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x-change
Celebrating our work
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"x-change" (formerly "EX-CHANGE") is Carnegie Mellon Architecture’s annual exhibition and publication celebrating student work from first year to Ph.D.
Inaugurated in 2017, "x-change" represents an ongoing opportunity to shine new light on the school’s programs and to position the work within larger questions of research and practice.
2025 x-change
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Carnegie Mellon Architecture is proud to announce the launch of "x-change," our annual publication showcasing work from first-year students to Ph.D. candidates. Inaugurated in 2017 as "EX-CHANGE," the publication has since evolved into "x-change" to more pointedly reflect its role as a platform for critical discourse and reflection. This year’s theme, "market x-change," invites us to reflect on what we, as a school, offer as contributions to the intellectual and speculative economies that shape the discipline. The 2024-25 course offerings, and the work generated, stake their place in this exchange, offering up their claims with clarity, care, and a call for slow and deep engagement.
The book was designed by Studio Elana Schlenker and Jordi Ng, and edited by Tuliza Sindi, with co-editing support by Meredith Marsh. The exhibition of work from the publication, "Cabinets of Curiosities," was on view in the College of Fine Arts Great Hall from August 25 to September 5, 2025, and was designed by Jared Abraham and Heather Bizon.
The 2025 "x-change" book will be available in both print and digital editions. To request a printed copy, please complete this form. The book is available free of charge, while copies last. Save the date for the 2025 "x-change" book launch on Friday, January 16, 2026. More details coming soon.
Book Team: "2024-25: market x-change"
Cover and Book Design: Studio Elana Schlenker, Jordi Ng; Editor: Tuliza Sindi; Copy Editor: Meredith Marsh; Student Team: Narayan Ashanahalli, Jason Asiedu, Trijya Bhardwaj, Pausha Bovornthamajak, Melika Davarkhah, Lilianne Kouyaté, Keng Pu (Paul) Li, Ananya Shrimali, Aakash Vipparla; Staff Acknowledgements: Meredith Marsh, Christi Danner, David Koltas, Alycia Barney.
Publication of this book has been generously aided by the EX-CHANGE Fund. Carnegie Mellon Architecture gratefully acknowledges Mark Ferguson (CFA'78) and Natalie Jacobs (CFA'79), and Desmone (Gold Sponsorship), for their generous sponsorship of this publication. Additional thanks to our individual donors: Julio Ascencios (P'CFA'28), Katherine Bojsza (CFA'03, H&SS'03), David Burson (CFA'72, P'CFA'04), Patricia Burson (CFA'71, P'CFA'04), Laurence Clodic (P'CFA'25), Nicholas Colello (CFA'01), Chip Desmone (CFA'87), Lisa Ficarelli-Halpern, Ian Friedman (CFA'18, CFA'20), Kristin Froling (P'CFA'26), Mark Froling (P'CFA'26), Front Studio Architects, Robert Grubb (CFA'80), Jim Halpern (CFA'81), Cassie Howard (CFA'21), Melinda Hungerman Johnson (CMU'00, HNZ'01), Stefan Hurray (CFA'03), Naim Jabbour (CFA'09, CFA'22), Brian Johnson (TPR'05), Adam Shong Jing Kor (CFA'18), Suzan Lami (CFA'79), Norman Larson (CFA'89), Lauren Marx-Ascencios (P'CFA'28), Anne Riggs (CFA'09), Eric Warfel (P'CFA'25), Frederick Watts (CFA'68, P'CFA'96), Jiaxi Wu (CFA'25), Yumiko Yamada (CFA'99), Andrew Yoon (CFA'25), Rachel Zsembery (CFA'00).
2025 End-of-Year Exhibition: "Cabinets of Curiosities"
Monday, August 25 — Friday, September 5, 2025, College of Fine Arts Great Hall
The end-of-year exhibition, titled "Cabinets of Curiosities," was on view in the Great Hall beginning on the first day of classes, Monday, August 25, 2025, through Friday, September 5.
The exhibition builds on the Fall 2025 and Spring 2025 Public Programs Series on "Artificial (and Othered) Intelligences."
Exhibition designers Jared Abraham and Heather Bizon approach Carnegie Mellon Architecture's end-of-year exhibition as an active archive, one that reflects that school's multi-world, plural intelligences.
"Cabinets of Curiosities" presents the work of the school as collections of artifacts organized into "species of classes" to surface the distinct logics, methods, beliefs, and tools that shape each body of work.
Historically, cabinets of curiosities was a colonial practice of meaning-making. Through it, aristocratic collectors codified geography, architecture, and people into systems that reinforced hierarchies of ownership, objectification and exoticism.
Today, technologies like artificial intelligence continue this legacy, acting as agents of classification that shape how space, place and subjectivity are constructed.
model by Angela Yang and Leyi (Tina) Han, created in Sarosh Anklesaria's ASO studio, "Reparative Infrastructures"
model by Angela Yang and Leyi (Tina) Han, created in Sarosh Anklesaria's ASO studio, "Reparative Infrastructures"
The exhibition reimagines the cabinet not as a site of extraction, but as a site of inquiry, foregrounding the school's layered and co-existing frameworks of thought.
In doing so, it reflects the various ways that intelligence gets defined in the school, and how acts of classification shape the way such varying knowledge, and hence worlds, are made legible.
Exhibition Team: "Cabinets of Curiosities"
Director & Coordinator: Tuliza Sindi; Exhibition Design: Jared Abraham, Heather Bizon; Graphic Design & Visual Identity: Lisa Maione, Asad Pervaiz; Installation: Josh Ice, Kate Prilla; Student Installation Team: Pariya Ayati, Melika Davarkhah, Lilianne Kouyaté, Keng Pu (Paul) Li, Ananya Shrimali, Aakash Vipparla; SHOP Fabrication Support: Jon Holmes, Steven Sontag; Lighting Consultation: Cornelius Henke II; Photogrammetry Model: Vernelle A. A. Noel.
We are grateful for all consultants, service providers, and faculty, staff, and students whose insights and labor made this exhibition possible.
2024 EX-CHANGE
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Carnegie Mellon Architecture is pleased to announce the launch of its annual showcase of student work, EX-CHANGE. The book and exhibition, titled 2024–1905, was designed and edited by Phillip Denny (B.Arch ’14). Every year the EX-CHANGE book and exhibition shine new light on the school’s research and pedagogy; this edition is about encountering the past. The school has been shaped and reshaped by generations of students and faculty. Every member of this community has occupied our spaces, and each has helped carry the school forward into the present. This project is an attempt to connect then and now. The exhibition was on view August 26 to September 15, 2024 in the College of Fine Arts Great Hall. The 2024 EX-CHANGE Celebration + Welcome Back Event was held on Friday, September 13, 2024. The event featured remarks by the design team and a chance to pick up a copy of the book.
Carnegie Mellon Architecture gratefully acknowledges Mark Ferguson (A’78) and Natalie Jacobs (A’79) for their generous sponsorship of this publication. Additional thanks to these donors: Lauren Ascencios (P'CFA'28), David Burson (CFA'71), Nicholas Colello (CFA’00, CFA’03, H&SS’03), Chip Desmone (CFA'87), Ian Friedman (CFA'18, CFA'20), Kristin Froling (P'CFA'26), Lisa and Jim Halpern (CFA'81), Cassie Howard (HC'22), Stefan Hurray (CFA'03), Naim Jabbour (CFA'09, CFA'22), Melinda Johnson (CMU'00, HNZ'01, Staff), Adam Kor (CFA'18), Suzan Lami (CFA'80), Norman Larson (CFA'89), Anne Riggs (CFA'09), Front Studio (Yen Ha) (CFA'96), Eric Warfel (P'CFA'25), Frederick Watts (CFA'68), Jiaxi Wu (CFA'25), Yumiko Yamada (CFA'99), Rachel Zsembery (CFA'01).
Overhead image of the EX-CHANGE Exhibition showing tables with student work from Carnegie Mellon Architecture studios and courses.
The exhibition's Table of Contents displays one representational model or object from each course in the exhibition. The mirrored surface of the table reflects the murals on the Great Hall ceiling.
The exhibition's Table of Contents displays one representational model or object from each course in the exhibition. The mirrored surface of the table reflects the murals on the Great Hall ceiling.
An exhibition visitor pages through a pamphlet on display as part of the Table of Contents.
In keeping with School tradition, students, faculty and staff assembled for an all-school photograph at the EX-CHANGE Celebration + Welcome Back Event on September 13, 2024.
The centerfold table displays the exhibition title and archival photographs from throughout the history of the School.
2023 EX-CHANGE
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The 2023 EX-CHANGE celebrates the work from the 2022–23 school year from first year through Ph.D. The exhibitions were on view in the Great Hall of the College of Fine Arts and throughout the school from August 28-September 10, 2023. The identity and book design are by Lisa Maione of for instance, a design practice with Asad Pervaiz. The 2023 EX-CHANGE highlights the theme of materiality through projects from undergraduate and graduate students that examine the tactile, structural and visual qualities of the materials used in architectural practice.
Carnegie Mellon Architecture gratefully acknowledges our 2023 sponsors who have helped make this project possible: PERKINS EASTMAN, Strada | Design With People In Mind®.
Students, faculty and staff gather for the annual all-school photo
Students, faculty and staff gather for the annual all-school photo during the 2023 EX-CHANGE launch event. Credit: Long Q Hong
Students, faculty and staff gather for the annual all-school photo during the 2023 EX-CHANGE launch event. Credit: Long Q Hong
Students check out the 2023 EX-CHANGE catalog
Students check out the 2023 EX-CHANGE catalog at the exhibition. Credit: Long Q Hong
Students check out the 2023 EX-CHANGE catalog at the exhibition. Credit: Long Q Hong
Students check out the 2023 EX-CHANGE exhibition
Students check out the 2023 EX-CHANGE exhibition in the College of Fine Arts Great Hall. Credit: Long Q Hong
Students check out the 2023 EX-CHANGE exhibition in the College of Fine Arts Great Hall. Credit: Long Q Hong
AIAS students table during the 2023 EX-CHANGE launch event
Students from the CMU chapter of AIAS table during the 2023 EX-CHANGE launch event. Credit: Long Q Hong
Students from the CMU chapter of AIAS table during the 2023 EX-CHANGE launch event. Credit: Long Q Hong
Students from the CMU chapter of Freedom by Design present their Mobile Library Project
Students from the CMU chapter of Freedom by Design present their Mobile Library Project during the 2023 EX-CHANGE launch event. Credit: Long Q Hong
Students from the CMU chapter of Freedom by Design present their Mobile Library Project during the 2023 EX-CHANGE launch event. Credit: Long Q Hong
2023 EX-CHANGE exhibition
The 2023 EX-CHANGE exhibition in the College of Fine Arts Great Hall. Credit: Sejal Jain
The 2023 EX-CHANGE exhibition in the College of Fine Arts Great Hall. Credit: Sejal Jain
The 2023 EX-CHANGE exhibition
The 2023 EX-CHANGE exhibition in the College of Fine Arts Great Hall. Credit: Sejal Jain
The 2023 EX-CHANGE exhibition in the College of Fine Arts Great Hall. Credit: Sejal Jain
2022 EX-CHANGE
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The 2022 EX-CHANGE celebrates 2021-22 projects from first year through Ph.D. programs through an exhibition, designed by means+methods, led by Aviva Rubin (B.Arch ‘07) and Carolynn Karp, and catalog designed by Group Project, Jimmy Luu and Ryan Menefee (DC ’08, HNZ ’09). EX-CHANGE addresses three imminent challenges facing society: climate change, artificial intelligence and social justice. These themes organize the work, along with the experiments inspired by a spirit of formal and technological innovation at the school.
The School of Architecture gratefully acknowledges our 2022 sponsors who have helped make this project possible: PERKINS EASTMAN, Strada | Design With People In Mind®, PWWG Architects, Sota Construction Services, Inc., Desmone Architects, GBBN, Akhil Badjatia.
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2021 EX-CHANGE
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The 2021 EX-CHANGE celebrates the 2020-21 work of the School of Architecture from first year to Ph.D. through a video game, mixed-reality installation, exhibition and catalog designed by Leah Wulfman (B.Arch '16) and Studio Elana Schlenker. View the full game and more at exchange.soa.cmu.edu.
The School of Architecture gratefully acknowledges our 2021 sponsors who have helped make this project possible: Desmone Architects, GBBN.
2020 EX-CHANGE
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The 2020 EX-CHANGE exhibition and publication celebrates the 2019-20 work of the School of Architecture from first year to Ph.D. The first ever virtual EX-CHANGE exhibition was held from September 4-13, 2020 and featured a series of live events. The 2020 publication includes student work from the studios, research labs, and centers.
2019 EX-CHANGE
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In 2019, EX-CHANGE became a year-end exhibition and for the first time celebrated the entire academic year of work from first year to Ph.D. The 2019 publication is a compendium of thought, work and discussion generated by the spring 2019 EX-CHANGE exhibition and includes student work from the studios, research labs, and centers.
2018 EX-CHANGE
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The 2018 edition of the EX-CHANGE publication is a compendium of thought, work and discussion generated by the EX-CHANGE exhibition. It includes student work from the studios, research labs, and centers alongside excerpts from the moderated conversation between students and critics Amy Kulper, Ming Fung and Mitch McEwen based on questions generated by the studios.
2017 EX-CHANGE
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Inaugurated in the fall of 2017, EX-CHANGE represents an ongoing opportunity to shine new light on the School of Architecture’s programs and to position the work within larger questions of research and practice. The school’s studios generated rich provocations, collaborations and opportunities for both orchestrated and spontaneous exchange. Beyond definitive answers, the projects and research of the studios grapple with an array of critical questions. These questions drove the inaugural end-of-semester exhibition and discussion with faculty, students and invited guests Aaron Betsky and Trey Trahan.