What sets the MIT School of Architecture and Planning's Class of 2026 apart? According to faculty and staff, it is their big hearts. Dean Hashim Sarkis noted this during the school's 2026 Advanced Degree Ceremony, highlighting their generosity towards each other, their work, and the world. In recognition of this, he announced the establishment of the Class of 2026 Scholarship Fund to support incoming students, stating, "Education is a right, not a privilege, and this fellowship brings us closer to our goal of providing this right to every student and becoming tuition-free as a school." The announcement was met with joyful applause.
The SA+P Class of 2026 comprises graduates from all departments: Architecture; Urban Studies and Planning; Media Arts and Sciences (MIT Media Lab); and the Center for Real Estate. The 206 graduates, including six with dual degrees, represent nearly every corner of the globe, with 57% from the USA, 10% from China, and 5% from India. This year’s speaker, Alejandro Aravena, a renowned Chilean architect, curated the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale and received the Pritzker Prize in 2016, currently serving as jury chair.
Aravena leads the architectural firm ELEMENTAL in Santiago, Chile, which engages in various public and private projects aimed at developing innovative approaches to community engagement, shaping how architects and policymakers think about the built environment. Sarkis emphasized that Aravena's work reflects the breadth of fields represented in SA+P and the school's values, from the power of architecture and design enabling society to innovative social housing models and creative community engagement approaches, whether in emergency planning after earthquakes or institutional buildings, and putting architecture at the forefront of discussions around Chile's new constitution.
Addressing students and guests, Aravena shared vignettes illustrating a world at a "tipping point." He posed the question: Will it lean towards civilization or barbarism? One story recounted his firm’s experience during a slum-upgrading project in Chile, where social workers faced threats from organized crime. Another project involved building a hospital for victims of sexual violence in Colombia, prompting architects to reflect on the violence humans inflict on each other.
Aravena pointed out that humans possess the largest capacity for emotions and behaviors in the animal kingdom, linking the evolution of humanity to the development of the prefrontal cortex, the brain's command center. He remarked, "The history of humanity and the evolution of the human condition is connected. It’s moving towards the prefrontal cortex. Yet, somehow, we’re turning backwards." He urged students to apply their skills to projects that matter to others, not just themselves, stating, "Leveling the playing field is very bad news for predators." Aravena concluded, "Let’s try to bring back decency, kindness, and honoring the truth. Class of 2026, together, let’s make the prefrontal cortex great again."
Blogger's Review: Aravena's speech serves as a poignant reminder that architecture is not just about structures, but about the humanity within them. His call for kindness and moral responsibility in the profession emphasizes that future architects must integrate ethical considerations into their designs, addressing societal needs while fostering a more compassionate world.