In March 2016, architect Phil Freelon FAIA—celebrated for his visionary leadership and profound cultural contributions—was diagnosed with ALS, a progressive and incurable disease. At the time, Phil had spent nearly four decades shaping the built environment, from his role as Managing and Design Director at Perkins+Will North Carolina leading significant projects like the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, which was approaching its public debut that September. He was also deeply involved in the early phases of the Motown Museum and other landmark cultural works. 

Confronted with a terminal diagnosis, Phil didn’t retreat—he leaned in. Even as he faced the limits of time, he led the successful effort to posthumously award the AIA Gold Medal to pioneering Black architect Paul Revere Williams, FAIA. He turned a personal reckoning into a larger act of purpose, using his final years to build meaningfully and mentor deeply. 

Through story, song, reflection and purpose-driven dialogue, Nnenna Freelon, Phil’s widow offers intimate insights into how Phil transformed life’s impermanence into renewed clarity and creativity. Together, we will explore Phil’s enduring design legacy, the beauty of intentional endings, and the human invitation to live, build, and lead with care in a world marked by uncertainty. 

This session challenges us to reflect: 

• How do we design with awareness of our own impermanence? 

• What does it mean to design for the end—not just in structures, but in systems, communities, and our own lives? 

Join us for a poignant exploration of a life that continues to inspire how we think, make, and live with intention.