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Architecture for the senses: Pierre Hermé at the GSD

For anyone to whom the similarity between a building and a French pastry is not evident, Pierre Herme’s presentation, “The Architecture of Taste,” at the GSD last week was a revelation. Herme’s approach to designing unique tastes through a combination of flavors and textures “is analogous to the programmatic construction that takes place in architecture,” observes Savinien Caracostea (MArch ’13), the event organizer. Read more about it in “Constructing the Perfect Bite” in Harvard Magazine.

Dec 9, 2012

News

Elemental and incremental: Alejandro Aravena’s urban approach

Jorge Silvetti (professor of architecture) presented the keynote speech at a celebration to launch the Elemental/Incremental Housing and Participatory Design Manual, in Santiago, Chile, on November 26. The book by architect Alejandro Aravena (design critic ‘00-04) and engineer Andrew Iacobelli details 12 years of extraordinary success engaging local communities in a novel program of social housing for the most disenfranchised sectors of the population.

Dec 2, 2012

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GSD is 2 for 5 on MoMA PS1 shortlist

French 2D (Jenny French, MArch ‘11) is not the only homegrown firm to be selected as a finalist for the 2013 MoMA/PS1 Young Architects Program. Leena Cho (MLA ‘09) and Matthew Jull (MArch ‘08) of Kotonotuk have collaborated with mcdowellespinosa to form TempAgency, which has also been invited to submit a proposal for the 2013 award.  

Dec 2, 2012

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Timothy Hyde to be MacDowell Colony Fellow

Associate professor of architecture Timothy Hyde will be a residential fellow at the MacDowell Colony, where he will work on his current book project examining the persistence of accusations of ugliness in aesthetic debates in Great Britain.

Nov 28, 2012

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Rotterdam studio invites the world in

“Reconsidering Architecture,” the Rotterdam-based studio led by Rem Koolhaas (professor in practice of architecture and urban design) and Stephan Trüby (lecturer in architecture) approaches architecture from 40 thousand feet and ground level simultaneously. Recently faculty and students invited the Rotterdam public in for an exhibition and evening of debate about their research at the Dependance at the Schieblock. Read Jaakko van ‘t Spijker's account of the event in Archinect.

Nov 28, 2012

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Max Rohm on Urban Interrelations

Max Rohm (MArch/MLA ‘01 and visiting design critic in 2005) and Flavio Janches just published a new book, Urban Interrelations, proposing enhancing integration of informal settlements into the urban mainstream through community participation in the development of public spaces and facilities.

Nov 27, 2012

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Jeff Mansfield connects with the Amazon

In August, Jeffrey Mansfield (MArch) was in the Brazilian Amazon with the Portable Light Project, when he realized that the remote areas are increasingly covered by 3G networks. Mansfield was inspired to develop “Taking Charge,” a project to provide tools and training to jungle residents to expand cell phone use and crowdsource knowledge for farming, fishing, trade, weather, banking, health and more. Read about his grand scheme in “Taking Charge with cellphones” in the Harvard Gazette.

Nov 25, 2012

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Danish Kurani wins Boston Foundation for Architecture grant

The Boston Foundation for Architecture recently announced the 2012 grantees, which include Danish Kurani (MAUD '13) and the Classroom Co-Creators Project. The project involves a participatory design process with Blackstone Elementary School in South Boston to engage students and teachers in the creation of their learning environment. 

Nov 20, 2012

News

Aliki Economides presents in Istanbul

Aliki Economides (PhD candidate ‘14) presented her paper “Constructing Home, Constructing Self: The Maison Cormier and its ‘Architecte & Ingénieur-Constructeur Client’” at the ArchTheo’12 conference in Istanbul, Turkey. 

Nov 20, 2012