Douglas A. Garofalo Fellowship (Visiting Faculty) 2026–27
Competition Brief
The Douglas A. Garofalo Fellowship 2026–27 is a nine-month visiting teaching and research fellowship for faculty, which will be held at the School of Architecture, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). The fellowship allows the young designers to not only teach the studio and seminar courses but also conduct independent research and take part in public events. These events include a lecture at the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts and an exhibition or public conversation at UIC among others. The program is named after Doug Garofalo, an architect and educator.
Intent
The intention behind the fellowship is to give to the next generation of architects a home base of teaching and research experience in the academia. The presence of the new voices in UIC’s design culture is one of the expected outcomes besides the fostering of collaboration in pedagogy and research.
Purpose
The aim of the Garofalo Fellowship is to keep the practice of designers, researchers, and teachers at the earliest stage in their careers. The Fellows not only affect the content of the curriculum but also separate their research and contribute to the academic program and the whole architectural discourse.
Requirements
Each applicant has to submit a CV, a research proposal (500–750 words), a teaching statement (500–750 words), a portfolio of selected works (maximum ten pages), and contact details for three referees. Application will be accepted only from individual (not team) candidates. The chosen fellow is supposed to live in Chicago from around the middle of August 2026 to the middle of May 2027.
Jury
This fellowship does not have a traditional jury list since the selection is done by the UIC faculty and administration depending on the relevance of the application to the program’s objectives and the quality of the application. The key points in the evaluation process are research potential, teaching vision, and the quality of the portfolio.
Fees
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application Fee | Free |
Rewards
| Reward | Description |
|---|---|
| Fellowship Appointment | A nine‑month visiting faculty position with teaching and research responsibilities. |
| Public Lecture | An opportunity to present research in a public lecture at the Graham Foundation. |
| Exhibition or Conversation | A public exhibition or discussion at the UIC School of Architecture. |
Important Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Application Deadline | February 21, 2026, 5:00 pm CST |
| Finalist Interview & Presentation | April 2026 |
| Fellowship Period Begins | Mid‑August 2026 |
| Fellowship Period Ends | Mid‑May 2027 |
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
The Douglas A. Garofalo Fellowship 2026 – 27 is an initiative by the School of Architecture of the University of Illinois Chicago and it is sabotaged by the faculty and administration internally which provides a very limited insight into the evaluators. The programme is academic and professional, comprising teaching, research, and public engagement, and it is still not a traditional design competition. No fees are required, and the rewards mainly consist of faculty appointment for nine months, public lecture, and an exhibition which are all in line with the expected effort. Participants mainly gain from the professional development, portfolio enhancement, and the academic experience. The lack of a published jury and the dependency on faculty review make it difficult for the public to verify the evaluation process.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
The Douglas A. Garofalo Fellowship 2026-27 provides a unique chance for up-and-coming architects to link their teaching and research activities in a design school setting, which is both a professional and academic opportunity that is not very common. A succinct teaching and research proposal is the main requirement of the fellowship, and the applicants are motivated to present their work in a manner that fits with UIC School of Architecture’s educational and cultural goals. Research vision and teaching philosophy are the main points emphasized in the selection process, and the finalists are invited for a presentation and interview before the appointment is made. Emerging designers can compare this fellowship with other academic design opportunities and research-oriented awards highlighted on ArchUp, such as Architecture at Zero, International Excellence Awards 2026, and Urban & Architecture Design Awards 2026, that might be useful for them.
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