Alexander Eisenschmidt is an architect and writer who teaches design and courses in history and theory. Before joining UIC, Eisenschmidt taught at Syracuse University and Pratt Institute in New York, and currently holds a visiting position at the University of Pennsylvania (Spring 2011). His research investigates the productive tension between the modern city and architectural form, and has been supported by the Graham Foundation, the Kress Foundation, and the Melhorn Fund. He has lectured extensively and chaired conferences at more than 20 institutions—from the Free University in Berlin to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. His writings have appeared in Architectural Research Quarterly, Zeitschrift für Zeithistorische Forschungen, The Architectural Newspaper New York, and Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. He is also editor of the forthcoming issue “City as Catalyst” by AD Magazine (2012) and is working on a book entitled The Good Metropolis. As a co-founder and partner in the design practice Studio Offshore, Eisenschmidt understands the challenges of the contemporary environment as opportunities, the contemporary city as a resource, and architectural design as a strategic device.