Senior Facilities Planner | Stanford University School of Medicine
A creative thought leader, Mani Ardalan Farhadi’s experience spans 30+ years of strategizing for learning environments. As Senior Facilities Planner at Stanford University School of Medicine, OFPM (Office of Facilities Planning and Management), Mani combines her passion for education with extensive planning skills to develop design ideas and solutions for research space. Using strategic thinking and consensus-building, she is integral to campus planning, having collaborated with public and private institutions from K-12 to Higher Education. Mani’s keen abilities include advocacy and building consensus with her customers.
Mani’s leadership roles include: WIA (Women in Architecture) AIA Silicon Valley Steering Committee; Co-founder of BIBI (Banous in Building Industry) for Iranian-American women; DEI Officer for Wellesley College Alumnae Class; Advisory Board of NICA (Niosha International Conservatory of Arts); Board Member of Institute for Traditional Psychoethics and Guidance; 2022 Steering Committee for WLS (Women’s Leadership Summit); former Board of Trustee (Los Gatos Union School District); and Chair of Bond Oversight Committee (upon which she received ‘Citizen Architect’ award).
She has served as moderator, juror, panelist, speaker, and docent at professional events and conferences, such as Learning by Design, SF Design Week, GenARTS, SCUP, EQxD, WLS, WIA, AIA, CCFC, CCLC, A4LE, SPUR, Wellesley and Mills College; topics ranging from Career-Building to Inclusivity and Intersectionality. A graduate of Wellesley College (B.A. Arch) and Boston Architectural College (B.Arch), Mani supplemented her formal education with training at Stanford LEAP (Leadership, Education, Access, Power) and Stanford Supervisory Academy, MIG (Management in Governance), SCUP Planning Institute, and Leadership Los Gatos.
Courses
The Culture of Architecture - A Multicultural Perspective on Design Through the Lens of Diverse Storytelling
What values manifest in the built environment and what design principles can we apply to our projects to assure that our physical environments embody the diverse cultures of their inhabitants? Today, the architecture profession recognizes that diverse teams are more successful, particularly when it comes to analysis, creativity, and innovation, all of which are the cornerstones of architecture firms. Intersectionality in architecture is not just about the politics of recognizing individuals and their multiple and intersecting identities but extends to a framework of collective responsibility and action toward practices that are inclusive, diverse, and socially just.
In this session, attendees will hear from a diverse group of architects, designers, and artists who will share their cultures, visions, project samples, and insights in why the intersection of architecture and culture is imperative for the built environment and their communities they serve. The panelists will expand on how thoughtful planning and design can contribute to a more welcoming, and diverse place for occupants to live and thrive, and why architects should incorporate different communities' experiences with culture, policies and design, to create both beautiful and more diverse environments. This session will have ample Q&A time, allowing for attendees to engage with the panelists.
Course expires 03/25/2026