Rate My Professor Peter Wiederspahn

Peter Wiederspahn serves as Associate Professor of Architecture in Northeastern University’s School of Architecture, College of Arts, Media, and Design, where he has been on faculty since 1997, initially as Assistant Professor before promotion in 2003. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University (1978-1983), including study abroad in Florence, Italy, and a Master of Architecture from Harvard University Graduate School of Design (1987-1989). Earlier appointments include Assistant Professor at The Pennsylvania State University Department of Architecture (1990-1995), Visiting Design Critic at Harvard GSD (1996), and Visiting Professor at Dartmouth College (1997). Administratively, he was Associate Dean of Academic and Faculty Affairs for the College (2011-2014), Interim Director of the School of Architecture, inaugural Director of the Berlin Semester Abroad, and has contributed to numerous university committees including the Academic Plan Committee and Presidential Scholarship Committee.

His scholarship centers on architectural design, production, performance, and systems, with key interests in future-use architecture—designing for long-term adaptability—rapidly deployable lightweight shelter systems for emergencies, wood-frame construction and its urban cultural impact, and high-performance flat-pack structural/thermal components. Wiederspahn co-authored the seminal book The Architecture of Persistence: Designing for Future Use with Michelle Laboy and David Fannon (Routledge, 2022), which posits continued human use as the measure of sustainability and expands adaptability discourse to include continuity. This publication emerged from their 2017-2019 AIA Latrobe Prize, supporting global research on tectonic and performative attributes enabling persistent building change. Further accolades encompass two ACSA Annual Meeting Poster Awards (“Future-Use Architecture,” 2011; “e3co Systems,” 2010), multiple BSA/AIA awards for designs like the Beckert/McGirr Residence (2010) and High Rise House (2002), Graham Foundation fellowship for wood-frame housing research (2001), and competition prizes. Peer-reviewed publications include articles in ACSA proceedings such as “Future Use Architecture: Designing for Adaptability” (2013) and encyclopedia entries on Maison de Verre and Pierre Chareau (2004). Through his firm Wiederspahn Architecture, LLC, he has realized award-winning projects in Boston, New York, and Chicago, bridging academia and practice.