Taubman College Professor of Architecture Łukasz Stanek will give a plenary lecture at the 2025 American Association of Geographers’ (AAG) conference later this month on the importance of donated buildings across the world. Stanek’s lecture, titled The Architectural Gift: How Donated Buildings Shape Urbanism Across Four Continents, will be a centerpiece of the Eurasian Geography Group at the conference, reflecting his extensive expertise and influence in the field.

The Architectural Gift will discuss how architectural gifts, such as donated libraries, shelters, and stadiums, create an unequal relationship between the receiver and giver. Building on an existing research project, the lecture will present four case studies from North Macedonia, Ghana, Mongolia, and California to question how gifting architecture influences the buildings, their design, and the social bonds created between all involved parties.

The AAG is the premier global association for professional geographers and works to create a community for students, educators, and practitioners to develop their careers. This year, the annual AAG conference will be in Detroit — chosen for its history of activism, innovation, and radical cartography — and bring together geographers from around the world.

The 2025 conference will run from March 24th through March 28th.