The Architect’s Newspaper has engaged Aaron Seward as its new Editor in Chief. Seward will be the second person in the publication’s history to hold the title and follows in the steps of the late William Menking, who founded AN with President and Publisher Diana Darling in 2003. Seward joins the team from Texas Architect, where he has served as editor since 2015. Prior to his move to Texas, Seward held several positions at AN, including Executive Editor. He returns with a broader perspective, reflecting AN’s own evolution from a New York–centric publication to national authority on architecture and design.
“I’m honored and excited to join The Architect’s Newspaper as Editor-in-Chief. Over the course of nearly two decades, AN has grown into this country’s best and most enjoyable source for architecture news, reviews, and commentary. It has done so through principled journalism, the featuring of independent and diverse voices, and the proposition that architecture is not just something to be ogled and praised, but taken seriously and evaluated critically (though also humorously, which is often the same thing).”
In his new role, Seward will oversee editorial strategy, while also developing new multiplatform initiatives to expand the brand’s reach. He will work alongside Executive Editor Samuel Medina and the editorial staff to continue AN’s legacy of providing news, cultural reporting, and critical commentary to an engaged readership.
Diana Darling, President of AN, continues: “I am so pleased to be working with Aaron again. He possesses the skills, including working with Bill over the past 18 years, and thoroughly understands how to elevate AN to the next phase in building our business. As the media landscape changes after the pandemic, the way that our editorial is delivered has expanded with virtual conferences, newsletters, live streams, digital editions and more. I believe that Aaron will be a great partner to bring fresh ideas to the AEC cultural landscape and the future of design media.”
“I had the great good fortune to be mentored by my predecessor in this role,” added Seward, “William Menking. I look forward to continuing his legacy while forging a new path forward that builds upon AN’s robust digital presence while finding a new viability for the print editions.”
