Florida Southern College now has a leader for its School of Architecture.
The Lakeland school has appointed Andrew Phillip Payne as the founding dean and professor of architecture for the program, scheduled to begin in the fall. Former Florida Southern President Anne B. Kerr disclosed plans to create an architecture program shortly before her retirement in 2024.
Payne most recently served as dean and professor of architecture in the College of Architecture and Construction Management at Kennesaw State University in Georgia from 2020 to 2025. Before that, he led the Department of Built Environment at Indiana State University, serving as chair and professor, Florida Southern said in a news release.
Architecture programs are uncommon at small, liberal arts colleges, such as Florida Southern. But the Lakeland campus contains the largest single-site collection of structures designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, arguably the nation’s most renowned architect.
“I am very excited to take on the role of founding dean for the School of Architecture on the Frank Lloyd Wright campus at Florida Southern College and see great opportunities for innovative teaching and learning in a highly engaging setting,” Payne said in the release.
Payne has served as a professor of architecture at Savannah College of Art and Design, teaching architecture design studios and support courses. Earlier, he was an assistant researcher with the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University, where he conducted accessibility workshops, design reviews and building evaluations.
While at N.C. State, Payne completed his Ph.D. in design, focusing on wayfinding by visually impaired pedestrians. Payne has also worked in various architectural design firms in the Southeast and has been a keynote speaker at conferences and contributed to several written bodies of work, the release said.
“The newly formed School of Architecture will embrace the masterfully designed campus as a teaching laboratory, while also incorporating state-of-the-art technologies and practices,” Payne said. “Together, the faculty and students will demonstrate the school’s vision and identity as design leaders in the built environment.”
Florida Southern intends to equip its School of Architecture with design studios, fabrication labs and a research center, the release said. Kerr announced last year that the program would add a graduate component in 2028.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Andrew Phillip Payne as the new dean of the School of Architecture at Florida Southern College,” FSC’s provost and vice president of academic affairs, Tracey Tedder, said in the release. “His leadership experience, commitment to student-centered architecture education, and a distinguished record of innovation and collaboration make him an extraordinary addition to our academic community at FSC.”
Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Florida Southern in Lakeland appoints the inaugural leader for its School of Architecture
Reporting by Gary White, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
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