Episteme and Techne

Today I will begin highlighting examples of the award winning student work from the Thesis Exhibition held at the Department of Architecture Eichberg Hall in May. The final exhibition show is the culmination of the M.Arch degree program thesis investigation whereby students identify, research, frame, and ultimately apply an idea to architecture.

Michael Mankin is a recipient of the Faculty Thesis Award, ‘awarded to a graduate thesis project as selected by the faculty members of the Department of Architecture for superior achievement and presentation in the development of a thesis project. Projects for the Faculty Thesis Award are nominated by faculty members of the Department of Architecture.’ Michael’s project is titled, “Methane: When Innovation Meets Aesthetic” and is set in Los Angeles, California

The simplest of design principals is taught to architecture students in some of the earliest design studios they experience, and yet for some, it is only at the end of their formal education when they are reminded and coerced into returning to these principles that they impact and influence work. This is one of the more beautiful and perplexing aspects of architectural education; that the synthesis of material must happen at the student’s moment of choosing, it cannot be forced, it can only be inspired to occur. Some simply sit and let the knowledge wash over them in waves rather than arranging the various and disparate contributors (client, program, technology, theory, formal ordering) into inspiring architecture; this is the purview of the developing mind. Others engage the conversation readily, and begin to use the knowledge as the basis of their next endeavor. However, all are able… the question is when will they employ the tools?

My studio dictum: As simple as it can be, as complex as it needs to be…

“On the occasion of the exhibitions Frank Lloyd Wright: From Within Outward and Learning By Doing, the Guggenheim and Google SketchUp invite amateur and professional designers from around the world to enter Design It: Shelter Competition. From now until August 23, you can submit a 3-D shelter for any location in the world using Google SketchUp and Google Earth.”, Guggenheim Museum

A friend of the department is having an exhibition of recent and revisited drawings and prints at Gallery Espresso. John Metcalf’s work will be on display from June 29th through July 29th. Go check out the work of this talented artist!

Department of Architecture alumni Andrew King, M.Arch 2009, is currently working in Valencia, Spain for Menis Arquitectos. Firm principal Fernando Martin Menis, formally of AMP Arquitectos, has been published in multiple works, including Architecture Now: 5, which featured a multi-page spread on the AMP project, Magma Arts Center & Congress in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands.

While the firm works in multiple programs, including cultural, religious, residential, sports, urban and installations, currently Andrew is working on a 4000-seat music hall in Torun, Poland. Andrew sent us this link to Dezeen architecture and design magazine, where the project is discussed with several visuals to accompany the article.

Congratulations to Andrew on his accomplishments!

WPA 2.0: an open design competition for working public architecture organized and sponsored by cityLAB

cityLAB, an urban think tank at UCLA’s Department of Architecture and Urban Design, announces a call for entries to “WPA 2.0: Working Public Architecture.” WPA 2.0 is an open competition that seeks innovative, implementable proposals to place infrastructure at the heart of rebuilding our cities during this next era of metropolitan recovery. WPA 2.0 recalls the Depression-era Works Projects Administration (1935-43), which built public buildings, parks, bridges, and roads across the nation as an investment in the future—one that has, in turn, become a lasting legacy. We encourage projects that explore the value of infrastructure not only as an engineering endeavor, but as a robust design opportunity to strengthen communities and revitalize cities. Unlike the previous era, the next generation of such projects will require surgical integration into the existing urban fabric, and will work by intentionally linking systems of points, lines and landscapes; hybridizing economies with ecologies; and overlapping architecture with planning. This notion of infrastructural systems is intentionally broad, including but not limited to parks, schools, open space, vehicle storage, sewers, roads, transportation, storm water, waste, food systems, recreation, local economies, ‘green’ infrastructure, fire prevention, markets, landfills, energy-generating facilities, cemeteries, and smart utilities.

Deadline Extended for SE Fall Conference Call for Posters

2009 ACSA Southeast Fall Conference
Architecture is a Thing of Art
October 8-10, 2009 | Savannah, Georgia
Host School: Savannah College ofArt and Design, School of Building Arts, Department of Architecture
Co-chairs: Matthew Dudzik & Alexis Gregory

August 3, 2009: Poster submissions due to ACSA website
August 17, 2009: Authors of posters notified of acceptance status
September 10, 2009: Accepted poster presenters must register for conference by this date

For complete details please visit:
http://www.acsa-arch.org/conferences

Dwell Magazine and Inhabitat.com are pleased to announce the first ever Reburbia competition: a design competition dedicated to re-envisioning the suburbs.

Congratulations to SCAD Department of Architecture faculty member Professor Julie Rogers Varland who will be presenting at the annual SECAC conference in Mobile, AL. Prof. Rogers Varland’s proposal was accepted for the Liminality Panel, and she will present her research titled, “Engawa and More: Japanese Concepts and Architectural Behaviors of Liminal Space”. Prof. Rogers Varland’s travel to Japan in the summer of 2008 to conduct research was partially supported by the SCAD Presidential Fellowship program. The SECAC conference will take place October 21-24, 2009.

Art vs. Design

An international Open Call for Unique Talent
Details: http://www.artistswanted.org

Images are power. In this dynamic era compelling design can move millions and transcendent art can inspire a generation. From cave paintings of early man to today’s industrial designers, art & design has uniquely shaped the world around us, each in its own distinct way. This contest is designed to answer the age old question: What shapes our world more, art or design?

Join thousands of creative people in this visual dialogue.

Mark Mothersbaugh, acclaimed artist and lead singer of art-rock band DEVO leads a panel of judges including Jarrett Gregory (curator at NYC’s New Museum) and Donwan Harrell (founder and creative director of Akademiks clothing) in selecting the top artist or designer to be featured at a gala reception at the New Museum in June. The public also plays judge - determining the most powerful medium of the moment - in an online face-off that pits art submissions against design submissions.

Opportunities will be created for everyone who participates and we are awarding over $11,000 in prizes.

Grand Prize & Student winner will be awarded with:
A gala reception at the New Museum in New York City

$2009 cash grant
International Publicity, including a feature in Filter Magazine and work shown through Gawker Artists exposing the winners art or design to hundreds of thousands of visitors across 190+ website galleries

$500 in gear from Akademiks
Plus the Red Bull Prize: Offering a choice of: A vintage Vespa OR a trip to London to visit the Tate Museum and the Design Museum OR a fully loaded Mac Book Pro

Every participant gets:

An online portfolio and international exposure
A $70 “Thank You” package with gear and discounts to help further your work

Registration is open now and continues through Midnight May 31st.
Details: http://www.artistswanted.org/

Art VS Design was put together by a handful of Brooklyn based artists and designers who have experienced first-hand the difficulties of achieving national attention. We believe both Art & Design hold a powerful place in our society and it is our intention to break-out new talent through a process that is dynamic and open-ended.

Don’t forget to submit your abstracts for the 2009 ACSA Southeast Fall Conference hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design Department of Architecture. Abstracts are due Monday May 4th, and there are several outstanding paper sessions! Complete conference information, descriptions of the session topics, and session topic moderator information is available on the ACSA website.