Kent Larson

Larson practiced architecture in New York City beginning in 1981{{cite web | url=https://www.archimuse.com/ichim99/bios/au_85010685.html | title=ichim 99 speakers | website=archimuse.com | publisher=Archives & Museum Informatics | access-date=2024-01-16}} with Peter L. Gluck and Partners.{{cite magazine | author= | date=Spring 2006 | title=Open Source Building | url=https://www.daylightandarchitecture.com/ | magazine=Daylight & Architecture | publisher=Velux | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060301000000/https://www.daylightandarchitecture.com/ | archive-date=2006-03-01 | access-date=2024-01-16 | url-status=live }} [https://issuu.com/da-magazine/docs/da02 Alt URL] He was partner-in-charge of works including "Pavilions and pool at the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe house"{{cite magazine | last=Goldberger | first=Paul | date=February 1992 | title=Architecture: Modifying Mies | url=https://archive.architecturaldigest.com/article/1992/2/architecture-modifying-mies | magazine=Architectural Digest | publisher=Condé Nast | access-date=2024-01-16}} in Weston, Connecticut and an addition to Uris Hall{{cite book | last=Pressman | first=Andy | date=1995 | title=The Fountainheadache: the politics of architect-client relations | location=New York | publisher=Wiley | page=107 | isbn=9780471309925}} of the Columbia Business School at Columbia University in New York City.

In 1993, Larson published "A Virtual Landmark"{{cite magazine | last=Larson | first=Kent | date=September 1993 | title=A Virtual Landmark | pages=80–87 | magazine=Progressive Architecture | publisher=Reinhold}}

in Progressive Architecture, using radiosity lighting and material simulation software to create a virtual photographic study of Louis I. Kahn's as-yet unbuilt Hurva Synagogue in Jerusalem. This work was selected by Time (magazine) as a "Best Design of the Year" selection for 1993.{{cite magazine | author= | title=The Best Design of 1993 | url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,1125843-2,00.html | magazine=Time | location=New York | publisher=Time | date=January 3, 1994 | access-date=2024-01-16}} Larson expanded this work into the book, Louis I. Kahn: Unbuilt Masterworks,{{cite book | last=Larson | first=Kent | date=2000 | title=Louis I. Kahn: Unbuilt Masterworks | location=New York | publisher=Monacelli | isbn= 9781580930147}} which was selected by The New York Times Book Review as one of "The Ten Best Books in Architecture" for the year 2000.{{cite magazine | last=Filler | first=Martin | date=December 3, 2000 | title=Editors' Choice: The 10 best books of 2000 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/section/books/review | url-status=bot: unknown | magazine=New York Times Book Review | location=New York | publisher=The New York Times Company | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115233422/https://www.nytimes.com/section/books/review | archive-date=2024-01-15 | access-date=2024-01-16 }}

Larson began research and teaching in 1998

{{cite web | url=https://www.ted.com/speakers/kent_larson | title=TED Speakers Profile of Kent Larson | date=June 2012 | website=ted.com | publisher=TED Conferences, LLC | access-date=2024-01-16}} at the MIT School of Architecture and Planning. He currently has a joint appointment with the MIT Media Lab and Department of Architecture.

Larson introduced the CityHome concept in 2011,{{cite web | url=https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/OLD_cityhome2/overview/ | title=MIT CityHome | website=MIT Media Lab | publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date=2024-01-16}}

using full-scale home prototypes to test technologies for high-performance, personalized places of living in response to a housing crisis driven by a lack of affordable housing. {{cite web | url=https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2014/06/02/mit-wants-furnish-tiny-apartment/ | title= MIT Wants to Furnish Your Tiny Apartment | last=Randall | first=Eric | date=June 6, 2014 | website=Boston Magazine |publisher= Metro Corp | access-date=2024-01-16}}

The CityHome concept makes use of three independently configured layers: a high-performance chassis layer consisting of modular framing (construction) and utility services,

{{cite thesis |last=Lawrence |first=Tyson T. |date= 2003 |title= Chassis + infill: A consumer-driven, open source building approach for adaptive, mass customized housing |url=https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/89903 |degree=Master of Science |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |hdl=1721.1/89903 |access-date=2024-01-16}} an integrated infill layer that makes use of architectural robotics,

{{cite thesis |last=Larrea-Tamayo |first=Hasier. |date= 2015 |title= ARkits: Architectural robotics kits |url=https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/98627 |degree=Master of Science |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |hdl=1721.1/98627 |access-date=2024-01-16}} and a responsive architecture layer that incorporates adaptive facade modules.

{{cite thesis |last=Lonergan |first=Ronan |date= 2011 |title= The robotic fac̦ade: A design solution for energy conservation in the CityHome of the future |url=https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/68949 |degree=Master of Science |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |hdl=1721.1/68949 |access-date=2024-01-16}} In 2015 the CityHome research project was spun-off into Ori Living for commercialization in collaboration with designer Yves Béhar.

{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/31/ori-systems-brings-the-robotic-furniture-of-the-future-to-apartments-today/ |title=Ori Systems brings the robotic furniture of the future to apartments today |last=Sheiber |first=Jonathan |date=May 31, 2017 |website=TechCrunch |publisher=Yahoo |access-date=2024-01-16}}

The CityScope{{cite web | url=https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/cityscope/overview/ | title=MIT CityScope | website=MIT Media Lab | publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date=2024-01-16}}

project is an open-source platform{{cite web | url=https://cityscope.media.mit.edu/ | title=CityScope GitHub | website=MIT Media Lab | publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date=2024-01-16}}

developed by Larson and his team to combine LEGO bricks in a tangible user interface with augmented reality and real-time simulation to support experts and non-experts in a new decision-making process to make better cities.

{{cite thesis |last=Noyman |first=Ariel |date= 2022 |title=CityScope: An Urban modeling and Simulation Platform |url=https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/145128 |degree=Ph.D. |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |hdl=1721.1/145128 |access-date=2024-01-16}} CityScope applications have been deployed in cities around the world.{{cite book |last1=Alonso |first1=Luis |first2=Kent |last2=Larson |chapter=CityScope: A Data-Driven Interactive Simulation Tool for Urban Design. Use Case Volpe |series=Springer Proceedings in Complexity |display-authors=1 |date=2018 |title=Unifying Themes in Complex Systems IX |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-96661-8_27 |volume=9 |pages=253–261 |doi=10.1007/978-3-319-96661-8_27 |isbn=978-3-319-96660-1 |access-date=2024-01-16}}{{cite journal |last1=Grignard |first1=Arnaud |last2=Larson |first2=Kent |display-authors=1 |date=2018 |title=Cityscope Andorra: a multi-level interactive and tangible agent-based visualization |url=https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.5555/3237383.3238030 |journal=Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Autonomous Agents and MultiAgent Systems |pages=1939–1940 |access-date=2024-01-16}}{{cite book |last1=Grignard |first1=Arnaud |last2=Larson |first2=Kent |chapter=CityScope Hanoi: Interactive simulation for water management in the Bac Hung Hai irrigation system |display-authors=1 |date=2020 |title=2020 12th International Conference on Knowledge and Systems Engineering (KSE) |chapter-url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9287831 |pages=153–158 |doi=10.1109/KSE50997.2020.9287831 |isbn=978-1-7281-4510-5 |url=https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03086988/file/20%20-%20KSE%20-%20BHH%20-%20vFinale.pdf |access-date=2024-01-16}} In 2016{{cite journal |last1=Noyman |first1=Ariel |last2=Larson |first2=Kent |display-authors=1 |date=2017 |title=Finding places: HCI platform for public participation in refugees' accommodation process |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877050917315375 |journal=Procedia Computer Science |volume=112 |pages=2463–2472 |doi=10.1016/j.procs.2017.08.180 |access-date=2024-01-16|arxiv=1811.10123 }} Larson partnered with the city of Hamburg and HafenCity University to use CityScope to bring together the residents of Hamburg, Germany to identify optimal locations to provide housing for a growing number of refugees of the Syrian Civil War.{{cite journal |last1=Sprandel |first1=Anselm |date=2018 |title=Housing and integrating refugees in Hamburg |url=http://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/4696

|journal=Field Actions Science Reports |pages=20–25 |issue=18 |access-date=2024-01-16}} City residents used the CityScope interface to bring their local knowledge into the government's decision-making process in order to reduce social exclusion by locating refugees in proximity to existing communities and social services.{{cite web |url= https://use.metropolis.org/case-studies/finding-places |title=Finding Places |website=Urban Sustainability Exchange |publisher=Metropolis |access-date=2024-01-16}}

Upon the 2010 death of William J. Mitchell, former Dean of the MIT School of Architecture and Planning, Larson continued work on the MIT CityCar, developing a full-scale prototype that integrated wheel hub motor technology, drive-by-wire control, front entry and egress, and mechanical folding so that three CityCars can fit in one parallel parking space.{{cite web |url= https://www.theverge.com/2012/1/25/2733709/hiriko-folding-car-electric-ev-citycar-mit |title=Hiriko electric car folds up to take one-third of a parking spot, pilot program to begin next year |date=26 January 2012 |publisher=TheVerge |access-date=2024-01-16}} Larson's group worked with automotive suppliers in Spain to develop a commercial version of the MIT CityCar called Hiriko: a folding two-passenger vehicle with zero turning radius robot wheels for high maneuverability in urban areas.{{cite web |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/m-i-t-citycar-renamed-hiriko-is-headed-to-production/ |title=M.I.T. CityCar, Renamed Hiriko, Is Headed to Production |work=The New York Times |date=25 January 2012 |access-date=2024-01-16}}

Larson's team also developed a shared transport ultra-lightweight, autonomous, three-wheeled electric vehicle, called the "Persuasive Electric Vehicle" or "PEV".{{cite web | url=https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/PEV/overview/ | title=Persuasive Electric Vehicle | website=MIT Media Lab | publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date=2024-01-16}} The PEV is designed to move both people and goods in cities, using human-robot interaction techniques to communicate awareness, trust, and empathy with pedestrians.{{cite web | url=https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/2318795916/ | title=Persuasive Electric Vehicle,2014 | website=Cooper Hewitt Museum | publisher=Smithsonian Design Museum | access-date=2024-01-16}} Larson has since applied the principles of the PEV to the design of an autonomous electric bicycle{{cite web | url=https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/AutonomousBicycleProject/overview/ | title=Autonomous Bicycle Project | website=MIT Media Lab | publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date=2024-01-16}} that transforms into a self-driving tricycle for on-demand dockless bicycle sharing with fleet rebalancing.{{cite web | url=https://www.autoevolution.com/news/the-mit-autonomous-bicycle-is-a-regular-bike-that-becomes-self-driving-trike-147554.html | title=The MIT Autonomous Bicycle Is a Regular Bike That Becomes Self-Driving Trike | website=autoevolution | date=18 August 2020 | publisher=SoftNews Net S.R.L. | access-date=2024-01-16}}

Larson, along with colleagues William J. Mitchell, and Alex (Sandy) Pentland at MIT, is credited with first exploring the concept of a Living Laboratory for sensor-enabled research on human behavior.{{cite journal |last1=Claudel |first1=Matthew |date=2018 |title=From organizations to organizational fields: The evolution of civic innovation ecosystems |url=https://timreview.ca/article/1163 |journal=Technology Innovation Management Review |volume=8 |issue=6 |pages=34–37 |doi= 10.22215/timreview/1163|access-date=2024-01-16|doi-access=free }}{{cite journal |last1=Ferronato |first1=Priscilla |last2=Mercer |first2=Lisa |last3=Roberts-Smith |first3=Jennifer |last4=Ruecker |first4=Stan |date=2019 |title=Living Labs and the DH Centre: Lessons for Each from the Other |url=https://kula.uvic.ca/index.php/kula/article/view/81/156 |journal=KULA: Knowledge Creation, Dissemination, and Preservation Studies |volume=3 |issue=1 |page=14 |doi=10.5334/kula.46 |doi-access=free |access-date=2024-01-16}} Living labs represent "a user-centric research methodology for sensing, prototyping, validating and refining complex solutions in multiple and evolving real life contexts."

Eriksson, M., Niitamo, V. P., & Kulkki, S. (2005). State-of-the-art in utilizing Living Labs approach to user-centric ICT innovation-a European approach. Lulea: Center for Distance-spanning Technology. Lulea University of Technology Sweden: Lulea.

Larson's living lab research focuses on developing computational tools to understand human behavior in natural environments, such as the PlaceLab,Intille, S. S., Larson, K., Beaudin, J., Tapia, E. M., Kaushik, P., Nawyn, J., & McLeish, T. J. (2005). The PlaceLab: A live-in laboratory for pervasive computing research (video). Proceedings of PERVASIVE 2005 Video Program.

an apartment-scale living environment instrumented with sensing for data collection on applications that respond to human behavior, with an emphasis on proactive health, energy conservation, and the support of new ways of living and working.{{cite web |url=https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/2004/12/25/placelab-studies-interaction-with-home/50356377007/ |title=PlaceLab studies interaction with home tech |last=Roberts, Jr. |first=Glenn |date= December 24, 2004 |website=South Coast Today |publisher=The Standard-Times |access-date=2024-01-16}}

Larson and researchers from his MIT lab received 10-Year Impact Awards from the Association for Computing Machinery Ubiquitous and Pervasive computing conferences in 2014 and 2019 for recognition of their work on living labs that, with the test of time, has had the greatest impact on the research community.[https://ubicomp.org/sc/awards.html?_r=1 Pervasive 10 Year Impact Award]

Kent Larson was an early proponent of compact, walkable communities, which later became known as the 15-minute city concept for promoting sustainable living and improved quality of life. In a 2012 TED talk,{{cite web |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/kent_larson_brilliant_designs_to_fit_more_people_in_every_city |title=Brilliant designs to fit more people in every city

|last=Larson |first=Kent |date=June 2012 |website=TED |publisher=TED Conferences, LLC |access-date=2024-01-16 |quote=}} Larson discussed how cities in future can evolve into a high-performance network of 20-minute communities by deploying design, technology, and public policy innovation.

Larson lives in Jamaica Plain, Boston, with his wife, Maria Miller Larson.{{Citation needed | date=February 2022}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{TED speaker}}
• [http://www.ted.com/talks/kent_larson_brilliant_designs_to_fit_more_people_in_every_city Kent Larson: Brilliant designs to fit more people in every city (TEDxBoston 2012)]

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Category:Architects from New York City

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