R. Spencer Steenblik

Campus:

IU Bloomington

R. Spencer Steenblik, an assistant professor in the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design and a registered architect in New York, has built, taught, published, exhibited and curated globally. His work negotiates vernacular and advanced digital processes through an equitable, interdisciplinary, sustainable and naturally inspired approach, creating urban intricacy and inspiring, interactive spaces. He holds a master’s from Southern California Institute of Architecture.

Professor Steenblik’s Presidential Arts and Humanities Fellowship year will focus on advancing architectural innovation through the creation of proto-architectural sculpture. The main goals are to develop full-scale experimental structures and installations that test new materials, technologies, and design approaches for the built environment, and to highlight the need for more opportunities for young practitioners to engage in this type of hands-on innovation.

Key activities include collaborating with international artists/architects to install temporary site-specific sculptural works, continuing computational design research using AI tools, optimizing an innovative structural joint system through analysis and prototyping, and ultimately designing and exhibiting an installation at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.

The fellowship year will provide crucial time, funding, and global visibility to advance this research trajectory. It will support student assistants, travel to conferences, hosting visiting scholars, fabrication costs, and documentation/publication efforts. Exhibiting at Venice represents a pivotal career milestone and launching point for pursuing larger external grants to establish a robust culture of innovation, design, and making at Indiana University.