Radical Ecologies: A Talk with Jeff Richards

Get to know architect and Temple University professor Jeff Richards and his innovative work with flax and “flaxcrete” as a sustainable building material. The exploration of flaxcrete’s potential is at the heart of Franklin Thread, his 2026 Art on the Parkway project commissioned by the Association for Public Art and now on view in Maja Park. Richards developed flaxcrete, a biogenic material, in collaboration with students at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture.

JEFF RICHARDS is an architect and educator at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture, where he teaches course work in architectural design, environmental systems and ecological design. Jeff leads the architecture and design practice RAD. Before founding that office, he worked for the firms of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, collaborating on a diversity of work encompassing many scales, programs, and places. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from Yale University and a Bachelor of Arts from Hamilton College. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Jeff is a proud transplant to the City of Brotherly Love.

This talk is presented by the Association for Public Art (aPA) in collaboration with DesignPhiladelphia. Support for this program is provided by the Dina Wind Art Foundation. Art on the Parkway is organized by the Association for Public Art in partnership with the Parkway Council and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation.