Episteme and Techne

Thesis project imagines a footbridge to Hutchinson

The Savannah Morning News has great recognition of Fulbright Scholar and Post-professional student Andreas Mayer as well as Fifth Year Professor Arpad Ronaszegi in this article of Andreas’ thesis investigation of a footbridge to Hutchinson Island. (Andreas’ project was also one of the projects selected by the faculty members to be exhibited during the visit by Frank Gehry).

I am a regular reader of Mr. Dawers’ column in the Savannah Morning News because of his articulate commentary of the built environment of the City of Savannah. His opinions and contributions are a vital part of the feedback mechanism which is so important to the critical observation of our community.

Every resident of every city or town has a role to observe and contribute to the dialogue of development and public space; it is when we allow our stereotypes and fears of differing opinions to steer the criticism that we loose sight of our own responsibility as stewards of the city. Marrying careful stewardship and good critical dialogue allows for proposals to progress the city forward while maintaining the utmost respect for the past.

Ultimately, as the title of this blog reflects and Mr. Dawers’ column suggests, the goal is balance.

An update and link to the Creative Coast blog where they discuss the TechFest…
SCAD architecture duo wins First Place at Creative Coasts’s TechFest 2008 - Savannah, The Creative Coast Initiative

The American Institute of Architecture Students chapter at the Savannah College of Art and Design announces architect John Keenen as the latest speaker in the SCAD School of Building Arts lecture series.

John Keenen will speak May 1, 7 p.m., at Trustees Theater, Broughton Street, Savannah. In 1984, Keenen co-founded Keenen/Riley, a New York City-based architecture and design studio now known as K/R. Keenan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history from Georgetown University and a Master of Architecture degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. He has taught, lectured and exhibited work at numerous academic institutions, including the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Parsons School of Design, Syracuse University, the University of Texas at Austin and Arlington, and the Internationale Sommerakademie für Architektur in Herne, Germany. He has received two Graham Foundation research grants, and has twice been a finalist for the International Andrea Palladio Award for Architecture. K/R was also chosen as part of the “Emerging Voices” program at the Architectural League of New York in 1992.

The theme for the 2008 School of Building Arts lecture series is “Application.” It focuses on architecture as a tangible reality, exploring the methods and practices that take architecture from a designer’s idea to a built reality. Members of the AIAS have invited guests who have taken concepts taught in the classroom and applied them to professional projects.

An update to the Frank Gehry Lecture from the SCAD Message System…

Tickets now can be reserved for the SCAD Style lecture by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Frank Gehry Monday, April 28, 7:30 p.m., at Trustees Theater, 216 E. Broughton St., Savannah, Ga.

The lecture is free and open to the public, but tickets must be presented to enter the theater. General admission tickets are available at the SCAD box office, 216 E. Broughton St., or by phone at 912.525.5050 (service fee applied to phone and online orders). Limit four tickets per person.

Frank Gehry’s buildings, including his private residence, have become tourist attractions. In a career spanning four decades, Gehry’s belief of “architecture as art” has fueled designs for some of the world’s most-recognized architectural structures. His best known works include the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Bilbao, Spain, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Dancing House in Prague, Czech Republic, and his own residence, the Gehry House in Santa Monica, Calif.

On Friday, SCAD M.Arch students Anthony Cissell and Matt Kohne won First Place in the Creative Coast Alliance sponsored TechFest.

See the article in the Savannah Morning News.

Congratulations to Anthony and Matt!

The annual graduating class photo date and time has been established.

I have contacted exhibitions and requested they open this exhibit to M.Arch thesis work and they agreed. Please consider submitting…

The exhibitions department of SCAD is hosting the second annual M.F.A thesis exhibition at the ACA Gallery of SCAD at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta May 27 – June 17, 2008. This is an invitation for each studio art department Chair to nominate up to three M.F.A. graduate students to be considered for the opportunity to exhibit at the ACA Gallery. Two M.F.A. graduate students will be selected (by a jury of Exhibitions staff members) to install, exhibit and de-install their thesis exhibitions. The exhibitions department will work with the artists to divide the gallery accordingly and finalize all aspects of the exhibition.

Each nomination must include the artist’s full name, contact information, at least 5 high resolution images (300dpi and 5”x7” or greater) with image credits (title, medium, size, date), list of necessary technology equipment (if applicable), artist statement and artist C.V. Last year many nominations were submitted on CDs – this proved to be an efficient way to receive submissions.

Nominations Deadline: April 28, 2008, Notification Date: May 2, 2008
Due to the tight turnaround date for notification, late submissions will not be considered.

Send Nominations to:
Exhibitions Department
Evans Hall
212 W. Hall St.
Savannah, GA 31401
Attn: Erin Dziedzic, Curator

Or

Interoffice to: Evans Hall, Erin Dziedzic (MFA ACA)

With this latest round of graduate program applications, the department has implemented some changes to the process of portfolio submission and review.

The portfolio requirements have been modified so all applicants have the same guidelines. Here are the new guidelines:
Architecture (Professional and Post-professional)
Portfolio review is intended to review the preparedness and maturity of undergraduate students who wish to enter the graduate program of study within the Department of Architecture. Applicants should submit a portfolio of creative work in digital format. The portfolio should represent the applicants best work examples and should be compiled of either original prints or documentation of drawings and models. Portfolios should demonstrate drawing ability and attention to detail through the inclusion of drawings from life, work that demonstrates the applicant’s personal creativity, as well as drawings relevant to the building arts, e.g. drawings from observation, freehand sketches, renderings, CAD drawings and any other work that expresses the applicant’s individual style.

The portfolio should demonstrate a high level of craft that includes professional binding, high quality materials, non-gloss paper, high level of graphic design, and consistency of layout. Portfolio size is 8 ½ x 11” maximum, however fold-outs are allowed. Additionally, applicants should include a well-crafted Statement of Philosophy explaining an approach to past work and a well-crafted Declaration of Intent describing the student’s interest in pursuing graduate studies (250-word maximum).

These new guidelines have already been implemented for our Graduate Preparedness Review this winter and spring quarters, and will be published for applicants beginning 2008-2009 academic year.