Emily McGlohn, educator and architect,  presents the work of Rural Studio, Auburn University’s off-campus design-build program in rural West Alabama, which has educated Citizen Architects through immersive, hands-on learning in design and construction for over three decades. Each year, students collaborate under faculty mentorship, designing and building homes and community projects for residents. The program emphasizes practical experience, community engagement, and the role of architecture in addressing housing affordability and rural resilience. This lecture will focus on current work and research, emphasizing how learning from our clients deepens empathy and strengthens it as a vital tool in the design process.

Emily McGlohn is an Associate Professor in Auburn University’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture. She holds architecture degrees from Auburn University and the University of Oregon and is a licensed architect in Virginia and Alabama.

At Rural Studio in Newbern, Alabama, McGlohn coordinates the 3rd-year curriculum and teaches design studio, where students build homes for local residents. Her work focuses on building enclosures, single-family housing, and client engagement, contributing to Rural Studio’s Front Porch Initiative to develop affordable housing models.

Her research emphasizes empathy in architectural education and explores rural innovation through interdisciplinary partnerships. She is currently piloting decentralized wastewater systems in West Alabama with engineers from UA and USA, a project recognized with the 2024 SOM Foundation Research Prize.

In 2025, Architectural Record honored McGlohn with a Women in Architecture Award for her contributions to the field.