Michael Toste

Michael is a PhD candidate in Architecture History and Theory at the Weitzman School of Design. Before entering the program, he received his Bachelor of Architecture degree at Pratt Institute (2008); worked for architecture firms in New York City; co-founded a design and digital fabrication company in Beacon, NY; and received a Master of Science in Architecture History and Theory degree from Penn in 2018. He has held numerous Teaching Fellowship positions at Penn and is committed to helping architecture students develop a greater understanding of their field’s role in history and the social responsibilities of architects in the design of the built environment.

His past research focused on the political underpinnings of mid-century architecture pedagogy in the US and West Germany. His dissertation research concerns the involvement of architects in left-wing political movements in the United States during the Great Depression and World War II. Through an analysis of public discourse and architectural projects, the dissertation will focus on attempts to define the role of architects as both “experts” and citizens in a technologically advanced and ostensibly democratic society.