Peter Wiederspahn is an Associate Professor of Architecture at Northeastern University, Boston, MA, and principal of Wiederspahn Architecture, LLC. His research and pedagogy are focused on architectural design, production, performance, and systems. In particular, he has conducted research on future-use architecture; rapidly deployable, lightweight, thermally proficient emergency, military, and humanitarian shelter systems; wood-frame construction and its cultural significance; high-performance, rapid-assembly, stress skin structural/thermal component construction system; furniture design.
Professor Wiederspahn was awarded the 2017-2019 FAIA Latrobe Prize with Northeastern professors Fannon and Laboy and is co-author of the book based on their research, The Architecture of Persistence: Designing for Future Use (Routledge 2022). This research was also the basis for two exhibitions, “Persistence,” at the Museum of Architecture + Design in Los Angeles in 2018-19, and “Durable,” at the Boston Society of Architects Space in 2020-22. He is lead PI for a 5-year design research subcontract for the design and fabrication of the next generation of rapidly deployable expeditionary and humanitarian shelter systems for the US Army DEVCOM with the Northeastern Kostas Research Institute (KRI), and he served as Co-PI for the Northeastern SENTRY Center of Excellence grant focused on “Layered Security Architecture in the Public Realm.” He has also been awarded grants from the Graham Foundation for his research entitled, “Wood Frame Multi-Family Housing in Boston, 1865-1900,” and a design research grant from the Boston Society of Architecture (BSA) for “Smart Growth Planning Prototypes.”
Previously, he has held teaching positions at Harvard University and the Pennsylvania State University. His architectural practice has received numerous design excellence awards for residential, multi-family, commercial, and interior projects in Boston, New York, and Chicago. Professor Wiederspahn earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Syracuse University and his Master of Architecture degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.
Research & Publication Highlights
Lead PI for the US Army with the Northeastern Kostas Research Institute to design and fabricate the next generation of expeditionary and humanitarian shelter systems
Co-PI for the SENTRY Center of Excellence for the Department of Homeland Security for “Layered Security Architecture in the Public Realm”
Co-PI for the Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA) Latrobe Prize for “Future-Use Architecture: Design of Persistent Change”
Lead PI for the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts research grant for “Wood Frame Multi-Family Housing in Boston, 1865-1900”
Lead PI for the Boston Society of Architecture design research grant for “Smart Growth Planning Prototypes”
Departments
Architecture
Education
- M.Arch, Harvard University Graduate School of Design
- B.Arch, Syracuse University School of Architecture
Professional Experience
- The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Architecture, University Park, PA: Assistant Professor: 1991-1995
- Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, MA: Visiting Design Critic: 1996
- Dartmouth College, Studio Arts Department, Hanover, NH: Visiting Professor: 1997
Research Focus
- Architectural Design
- Architectural Production
- Architectural Performance
- Architectural Systems
- Future-Use Architecture
- Wood Construction and its cultural impact at the detail
- Architectural and Urban Scales
- Wood-Frame Building Envelope Performance
- Wood-Frame Architecture and Urbanism in Boston
- High-Performance Structural/Thermal Component Construction System for Manual Assembly
- Flat-Pack
- Rapid-Deployment
- Long-Term-Use Emergency Shelter System
- Mutable Domestic Space
- Furniture Design
Awards
- 2017 Latrobe Prize Winner for Future-Use Architecture, with Professor Michelle Laboy and Professor David Fannon; Sponsored by the Fellows of the American Institute of Architecture (FAIA), Washington, D.C. February 2017
- The Boston Society of Architects, Boston, MA, Housing Designs for Proposed Smart Growth Overlay Zoning Districts in Metro-Boston. June 2004
- The Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, Chicago, IL, Wood Frame Multi-Family Housing in Boston, 1865-1900. June 2001
