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Pratt Institute: The Latest Architecture and News

Exploring the Interconnectedness of Human and Environmental Health: In Conversation with Dr. Arta Yazdanseta

In the evolving landscape of architecture and urban design, bioclimatic and biogenic envelopes present a compelling vision for future cities. Dr. Arta Yazdanseta, a Doctor of Design focused on energy and environments, dives into the intersection of design, building performance, and plant biophysical ecology. With a focus on bioclimatic and biogenic envelopes, Dr. Yazdanseta examines how these typologies can enhance socio-natural systems by leveraging their self-organizing potential. Dr. Yazdanseta’s academic journey includes earning a Doctor of Design and a Master of Design in Energy and Environments from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Her contributions as a researcher at the Harvard Center for Green Buildings and Cities include developing environmental design strategies and performance analyses for the HouseZero carbon retrofit project. In this interview, Dr. Yazdanseta explores the concept of bioclimatic envelopes and their interaction with passive architectural design principles. With a potential to revolutionize urban environments, the interview reveals insights into her research, the benefits of plant-based materials, and the future of sustainable architecture, emphasizing the critical connection between human and environmental health.

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Reimagining Urban Futures: Lessons from Ukraine’s Resilience

Join us on Saturday, March 23rd at Pratt Institute in Higgins Hall Auditorium at 2pm for a panel discussion, exhibition of student work, and film screenings in support of the Kharkiv School of Architecture (you can find ways to donate and support KhSA here).

"Visualizations Always Start with the Story": An Interview with Visual Artist Ceren Arslan

Beyond hyper-realistic renders and accurate depictions of what projects look like once completed, visualizations have become tools to communicate atmospheres and emotions portrayed by architects. The use of mixed media, combined with architectural compositions, art, lighting, and oftentimes music, have generated a new genre of architectural storytelling, one that combines reality with imagination. And as the world immerses in NFT's and experimenting with cutting-edge technologies to create digital environments, visualizations might soon become "the new reality". 

ArchDaily had the opportunity to talk to Visual Artist Ceren Arslan about branching out from the architecture practice, how she describes her creative process, her latest project EXIT, and what the future holds for architectural visualizations.

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Co-Founder of the Architect’s Newspaper William Menking Passes Away

American architect, educator, critic, historian, curator and co-founder of The Architect’s Newspaper has passed away after a long battle with cancer in Manhattan at 72 years old.

America's Most Admired Architectural Schools 2020 Ranked

The annual DesignIntelligence architecture school ranking for 2020 classified the establishments according to the “most admired” rather than the “best”, for the second year in a row. The subjective classification is based on the responses of hiring professionals.  

Archiculture Interviews: Evan Douglis

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“Something I always tell my students is that it’s important to fail on a continuous basis—and I’m not talking about the grade. I mean it’s in the spirit of risk, that you have to be willing to free yourself from a set of preconceptions in order to get to this new place. And if failing constitutes making mistakes in order to learn from these mistakes, then you have achieved an enormous amount. In fact, you’re only able to move forward because of this new-found knowledge.”

AIANY and the Center for Architecture Name David Burney as Interim Executive Director

After the unexpected departure of Rick Bell last week, the American Institute of Architects' New York Chapter (AIANY) and the Center for Architecture have named David Burney as interim Executive Director until a long-term replacement can be found. Currently an Associate Professor of Planning and Placemaking at the Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture and Board Chair for the Center for Active Design, Burney worked as an architect at Davis Brody Bond until 1990, when he embarked on a 24-year career as one of New York's key civil servants: first as director of design at the NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) until 2003, and then as Commissioner of the City’s Department of Design and Construction (DDC) from 2004 until 2014.

Pratt Institute to Host 2 Free Symposiums in April

Pratt Institute is presenting two architectural symposiums that are free and open to the public: "An Inventory of What's Possible" on April 10 and "The Language of Architecture and Trauma" on April 11, 2015. "An Inventory of What's Possible" will focuse on the history of America’s affordable housing emerging from the research, architectural prototypes, and financing that occurred in New York, as well as the city’s future potential in response to Mayor de Blasio's housing plan.

Archiculture Interviews: Tom Hanrahan

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"[Architecture] shapes people's lives, it shapes people's understanding of cities for generations to come... Architecture as a discipline is extremely powerful." In the latest of Arbuckle Industries' Archiculture interviews, architect, professor, and dean of Pratt Institute Tom Hanrahan discusses his views on the convergence of architecture and education. He addresses the uniquely public character of architecture schools in comparison with other fields of study, as well as qualities of both professors and students that foster the best educational environment. Additionally, Hanrahan touches on how the public image of big cities, particularly New York City, can influence our perception of them.

"Sculpting the Architectural Mind" at Pratt Institute

On March 6 and 7, New York's Pratt Institute will host "Sculpting the Architectural Mind," a conference exploring the connection between "Neuroscience and the Education of an Architect."

Examining the past and potential role of applied neuroscience within architectural education, the conference will touch on topics such as design cognition and the effect of digital media production. "Sculpting the Architectural Mind" is both analytical and speculative, searching for new means of integrating digital tools into the design process and questioning what effects such an approach would have upon the built environment. The themes will be explored over four sessions spaced over the conference's two days.

Watch Now: World Premiere of 'Archiculture'

Now, after 130 private screenings in 26 countries, you can watch the official world premiere of Archiculture here on ArchDaily. The 25-minute documentary captures a rare glimpse into studio-based design education, trailing five architecture students throughout their final thesis semester at Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute.

Pratt Institute Students Create Sinuous Screen Wall From Concrete Blocks

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Pratt Explores the Importance of Cold War Era Pre-Fabricated Building Systems

Pratt Institute's School of Architecture will present "COLD war COOL digital," an exhibition of 20 scaled prototypes of modernist, pre-fabricated, and globally-distributed Cold War era housing systems that were created using contemporary 3D printing technologies (opening reception 2/18 at 6:15, details below). The exhibition will investigate architectural modernism and its global influence and will connect with contemporary prototype pre-fabrication methods and digital research in housing and skyscraper design. A symposium that explores the technical, aesthetic, and political aspects of prototyping and pre-construction in architecture will be held tonight in conjunction with the exhibition.

More details after the break...

Pratt Institute presents two Public Exhbitions on the Work of Theoharis David

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Allegra GSP Sport Center © Charalambos Artemis

Tonight in Brooklyn, New York – Architect, alumnus and longtime Pratt Architecture Professor Theoharis David, FAIA, will deliver a lecture which will be introduced by visionary architect Lebbeus Woods reflecting on David’s 43 years as a teacher through the work of his former students, many of whom have gone on to become accomplished architects and teachers. The lecture will be followed by an opening reception for “Built Ideas: A Life of Teaching, Learning, and Action,” an exhibition of models, photos, and concept drawings by David that will be on view at The School of Architecture through March 30. The Pratt’s Department of Exhibitions are also presenting “An Architect Drawing,” an exhibition of drawings and texts from David’s architectural experiences through September 28.

Tonight’s lecture is open to the public; however please note that seating priority is reserved for members of the Pratt community at 5:30PM and members of the public will be admitted at 5:50PM. Continue reading for more information.

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Pratt Institute 2012 Spring Lecture Series

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Courtesy of Pratt Institute School of Architecture

Globally recognized for its distinguished academic reputation and one of the world’s most prestigious independent colleges, Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture will present their spring 2012 lecture series from February 13 through April 9, 2012 at the Institute’s Brooklyn and Manhattan campuses. The lectures are free and open to the public; however, seating priority will be given to current students with Pratt identification. More information on the event after the break.

'Breaking Borders: New Latin American Architecture' Exhibition

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Courtesy of Latin Pratt

Pratt Institute School of Architecture and Latin Pratt, a student research organization, will present “Breaking Borders: New Latin American Architecture,” an exhibition highlighting contemporary architecture of the past 10 years from 45 firms representing more than 10 countries in Latin America from September 8 through November 30, 2011, at the Hazel and Robert H. Siegel Gallery at 61 Saint James Place in Brooklyn.

The exhibition and opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on September 8 are free and open to the public. It is curated by Ivan Rumenov Shumkov, Ph.D., adjunct associate professor of undergraduate architecture, and Andres Chavez and Julio Martinez, both students in Pratt’s undergraduate architecture program and founders of Latin Pratt. More information on the event after the break.

10 College Campuses with the Best Architecture

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Photo by Rex Hammock

Architectural Digest has compiled a list of college campuses throughout the United States which have the most remarkable architectural traditions, which broadcast their innovative philosophy through design. A number of colleges have fully incorporated modern architecture into their campus schemes, for example MIT; while others have preserved their historical edifices through the course of the years, like the University of Virginia. The list involves some prestigious institutions, in addition to some surprises, all possessing their individual architectural languages.

See the 10 College Campuses with the Best Architecture after the break.

Pratt Show 2011

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Pratt Show 2011 is designed to give industry professionals and the public a chance to see the best work of students in Pratt’s design programs, many of whom will go on to become masters in these industries. Pratt Show 2011 will also feature for the first time products designed in collaboration with corporate sponsored studios and iconic corporations such as Barnes & Noble, Cabot Wrenn, Cotton Incorporated, Nachtmann, Umbra, and West Elm.