Madlen Simon, AIA
Director and Associate Professor
Office: 1228 | Phone: 301-405-8677 | Email
B.A., 1974, Princeton University; M. Arch., 1977, Princeton University.
Madlen Simon is an experienced architect, educator, and scholar dedicated to preparing students for professional careers in architecture. During thirty years in professional practice, Professor Simon developed a keen interest in innovative education for the next generation of architects. She brings to architectural education both design expertise and scholarly reflection on practice. Professor Simon entered academia in 1991, after fourteen years practicing architecture in two world-renowned architecture firms, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and and Edward Larrabee Barnes Associates, as well as leading her own firm, Simon Design. She joined the School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation at the University of Maryland in 2006 after fourteen years at Kansas State University.
Professor Simon teaches architectural design studios to both graduate and undergraduate students, including the Comprehensive Studio that integrates design and advanced technology. Professor Simon teaches Professional Practice at the graduate level.
Professor Simon's research on the development of the architecture profession in the United States gives her the perspective to view contemporary practice in comparison to historical models. This work has been recognized by grants from the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, the pre-eminent foundation supporting research in the discipline of architecture, and by the Kansas Arts Commission, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Professor Simon is currently completing research investigating the connection between urban design and public health, SLIM DOWNtown, funded by the Sunflower Foundation: Healthcare for Kansans.
A new research direction weaves together Professor Simon's architectural practice and instruction in advanced architectural design into an investigation of the material fabric of a building's façade and its relationship to technical performance, aesthetic expression, and cultural meaning.
Professor Simon's broad experience in architectural practice has ranged in scale from master planning to the design of furniture. She continues to practice as a principal of Simon Design. Professor Simon is an active member of the American Institute of Architects and has served as president of her local chapter.