Assistant Professor Adams and The Ascelpius Machine project recognized for raising disability issues, on display at UC Berkeley

Robert Adams, Assistant Professor of Architecture, was presented a certificate of appreciation at an awards ceremony held in conjunction with the Neubacher Award ceremony on October 28, 2011 at Rackham Building Assembly Hall. Certificates of appreciation are awarded to individuals in recognition of leadership and service in raising consciousness about disability issues, and advocacy on behalf of individuals or groups who have disabilities. The event is part of “Investing in Ability Week,” a series of programs and activities designed to increase awareness and understanding of people who have disabilities and disability-related issues. Anne Ercoli Schnitzer, Chair of the Neubacher Committee, wrote in her statement: “As a scholar and practitioner, Professor Adams has been addressing issues of disability culture within the physical environment in novel and creative ways.”

Adams’ focus on disability culture is reflected in his project, The Asclepius Machine:Genetic Diversity and Extreme Urban Euphoria, which was presented at University of California Berkeley, on October 10, 2011 and will be on display until December 2, 2011. Adams also gave a talk on his project on October 11, 2011 as part of the lecture series held by the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley. The Asclepius Machine, finalist in the Seoul International Design Competition, Design For All, explores the relationship of genetic diversity and architecture as a means to re-think contemporary design methodologies and the rich vitality of disability culture. The objective of the project is to reconfigure cultural codes through architecture in response to a wider distribution of the social body and interactive structures for people across diverse abilities.

For more information on the Neubacher Award: click here.

For more on the Asclepius Machine: click here.