Meet Visiting Faculty Andy Bako
Andy Bako is a licensed architect in Ontario, Canada, and the founder of ABAD Co., a multidisciplinary design practice based in Toronto. Before joining UTSOA, he served as the 2023-2024 Schidlowski Emerging Faculty Fellow and Visiting Assistant Professor at the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at Kent University. Andy has also held teaching positions at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto and the Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism at Carleton University.
He holds a Master of Architecture with Distinction from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where he was awarded the 2019 Digital Design Prize for his thesis project, “Normal House,” which explored the intersections of image culture, suburbia, and the limitations of contemporary design software.
We recently caught up with Andy to learn more about him and his work.
How would you describe the common thread in your design philosophy that ties together your work as an educator, architect, and computational designer?
There are several overlaps between my teaching philosophy and design practice. One central theme is a focus on design tools and the interconnected ecology of computational platforms, examining how each tool influences design thinking. I'm particularly interested in how material operates in design practice — not only in the physical sense, shaping the built environment, but also in how virtual elements act as another layer of "material" in architecture. We live in a time marked by both scarcity and excess, and my research explores how architects can navigate these extremes to develop innovative design solutions that harness this tension in creative and meaningful ways.
Tell us about your master’s thesis “Normal House,” your specific area of creative scholarship and what you’re currently researching.
My M.Arch I AP thesis at Harvard GSD, titled "Normal House," explored the intersection of suburban architecture, consumer choice, and the tensions between architectural form and its representation. The project critiqued how postwar suburban housing and mass media perpetuated an ideal of normality that, despite its exclusionary origins and unsustainable growth, continues to shape today’s housing market. Normal House challenged the illusion of individuality in suburban development, proposing an alternative that addresses the uncertainties of contemporary domestic living. Through the representational lens of the construction document and consumer app, it asked how a flexible, unpredictable architecture could accommodate a more adaptable “model home.”
Building on the themes of my thesis, my current creative scholarship explores the intersection of emerging technologies, architecture, and digital materiality. As the 2023-2024 Schidlowski Emerging Faculty Fellow at Kent State University, I investigated the feedback loop between physical form and digital imagery, examining how techniques from various design disciplines can produce novel aesthetic outcomes in the post-digital era and in the age of artificial intelligence. This work was featured in an exhibition titled TRAIN YOURSELF, displayed in the Armstrong Gallery of the College of Architecture and Design at Kent from April 10 - July 3, 2024. The project critiqued contemporary design labor by creating a feedback loop between handcrafted objects, AI-generated outputs trained on those models, and precise, digitally fabricated elements, revealing how architecture can oscillate between digital precision and material unpredictability.
At UT Austin, I’m continuing to expand these ideas through my teaching and research. In my Design V studio this semester, we are exploring how architecture can function as an interface between digital and physical realities. Our current project — an adaptive reuse media art and innovation hub in Austin — examines how we can redefine material use, spatial experience, and the role of architectural components in a mixed-reality interface. This studio project reimagines architecture as a dynamic interface, challenging conventional boundaries between the tangible and virtual, and expanding the possibilities for architecture within a fluid cyberphysical spectrum.
What appealed to you about joining us here at the UT School of Architecture? What are you looking forward to about being here at the school and/or Austin?
What appealed to me most about joining the UT School of Architecture is the school's commitment to interdisciplinary design and its progressive approach to architectural education. UT’s culture of innovation, as evidenced by the work of the faculty and student body, aligns well with my own research interests, particularly in exploring the intersections between digital materiality, AI, and physical form. The opportunity to engage with both undergraduate and graduate students in this context is incredibly exciting, especially within a program that fosters innovation and critical thinking across scales and mediums. I was also drawn to the strong sense of community and the collaborative culture that UT Austin nurtures, both within the school and in the broader architectural community.
I’m particularly excited to be in Austin, a city that’s rapidly evolving and provides a rich environment for architectural experimentation. Austin's thriving arts and culture scene, along with its distinct environmental and social challenges, creates fertile ground for exploring adaptive reuse, material resourcefulness, and the role of architecture and technology in addressing these issues. The city's strong engagement with both its cultural heritage and emerging technologies makes it an ideal place to bridge the physical and digital realms while fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue and collaboration. I’m eager to contribute to and learn from the innovative work happening here.
What is something that students and colleagues should know about you? Besides your work, what is something you are passionate about, or what do you do for fun?
Well, for starters, I’m a new father! We welcomed our son Noah this past February, and it's been an amazing experience watching him grow so quickly (as I’m sure all parents can relate). Fatherhood has added a whole new perspective to my life, teaching me patience, adaptability, and the importance of being present. It’s been a rewarding journey that has reshaped how I balance my time and think about the future.
Outside of work and family, I’m passionate about Muay Thai, a martial art I began training in about two and a half years ago. It’s been incredibly fulfilling, offering a rigorous and disciplined practice that’s completely outside of architecture. The challenge of stepping into something unfamiliar has been both humbling and rewarding, helping me build mental and physical resilience. It’s also introduced me to a tight-knit community beyond the design world, giving me a space to connect and grow in ways I hadn’t expected.
I encourage everyone to pursue a passion outside of their professional life — it’s a powerful way to gain fresh perspectives and develop skills that enrich both personal and professional growth. These experiences have taught me valuable lessons in discipline, adaptability, and the importance of being open to new challenges.
