2026 Druker Award Lecture: More Than a Building

About this event

Please join us in person or online over Zoom Webinar for the 2026 Druker Award presentation and talk with KPMB Architects’ Marianne McKenna and Paulo Rocha.

This 2026 Druker Award lecture explores how cities are continually reshaped, with KPMB Architects’ Marianne McKenna and Paulo Rocha examining Boston’s evolution and the story behind Boston University’s Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences. Through the lens of this landmark project, they’ll consider how the design process and partnership can create lasting social, environmental, and economic impact. They’ll also look to the future of architecture in Boston.

About the Presenters

Marianne McKenna, Founding Partner, KPMB Architects

Marianne McKenna, the 2025 RAIC Gold Medalist, is a founding partner of KPMB Architects and an Officer of the Order of Canada. She is internationally known for her leadership on major cultural landmarks, including the Royal Conservatory of Music’s TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning and Koerner Hall, the revitalization of Toronto’s historic Massey Hall, the renewal of Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, and the Jenny Belzberg Theatre at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Her approach balances deep respect for architectural legacy with contemporary interventions that support new uses, improved performance, and broader public access. She is a passionate advocate for design excellence, sustainability, and community‑building through architecture.

Paulo Rocha, Partner, KPMB Architects

Paulo Rocha is a partner at KPMB Architects whose work is defined by a rigorous approach to design, materiality, and craft. Since joining the firm in 1995, he has played a leading role in shaping many of KPMB's most recognized projects across cultural, academic, workplace, residential, and civic sectors. His expertise spans the full lifecycle of a project, combining strong design leadership with technical precision to ensure architectural vision is carried through construction. His portfolio includes the Governor General's Medal-winning Remai Modern, the RIBA Award-winning Gardiner Museum renewal, the Rotman School of Management Expansion, and Boston University's Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences, one of the largest fossil fuel-free buildings in the Boston area. He is currently leading the design of the Montreal Holocaust Museum and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

The Druker Award is presented annually to a speaker or speakers who has or have made outstanding and important contributions to the world of urban art, architecture, and design. The award is a reproduction of the historic copper griffins gracing the roofline of the Boston Public Library’s iconic McKim Building.

Accessibility Notice : We strive to make our events accessible. To request a disability accommodation and/or language services, contact the Adult Programs Department at programs@bpl.org. Please allow at least two weeks to arrange accommodation.

Programming at the Boston Public Library is funded th