Dennis Milam and Paola Aguirre Serrano: Design with, not for

The Department of Landscape Architecture welcomes BORDERLESS in our Forms of Public Realm Practice lecture series.

Founded in 2016, BORDERLESS is an urban design and research studio focused on cultivating collaborative design agency through interdisciplinary projects, and connecting communities to design processes. With emphasis on exchange across disciplines, BORDERLESS explores creative and collaborative city design interventions that address the complexity of urban systems, spatial equity and justice by looking at intersections between architecture, urban design, infrastructure, landscape, planning and civic participatory processes.

BORDERLESS is invested in supporting healthy, equitable, and vibrant communities by prototyping and demonstrating how design adds value to the built and social environments. By working side by side with communities, BORDERLESS designs tools, processes and outcomes to both inspire, enable and shape meaningful places with people.

As a practice focused on interdisciplinary collaboration, BORDERLESS designs and facilitates a variety of methods and processes for dynamic exchange and engagement using data, research, design to envision the future of communities and project opportunities at different scales—from buildings and neighborhoods, to regions.

Dennis Milam is an architect and Principal with BORDERLESS since 2019. Dennis has nearly twenty years of professional experience including working closely with private clients, developers, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and architecture and engineering offices in the United States, Austria, Middle East and Asia on projects of various scales—from private residences to large scale mixed-use projects from conception to completion. Dennis leverages both his experience in all phases of design and construction to pursue holistic design excellence, and his strong coordination expertise collaborating with architectural, structural engineering, landscape design and urban planning teams. His recent experience in Chicago includes working with Chicago Public Library & Public Building Commission on the Chinatown Library, and with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events managing the installation of a public art commission–‘HYLE’ sculpture by artist Juan Angel Chavez. Dennis is a member of the American Institute of Architect, Construction Specification Institute and the National Fire Protection Association. 

Paola Aguirre Serrano is an urban designer and founder of BORDERLESS who focuses on social equity and spatial justice by leveraging her experience working with public, civic and private organizations in Mexico and the United States over the past fifteen years. Paola has taught The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Sam Fox School of Design Washington University in St. Louis and Archeworks  She has been acknowledged by Next City Vanguard’s 40 Under 40 (2016), Impact Design Hub’s 40 Under 40 (2017), Newcity Design 50: Who Shapes Chicago (2018/2020), Emerging Planner Award by the American Planning Association – Illinois Chapter (2018), Field Foundation Civic Leader for Racial Equity (2019), Chicago United for Equity Fellow (2019), AIA Distinguished Services Award (2020), and served until recently as Commissioner of Chicago Landmarks and as member of the City of Chicago Cultural Advisory Council. Paola received a M. of Architecture in Urban Design from the Harvard School of Design.

If you require any accessibility accommodation, such as live captioning, audio description, or a sign language interpreter, please email news@design.upenn.edu to let us know what you need. Please note, we require at least 48 hours’ notice. If you register within 48 hours of this event, we won’t be able to secure the appropriate accommodations.