Erika Naginski

Erika Naginski is the Robert P. Hubbard Professor of Architectural History at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design (GSD), Department of Architecture. She is affiliated with the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture. Prior to joining the GSD, she taught at MIT and the University of Michigan, and held fellowships at Harvard’s Society of Fellows, the Radcliffe Institute, and the Clark Art Institute.

Her research explores Baroque/Enlightenment architecture, early modern aesthetic philosophy, and public space theories. Key projects include analyzing the intersection of architecture with art history, the philosophical foundations of medium studies, and the socio-political dimensions of public art during revolutionary periods. Recent work focuses on eighteenth-century conceptions of history and archaeology.

Naginski’s courses include Architecture and its Texts (1650-1800), The Shapes of Utopia, and The Ruin Aesthetic, emphasizing critical discourse and historical methodologies. She has published extensively on topics such as Piranesi’s influence, utopian spatial concepts, and the role of ruins in architectural thought.

• Awards: Guggenheim Fellowship (2007) for her study on architecture, archaeology, and historical conception.
• Editorial Roles: Serves on the editorial board of Res.
• Labs/Teams: Active in the Aga Khan Program’s interdisciplinary initiatives on Islamic architecture.