Archinect - Cooper Union (Danny)

055 - In the year 2010

2011-01-30T17:53:12-05:00

Over the holidays I received an e-mail from a friend, pointing me to this article saying I was the third most popular blog in the year 2010. I thought to myself, did I even post anything in the year 2010? I logged on to Archinect and checked for myself, and I was close to being correct.. I only posted once, about our beloved Raimund Abraham's death, and then never touched it again.

During that year Mark jumped on board and wrote about Cooper from the perspective of a guinea pig in the new Master's program. He became the sixth most popular blog. But now I think he has put the blog to rest, and in his wake has left me to once again feel guilty about not representing my school.

So, without dwelling on why I never updated, or the reasoning I may have given to my absence, I will just pretend like there hasn't been almost a year and a half between posts about my studies.. and continue from where we last left off:

Last year, we opened the semester with an exhibition tracing the hist...

054 - Reflection and remembrance, with a strong sense of optimism.

2010-03-05T01:26:45-05:00

At this school, most final reviews happen in the lobby of the third floor of the Foundation Building, where several arteries of the school intersect and come in contact with one another. The square elevator, engaging in a conversation with the round elevator directly across the space, stands next to Dean Vidler's office and the office of the administration. Around the corner, students enter from the curved fire stair, carrying their latest wooden or steel model from the 4th floor shop.. or carrying their quickly grabbed lunch or coffee from St. Marks below. Some choose to enter into the hallway next to the fire stair, which runs down the remainder of the length of the building, off of which the studios, classrooms, and faculty offices are connected. Others choose the more scenic route, a stroll through the work pinned up in the lobby, until they reach the door at the very western end, behind the round elevator, which opens to the studio where mostly all of the five years of stud...

053 - "Architecture at Cooper: 1859-2009"

2009-10-22T08:57:29-04:00

This Friday at 6pm is the opening of an exhibition I've been helping with for the past four months. Cooper Union is 150 years old this semester, and to partially celebrate, an show tracing the history of architecture from its birth to present has been created. The show contains, among many things, original drawings of the Foundation Building from almost 150 years ago, sketches of John Hejduk when he redesigned the interior, a catalogue of posters, books, and exhibitions produced from the school, and a digital reconstruction of the Foundation Building, tracing the changes and evolution of the building through animations.

So, if you're in the city, stop by!

The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture at The Cooper Union presents
the exhibition:
ARCHITECTURE AT COOPER 1859-2009

Opening Reception: Friday, 23 October 6-8 PM

The Arthur A. Houghton Jr. Gallery
The Cooper Union, 7 E. 7th St., 2nd floor, New York, NY 10003

The exhibition will be on view from 23 October through 4 Dec...

052 - Old and New and On-going..

2009-09-12T18:03:12-04:00

This year I am finally entering my third year at Cooper, and it only took me four years to get there. As you might know, I used to go to Kent, but after the second year there I decided to transfer to Cooper. And what I wild ride it has been.

If you know me personally, you may of noticed the change in my attitude about Cooper throughout the two years that I have been here. I started off a little hesitant about the program of the school. Now I'm telling everyone I'm glad I was placed into first year-- five years at this school is not enough time to soak up every bit of knowledge it contains.

With this entry I'll try to comprehensively bring you an update on how my summer's been and how the beginning of the semester's been thus far.

The End of the Year Show came and went. The Foundation Building was full from basement to roof of work form the art, architecture, and engineering students. The set up for the show was more intense than the final week of studio.

Spring semester dea...

051 - The End of the Year Show

2009-05-25T03:18:50-04:00

Please come see the work of the entire three schools this Tuesday starting at 5! It's going to be a great show. We've been working non-stop for the past week, 12 hours a day, pinning up drawings, fixing models, making bases, painting bases, re-painting bases, fixing drawings, plotting like crazy, drawing new drawings, re-pinning everything, 3D printing, preparing digital presentations, and attempting to enjoy some of the sunny weather all at the same time.

But I'll let the official ad do the talking..

The Cooper Union End of Year Show
Exhibition
Tuesday, May 27, 5:00-9:00 pm, opening night
Monday-Friday 11am-7pm, Saturday 12-5pm, closed Sundays and Memorial Day
Foundation Building
7 East 7th Street at Third Avenue
Free and open to the public

With the 42nd annual End of Year Show, students at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art make the transition from the studios and classrooms to the gallery as they formally exhibit their works in the Foundation Buildin...

050 - The end of second year (for the second time)

2009-05-14T01:09:02-04:00

OK OK, so I know it's been a long time since I've updated this.. and looking back to the other entries, I've introduced them all with a similar statement of apology. I find it easier to reflect on the past than comment on the present...

Anyways. My fourth year of architecture schooling is finished, yet I will be somehow going onto third year.. 2 schools, 2 years at each. I guess 7 years of undergrad really isn't that bad of a thing in this economy.

But, what a crazy ride it's been. This last year has been one of the most intense years I have ever experienced.. So, save the talk, I will present this past semester's work of the school, kindly broken down by year. Follow the links to my flickr for more pictures:

Architectonics - Cube, Cylinder, Pyramid, Cone
Head Professor, Lebbeus Woods

Design Studio II - Terra-Tectonics
Head Professor, Kevin Bone

Design Studio III - Library Design
Head Professor, Stephen Rustow

Design Studio IV - Landscape Interventions
Head Professor, Diana ...

049 - If it ain't Baroque..

2008-11-01T13:30:58-04:00

There's a slight hesitation to post anymore blog entries when the entire incoming freshman class confronts me about the fact that they have read this, know everything about my studio career, and wait in anticipation for a new entry. Especially when they inform me that even their parents check it out..

Also, there isn't much content to post when most of the work consists of hand drawings and models yet to be documented due to time or other reasons. But, alas, I will try my best to update you on the happenings at Cooper..

For three quarters of the semester, we are analyzing Baroque churches, studying their conceptual and sensational qualities. For the first few weeks we worked in groups of 6 to fully document the buildings, build 1/4" models of, and generally understand the building before we jump into our individual analysis. The project is not meant to be a study into the classical forms of architecture, via the Baroque period or anything of the sort-- but more a general under...

048 - Summer (why is it always so fast?)

2008-08-15T23:46:14-04:00

Summer came, and summer went. In a flash. One of those flashes that burn your retinas leaving you with your arms flailing, head dizzy, and eyes attempting to regain any sense of orientation. It was the first summer in New York, and with an architectural education, that means it was my first time to see and enjoy the city. But boy did it go fast.. I feel like yesterday I was setting up for the end of the year show.

And thus, dear readers, is why I bring you my updates at such a slow pace. I thought time was moving faster than it really was.. (and I was a little lazy..)

This is going to be a sort of pecha-kucha, blog style. A lot has been happening this summer and it has to be squeezed into one entry. Plus, those new bloggers will be coming soon and I wanted to jump in before they (hopefully) fill it up with posts.

(images from the Cooper website)

The end of the school year came fast, the reviews were great. Too bad they coincided with me having to finish my projects.. but I...

047 - End of Year Show

2008-05-26T20:32:25-04:00

Tomorrow night (Tuesday) is the opening, at 5-9pm! Come and see all the hard work the architecture, art, and engineering students have done this year.. it took us a great deal of preparation for the exhibition.

The Cooper Union End of Year Show
Exhibition
Tuesday, May 27, 5:00-9:00 pm, opening night
Monday-Friday 11am-7pm, Saturday 12-5pm, closed Sundays and Memorial Day
Foundation Building
7 East 7th Street at Third Avenue
Free and open to the public

With the 42nd annual End of Year Show, students at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art make the transition from the studios and classrooms to the gallery as they formally exhibit their works in the Foundation Building.

May 27-June 20, 2008
Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture will present an exhibition of student works ranging from architectural drawings and detailed scale models to computer-aided renderings of famous sites and emerging developments, including a reimagined development plan of Columbia Uni...

046 - Storefront: On Mock-ups, Home Videos and Housekeeping: a video exhibition in 3 parts

2008-03-21T02:01:19-04:00

The first opening reception is this Tuesday, March 25th, 6:30 pm. Come. It looks like a grand exhibit.

Storefront for Art and Architecture

On Mock-ups, Home Videos and Housekeeping: a video exhibition in 3 parts
Mar 25 2008 - May 3 2008

1- Mock-Ups in Close-Up
March 25 2008 - April 5 2008
Architectural Models in Cinema 1927 – 2007
A video project by Gabu Heindl and Drehli Robnik, 2008

Mock-Ups in Close-Up (Gabu Heindl and Drehli Robnik, 2008) is a comprehensive overview of one of the least-explored territories in the relationship between architecture and cinema. 80 different clips, all including architectural models, are collated to become, in themselves, an 80-minute movie that includes sequences from films produced between 1927 and 2007.

Although it contains some obvious classics, such as Housing Problems [1935], King Vidor´s The Fountainhead [1948] and Peter Greenaway´s Belly of an Architect [1987], this compilation does not primarily deal with "films about architecture". Rath...

045 -

2008-02-26T00:44:36-05:00

The past few days I've been seeing the envelopes, the green and white striped edges. They've been flowing into the school, one by one. The talent, the energy, the creativity..

Good luck to all who applied! Sorry if I haven't responded back to some e-mails regarding help with Cooper and the home test, I'll blame it on the busy schedule. The home test brings back some good memories (even if only one year old). It taught me that I can work myself into my architecture, and that there can be a spirit to what I create.. aside from the sleepless nights of trying to compile a portfolio, working on what seemed to be impossible prompts, and trying to keep up with the hectic schedule of an architecture student at Kent.

044 - To update..

2008-02-12T22:13:40-05:00

Let me update you on what's been happening..

The Michael Webb exhibition has just closed, for all that missed it, photos form the event are here. It was full of 2/6 of Archigram, (Webb, Crompton), Kent Kleinman, Lebbeus Woods, Mark Wigley, and a random assortment of others who chose not to speak up during the praise of Webb.

Last semester ended wether we wanted it or not. Architectonics (first year studio) left little for me to desire. The group dynamics brought everyone to a stressful conflict, resulting in half-finished ideas and sloppy models. I hate to say it, but I was really ashamed of my work for the first time. You can see the pictures from the crits here.

To see the second year crits from last semester, go here.

But no worries! I promise things are getting better this semester, the projects are better (and individual..), and involve design and that free-spirited thinking and poetics that I actually came to Cooper for. Not to mention, Descriptive Geometry is the m...

043 - Michael Webb Exhibition

2008-01-15T15:14:54-05:00

TWO JOURNEYS
Works by Michael Webb
Spring 2008 Robert Gwathmey Chair in Architecture and Art

This exhibition is dedicated to the twenty-six first year students at The Cooper Union in Professor Webb’s charge. Having spent the fall 2007 semester learning, through their drawings, who they are, Webb views the exhibition as an opportunity for the students to learn about him and his work. Organized in a linear manner; the exhibit can be read like the pages of a book. It concerns two themes: a train of thought deriving from the Reyner Banham article A Home is not a House (1965), and a study of linear perspective projection.

Circa 1963, Webb joined the Archigram Group, a collection of six young architects rebelling against what they saw as an English architectural scene on life support. Through the pages of a magazine, the group produced highly colored images of ‘a new architecture that would stand alongside the space capsules, the inflatable structures and the lifestyles of a new gener...

042 -

2007-11-30T01:49:34-05:00

What happened to the fire that used to burn, that unquenchable thirst, that love dare I say? Where has it gone?

041 - Central Park, in textures

2007-11-16T10:36:34-05:00

040 - Bruce Mau at Kent

2007-11-08T01:18:53-05:00

So I'm flying back to Kent this coming Tuesday to attend the Bruce Mau lecture.. if anyone is in the Cleveland/Akron/Youngstown area, I would definitely recommend attending. Me and a few friends have been working with the Dean for about a year to put this lecture series together, and I felt it necessary to physically see the fruit of our labors. Check out the poster for more..

larger image here
(Design: Jon Jackson / WSDIA)

In other news, I wanted to apologize for my recent "whininess" in the last entry. I really do love it here, do not get me wrong. I realize the more and more that I am here that I really do appreciate the things that have happened to me and where I am now. I never once have regretted my decision to transfer. The whole transfer into first year thing, however, gets frustrating at times.. and I think that was what was talking previously. I see the thesis students, and the great work being produced out of there, and get very anxious for it. But, I know that ...

039 - Analysis, analysis, analysis

2007-11-02T12:42:39-04:00

It's hard to sum up one's experience of seven weeks into a few paragraphs for everyone to read. I'll try instead with a few sentences and pictures.

It's odd here at Cooper. There is so much analysis, so little design and creativity that it's starting to bother me. Sure analysis is great and all.. but when are we encouraged to actually think about what we are doing, personally? No one had been showing anything special in their drawings aside from the fact that it is an assignment, not a experiment or problem solving matter.

Anyways, I get too negative sometimes. But is that a problem? I can't accept sometimes how things are done. I don't see the strengths in having 1st-4th study other buildings for a semester, in groups let alone. I've been told it will get better, so I'll be looking up.

But, not to sound too down, it's going well nevertheless. Lectures, NYC, people, events, inspiration.. it's all abound. How are you doing?

Final reviews..

more starting here
My projec...

038 - The Cooper Union

2007-10-04T01:08:46-04:00

So I've been neglecting these duties as blogger, but here I am to update you on school thus far.

If you aren't caught up, here's what you missed. I have transfered from Kent State University (hence my school name at the bottom), to The Cooper Union in New York. Unfortunately, and to much factors out of my control, I have been placed into the first year of design. But so far, it looks like I'm alright with that fact.. as I am liking all of my classes. Aaaand, here they are:

Computer Applications & Descriptive Geometry (Michael Young) - This is a pretty exciting class and may turn out to be one of my favorite. The goals of the class as described by the professor are to understand the procedural construction and operation of architectural representation, and to understand the figural poetics in the traces of projection. Put simply, it's a course in learning every aspect in drawing construction.. from orthographics to perspectives to insane operations like unfolding complex geom...

037 - 10th floor

2007-08-31T15:16:06-04:00

I don't know why I'm still writing in the KSU blog, but anyways. The view from my room..

It's beautiful here. The people are inspiring, creative, and completely unpretentious. Will update with more once school actually starts.. but for now I will enjoy my four day weekend, the calm before the storm.

036 - Old Beginnings

2007-08-26T00:04:22-04:00

Tonight is my last night at my house, tomorrow I finish packing the rental mini-van and head towards the big apple, the city that never sleeps, et all... my new home for the next five years.

Things I will miss: Wide open space, chinese buffets, county fairs, driving my rusty honda, queen size beds, taylor hall and all the professors in it, friends worth pulling all-nighters with, townies, the old abandoned mills, handle's ice cream (and all the midwestern only stores), my brother, sister, mother, father, and new sister, nice people and normal behavior, the trees, the fall, friends in general, tree-houses, jn/jc/rp, cedar point, and crickets.

Things I am looking forward to: Motivated/talented colleagues, the MoMA, Brooklyn, Cooper Square, Trader Joe's, cooking on my own, living on my own, freedom of expression and the chance to discover what I can do, crazy people, talent and everyday inspiration, Lebbeus Woods, Michael Webb, David Gersten, good lectures, exploration, the Met, gr...

035 - The Akron Art Museum by Coop Himmelb(l)au

2007-07-31T20:51:26-04:00

So you may have seen this news item recently. If you haven't (well, go read it) The Akron Art Museum finally opened a few weeks ago after about 2-3 years in construction. You may remember my construction photos from my blog entry from way back when. I'm not going to give much opinion on the building as for now but I did quite enjoy it, much better than this disaster. It has received good reviews from most, and the only negative comments relate to the galleries and their lack of sunlight and its general plainness. I thought the galleries were fine, they were nothing like the amazing lobby, but I felt that was the point. Let the art speak for itself.. don't let it get confused with the crazy architecture.

Anyways, some quick highlights. Check it all out in my flickr.

034 - Toronto street art

2007-07-25T20:57:01-04:00

The rent-a-cop approached us, attitude in hand.
"What are you doing around these parts? You know the minimum fine if you get caught painting this crap is $3500?"

"Yes, officer.. we know. We're just photographing and admiring it."

"Admiring it? This shit? Why?"

Shit...? Really?

033 - Highschool all over again..

2007-07-07T17:01:20-04:00

So this whole transfer thing is really starting to turn into a nightmare..
Reapplying for loans, fasfa, medical forms, applications, more forms, trying to get a dorm/apartment in nyc, class schedules/registrations, the list goes on.

Now I get a letter informing me of the transfer procedure, in all its chaotic glory. I have to schedule three separate meetings to discuss "possible" transfer credit. Possible. I took calculus and physics two years or more ago, passed with flying colors and all.. and there may be a possibility I have to re-take the classes? "Final approval of transfer credit will be made by the appropriate Dean or Faculty for each course, based on the transcript and other materials such as course description and a syllabus with topics and course requirements, a reading list, and any quizzes, exams, papers or projects that demonstrate the student's proficiency with the course topics." I guess those half-awake notes scribbled in class will have to suffice.

032 - Wedding gift/Ring box

2007-06-28T19:59:08-04:00

So for my brother's wedding present, I didn't want to resort to buying something unoriginal off of some bridal registry at bath and body works. I wanted to try to create something for them that would be useful but not one of those "oh, well he made it.. so we HAVE to keep it (even though we think it's hideously ugly)" gifts.

I had to keep it small, so I designed a ring box that would appear to be a solid block of material with a hole drilled in the middle. Upon further notice, one realizes the box comes apart and actually stores the wedding rings.

Materials, white acrylic. Laser cut. Glue with acrylic bonder.

Here's a go at some animated gifs showing the easy assembly. If they don't work, refresh the page.

Check out the photos from my trip to California.. there is a set on my visit to the Eames house as well. Thanks! Here's my flickr.

031 - The good, the bad... and the ROM

2007-06-16T11:54:48-04:00

So in the midst of all this Libeskind bashing, I thought I might contribute my part to the hazing. Last weekend, I made a visit to Toronto to visit a friend from school. We decided to go see the brand new Royal Ontario Museum, fresh from being opened no later than a week earlier. Good thing it was five dollar fridays.. because I don't think I would spend more than that to go back again.

They obviously did not finish the building before deadline... but forget scheduled openings for a minute, this building is still months from being finished! they should have not opened it, as I felt I was in the middle of a construction zone. Dirty, stained, unfinished walls, exposed wires, drywall scraps and chipped corners, to name a few.

Aside from these unfinished details that nonetheless take away from the overall feeling of the building, I didn't even like the architecture that much. All Libeskind did was take his crazy shape and cut horizontal slices through it, with hardly any double/...

030 - Procrastination at its finest

2007-06-06T19:48:44-04:00

So after almost a year of pushing it off due to the hatred of printer/scanner technology, I have finally scanned and posted my pictures from last summer's visit to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Check em out on my flickr, here and here. Be warned if you're not a fan of Thom Mayne or FOG.. they comprise most of the pictures.

Speaking of FOG.. while I was checking out his house, he pulled out of his garage and drove off. It was an odd little occurance. So I followed him..

Also, I know there are plenty of archinectors out there that use flickr. Friend me! Please! I need some..

029 - I bring some news..

2007-04-22T18:30:58-04:00

(Kent State University)

It may be somewhat apparent that my posting habits have decreased as compared to last semester. I have no excuses as to why, aside from the usual “I am too busy” line that I’ve been using frequently. It has been my pleasure to project my experiences at Kent to everyone despite some speed bumps… however, I am writing to state that soon I will no longer be studying here.

I didn’t know what architecture fully embodied until I began studying it. I didn’t know that I would fall in love with it like I did. With this came the realization that all architecture schools are not the same. In high school I ranked schools by how close of a proximity they were, and how much money in scholarships I would receive. I did not realize that schools have different pedagogies and different goals. To me they all taught the same thing, just by different people.

After a semester into Kent, it was suggested to me to consider a transfer to another school. I didn’t fully real...

028 - Skin Deep, student work exhibition

2007-03-17T12:57:16-04:00

(Kent State University)

It's been a stress-filled, busy, yet exciting past week.

Like I mentioned before, I was chosen to have my work exhibited in a gallery in Cleveland. Yesterday was the opening reception, with a great turnout of people. To explain the show in better terms, I'll just c&p the poster text..

"This is the inaugural event in a series of architecture and design exhibits showcasing work from in-and-around Kent State University’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design at prominent Cleveland gallery 1point618.

Skin Deep collects recently completed student work that explores issues of ornament, surface effects, and superficiality in architecture. Ellis Woodman of the London Telegraph recently proclaimed “2006 was the year that saw decoration back on the architectural agenda.” However, no longer simply appliqué, a new conception of ornament establishes its connections with architecture’s seemingly pragmatic attributes such as function or structure, produc...

027 - Catch-up

2007-03-08T00:38:31-05:00

(Kent State University)

Sorry for the lack of updates (mostly project-specific) as of late.. things have been very busy throughout the school. I guess I'll just give a quick run through of everything that's been going on..

3 of the 4 spring design lectures have passed. M1/DTW was fun to see, with a lot of design/build work from start to finish which I always love to see. Eddie Jones was a great speaker.. however I wasn't a fan of his personal professional pedagogy.. one that didn't involve any conceptual ideas behind the projects, just simply making good aesthetics and doing exactly what the client wanted with no personal ideas superimposed.

Anderson Anderson spoke tonight. There work was great to see, and very interesting nonetheless.. but as someone pointed out to me pre-lecture, they are horrible at speaking.

Evan Douglis is to come, April 11. That will be exciting.

I have also been working a lot on an exhibition project with professor Marc Manack. He has started a stu...

026 - Spring Design Lecture Series - 01: M1/DTW

2007-02-19T16:06:52-05:00

(Kent State University)

larger

The man who controls everyone on Archinect through his immensly popular t-shirt.
I even finally bought it for the occasion.
You should come, it will be grand.