COVID-19 has forced many of us to adapt to new ways of teaching perhaps more akin to those used in practices with a more global reach.

The terrible virus has closed some doors but has also opened others that perhaps we did not notice as possible before. One such door is being able to reach out to those professionals doing superlative work beyond our typical boundaries and add them to those who have been kind enough to collaborate with us over the years.

On Saturday, May 9th, 63 architects from all over the world and the nation connected via Zoom to meet with 24 students from Roger Williams SAAHP and discuss their projects in the intimate setting of the breakout rooms.

The students are currently working on projects in Lausanne, Switzerland and Fall River, Massachusetts, part of Integrated Project Design Studio, and the review offered them the opportunity to gain new perspectives on their work.

Each panel, composed of two to three critics with different backgrounds, offered advice to a single student at a time in 45-minute sessions. In the end, each student had 90 minutes of devoted attention from 4 to 6 critics.

Our students and the instructors leading them, came out of the review inspired and aware of having been part of something amazing.

As a personal note, this was a chance to begin new friendships and to reconnect with many people with whom I have shared important experiences in my life.

We do not know what the future holds, but this experiment could be the beginning of new, boundless, collaborations and opportunities for teaching and practicing.

Thank you for devoting precious time of your weekend to inspire our students.

Roberto