Death: A Salon on Ethics of Technology

Thursday, March 5, 6–8 pm
303 Bond Street, Brooklyn

There are two movements within every transformation: the ending of something that no longer serves, and the emergence of something not yet fully formed. Across natural systems we see this cycle continuously — decay makes way for growth; compost becomes garden. Death, in this sense, is not merely loss. It is transition. — Justin Den Herder, Vice President and Principal, TYLin

​The way we design our built environment is increasingly integrating AI, machine learning, and data-driven workflows. How can the design professions navigate this transformation with discernment and care? Explore what assumptions, systems, and habits may need to end in order to create a more generative, just, and resilient future.

​Join built environment experts in an open debate, exploring questions like:

• What practices are no longer serving the public good?
• ​What professional habits are rooted in scarcity, speed, or spectacle rather than care?
• ​What forms of authorship, hierarchy, or labor structure may be reaching their limits?
• ​What should we preserve, and what are we prepared to release?

Event Schedule

• ​6 pm: Doors open
• ​6:30 pm: Intro remarks by Justin Den Herder, TYLin
• ​6:40 pm: ​PechaKucha-style presentations by Dave Bennik, Building Deconstruction Institute; Joe Brennan, KPF; Carl Damas, Perkins&Will; and Austin Wade Smith, Regen Foundation
• ​7:15–8 pm: Group discussion and debate

​This event is organized by Justin Den Herder as part of Van Alen Vanguard, a cohort of rising professionals reimagining cities, public space, and designers’ roles in civic life.