PLAT 5.0 is interested in the duality of license, its concomitant responsibilities and liabilities. License is one the one hand the certification of one's ability to conform to legal and social code, but on the other hand the freedom to disregard those exact same requirements, with unexpected and even undesirable results. Given the role of architecture as a highly regulated profession, which requires a license as a barrier to entry (for a variety of valid reasons), and the role of the architect/designer to constantly poke at the defined edges of the field, how can this polemical condition be leveraged to fulfill both roles? PLAT 5.0: License seeks to explore the boundaries of all the implications of license to shed light on the unknown fringes of agency in practice and pedagogy.

Dylan Rinda is coeditor-in-chief for PLAT 5.0: License and previously served as director of development for PLAT 4.5: Frequency. He graduated with a bachelor’s of design degree in architecture from the University of Florida in 2011, and is currently an MArch student at Rice University. In alignment with his interest to engage the public in architecture, he has served as instructor in architecture through Duke-TIP at Davidson College. Additionally, he has worked for several years at residential and institutional design firms in the Tampa Bay-area, with experience in roles from design development and programming to cost estimating and marketing.

Kalen McNamara is coeditor-in-chief for PLAT 5.0. She is an MArch student at Rice University, interested in architecture's potentials regarding feminism and subversive sustainability. She graduated with a BA in architectural studies from Brown University, also completing studio coursework at the Rhode Island School of Design. Having worked at architecture firms in New York and Providence, she has experience in design development and construction documentation, for projects ranging from ground-up hospitality to single-family residential renovations.

Andrea Brennan received her BS in architecture from the University of Virginia and is pursuing her MArch at Rice University. She has over two years of experience in institutional architectural design with VMDO Architects, where she has worked on projects in the spheres of K-12 and higher education. Her experience at VMDO spans from schematic design through construction administration, and includes BIM coordination and LEED documentation. She has also pursued an interest in education through teaching assistantships at UVA and Rice. She is serving as co-graphic editor for PLAT 5.0.

Michelle Chung received a BA in architectural studies and a BS in biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and is currently pursuing an MArch at Rice University. She is serving as co-graphic editor for PLAT 5.0.

Nathan Keibler is pursuing a BArch at Rice University. He has worked in small design firms in both Houston, Texas, and Los Angeles, California. While at SCHAUM/SHIEH in Houston, he worked on the early conceptual phases of various residential projects, a gallery, and a cultural center, as well as the later design stages of a large music venue. During his time at Johnston Marklee in Los Angeles, he was largely involved in the design of a residence in Southern California and a masterplan for the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. He is the managing editor of PLAT 5.0.

The editorial board of PLAT 5.0: License would like to recognize the staff of PLAT 4.5: Frequency, with special appreciation to Amelia Hazinski (editor-in-chief), Anastasia Yee (graphic editor), and David Richmond (managing editor).

PLAT Journal is a biannual print journal produced by students at the Rice School of Architecture. The publication aims to put the work of Rice students and faculty in conversation with a broader architectural audience. PLAT features design projects, historical and theoretical research, and interviews. Since its founding in 2010, PLAT has explored a call-and-response format of full- and half- issues. This format fosters an ongoing dialogue across the thematically paired issues.