RUDC AIA25 Recap
By Maria Antony Katticaran, AIA
The AIA 2025 Conference in Boston served as a powerful reminder of the critical, evolving role architects hold at the intersection of infrastructure, and civic life. As a transportation and infrastructure architect and urban designer, I was particularly struck by Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s reflections on the potential of design to bridge divides and foster belonging in communities historically fractured by the very systems we seek to improve. His framing of architects as stewards of connection echoes my own belief that we are, at our core, problem-solvers — uniquely positioned to synthesize technical complexity with social responsibility. In an era where infrastructure carries profound implications for climate resilience, mobility, and social wellbeing, architects are called not only to design buildings, but to shape systems, policies, and experiences that create more just and resilient cities. The conference affirmed the urgent need for our profession to fully embrace this elevated role, bringing forward design leadership that is both visionary and grounded in the realities of the communities we serve.