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Six Down and One to Go
15 years ago
Finally finished my 1st year at Harvard. That was way more than I expected - but we're just getting warmed up.
Tonight, I was just thinking of what the next 12 months of my life are going to mean - quite possibly the last year in an academic design studio. I've heard that the thesis students are working really hard this weekend - the defense presentations begin at 1 on Monday. This is their defining moment. Man that's gotta be intense. All these emails keep showing up on the student-announce email list of someone asking for more time on the robots or lasers or printers or whatever.
That will be me in 12 months, putting the finishing touches on some model of parametric streetscape, self generating aleatory urbanism, who knows. It's kind of overwhelming to think that the moment for which I've been preparing for so many years is already upon me. How can I possibly address a concept that is worthy of standing up to the manifestos of Rem Koolhaas, Thom Mayne, or Farshid Moussavi (all who were in my exact position). I've been practicing in theoretical design studios for 6 years now, so I guess I can't be any more ready than this. I'm so psyched about it though, and really excited to own this from beginning to end.
Basically, I'm going to spend a lot of time this summer reading up on some ideas. I don't know what kind of urbanism needs to be created, but I feel ready for that creative task. It has to be polemic enough to draw the criticism of "bullshit" until the hour of presentation leaves the jurors enthusiastic and credulous.
Man I'm tired.
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PS if you're curious: This goes way beyond what is required to become an architect. You can get a license with 5 years of college and 3 years of internship if you stay focused. The urban design program is post-professional, many of my colleagues are working on their 3rd masters, but this is as high as you can go in a design studio. After this, one would go fully into becoming a writer/professor who does very little actual design.
Tonight, I was just thinking of what the next 12 months of my life are going to mean - quite possibly the last year in an academic design studio. I've heard that the thesis students are working really hard this weekend - the defense presentations begin at 1 on Monday. This is their defining moment. Man that's gotta be intense. All these emails keep showing up on the student-announce email list of someone asking for more time on the robots or lasers or printers or whatever.
That will be me in 12 months, putting the finishing touches on some model of parametric streetscape, self generating aleatory urbanism, who knows. It's kind of overwhelming to think that the moment for which I've been preparing for so many years is already upon me. How can I possibly address a concept that is worthy of standing up to the manifestos of Rem Koolhaas, Thom Mayne, or Farshid Moussavi (all who were in my exact position). I've been practicing in theoretical design studios for 6 years now, so I guess I can't be any more ready than this. I'm so psyched about it though, and really excited to own this from beginning to end.
Basically, I'm going to spend a lot of time this summer reading up on some ideas. I don't know what kind of urbanism needs to be created, but I feel ready for that creative task. It has to be polemic enough to draw the criticism of "bullshit" until the hour of presentation leaves the jurors enthusiastic and credulous.
Man I'm tired.
---
PS if you're curious: This goes way beyond what is required to become an architect. You can get a license with 5 years of college and 3 years of internship if you stay focused. The urban design program is post-professional, many of my colleagues are working on their 3rd masters, but this is as high as you can go in a design studio. After this, one would go fully into becoming a writer/professor who does very little actual design.
I trust that you will be a success.
Think outside the box.
Hell, stand on top of the box and do yer thinking...
whilst still finding ways to improve the paradigm?
Good fortune and blessing on a successful progression toward your Masters!
I'm actually hoping to go back to school myself, for a MS in Mathematics.
Jencks can bite me because modernism did not fail us, only our lack of a social contract with its occupants meant that we failed modernism.
Shall I suggest readings?
This journals title points to another failed housing project: Ballymun Flats in Dublin/Ireland. That one consists of 7 tower blocks, six of them had been demolished, one is still standing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballymun_Flats