Intersections Research Conference: Closing Keynote with Michael Bennett
At the close of the 2025 ACSA/AIA Intersections Research Conference: NEW HOUSING PARADIGMS, designer and artist Michael Bennett will deliver a keynote address. Following the address, attendees may walk to Goldsmith Hall for a closing reception, hosted by the School of Architecture from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
To attend the keynote address, fill out the below form to request a seat. If space is available, you will be notified via email with location and keynote specifics.
Closing Keynote Sign-up >>
About Michael Bennett:
Michael Bennett is a spatial designer, artist, and cultural thinker whose work explores the intersections of identity, history, and the built environment. Moving fluidly between architecture, sculpture, and furniture design, Bennett draws deeply from the traditions, forms, and languages of the African diaspora, creating works that resonate with collective memory and cultural lineage. His practice transforms abstraction into tangible spaces and objects, inviting contemplation and communion while challenging dominant narratives of space and design.
At the heart of Bennett’s work is a commitment to storytelling and ancestral reverence. His creations serve as monuments to resilience, sites of reflection, and vessels for cultural exchange. Through an iterative process that reinterprets historical and contemporary materials, Bennett crafts spaces that honor memory and provoke dialogue—spaces that live, breathe, and hold the spirit of community. His work pushes beyond disciplines, presenting design as both a physical and spiritual act, capable of evoking intimacy, resistance, and transformation.
In addition to his design practice, Michael Bennett is an activist, bestselling author (Things That Make White People Uncomfortable), and philanthropist. He has established endowments for students from low-income backgrounds pursuing creative arts degrees at the Rhode Island School of Design and provides grants to organizations such as the Rebuild Foundation, MASS Design Group, Humble Design, Freedmen’s Town Conservancy, Black Folks in Design, and One Love Community Fridge. Through these efforts, Bennett amplifies voices, preserves cultural integrity, and fosters opportunities for future generations.
About Studio Kër:
Founded by Michael Bennett, Studio Kër is a design and cultural platform dedicated to creating objects, spaces, and experiences that center African diasporic narratives. The studio operates at the intersection of art, architecture, and community, producing works that harmonize with the natural world while fostering human connection. Studio Kër explores materiality, memory, and cultural resonance to create visionary works that inspire reflection, dialogue, and collective transformation.
