, we continue to largely ignore the need to address the psychological impacts of buildings and their urban environments in core pedagogies. I argue that this educational gap is now untenable, as our lived experiences are increasingly shaped by connected information environments that are highly manipulative, leveraging psychological science.”

More at Bechthold, M. (2026). Materially Present? Technology|Architecture + Design, 10(1), 11–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/24751448.2026.2638726.