UK Design faculty weave Appalachian resilience into global architecture discourse

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 14, 2025) — Jeff Fugate, associate professor in the University of Kentucky College of Design’s School of Architecture, and Rebekah Radtke, associate professor in the School of Interiors, have been selected to exhibit their work on Appalachian climate resiliency at the 2025 “Time Space Existence” architecture exhibition in Venice, Italy.  

Organized by the European Cultural Centre, this biennial exhibition is one of the world’s most influential platforms for architecture, design and global discourse. The 2025 edition centers on the urgent call to “Repair, Regenerate and Reuse,” a timely response to global environmental and societal challenges. Exhibitors were asked to reimagine architectural practices through circular design and resourcefulness, contributing ideas that aim to regenerate both places and communities. 

“This exhibit is a high-profile opportunity to elevate the story of Appalachian resolve,” Fugate said. “Too often, the Mountains are left out of the larger conversation about climate impacts.” 

Fugate and Radtke’s exhibited project, “Continuous Recovery,” merges digital cartography with traditional craft to reflect the evolving rhythm of disaster and recovery in Eastern Kentucky. Focusing on Whitesburg, an eastern Kentucky town situated near the headwaters of the Kentucky River, their work chronicles a four-year span that includes three severe flooding events, now considered part of a “new normal” for the region.  

The team used river gauge readings to create a time-series of maps and diagrams depicting water levels and river extents on multiple dates, inclusive of both normal readings, drought and flood stage. The maps are overlaid on hand-dyed fabric using natural materials from Kentucky like plants, dirt and minerals, so the colors would reflect the real look and feel of the floodwaters. Instead of showing waterways the way these maps usually do, with neat blue lines, this artwork reflects the reality of floodwaters: brown, muddy and full of things from the land and people’s homes. The river extents were hand embroidered into the fabric to show the movement of water and the impact on the land. The piece captures the physical and emotional landscape shaped by a recurring flood and recovery cycle and is meant to reflect the enduring social capital of communities who return, rebuild and reaffirm their connection to the land and one another.  

The selection of “Continuous Recovery” for the international stage underscores the robustness of Kentucky’s communities. By highlighting Eastern Kentucky’s adaptive responses to environmental change that are grounded in community, craft and cultural endurance, this work reframes the region from a place of vulnerability to a model for sustainable recovery. 

“This project is a portrait not only of environmental impacts, but also of place-based resilience and recovery,” Radtke said. “Oftentimes, Kentuckians look to others for guidance on what to do when it comes to tackling these larger issues. In the case of climate change and disaster recovery, people should be looking to eastern Kentucky as a prime example for resiliency.” 

Fugate and Radtke created “Continuous Recovery” as part of Studio Appalachia, a partnership between university faculty and community leadership, aligning design capacity with local expertise to address the region’s pressing challenges and emerging opportunities.  

“Continuous Recovery” will be on display at Palazzo Mora in Venice through Nov. 23. Audiences around the world can engage with the exhibit in person or by exploring virtual tours and digital content at https://timespaceexistence.com/the-exhibition/.