Nicholas Stipinovich

ARCH-4980.1 | Chris Perry, Assistant Professor

TOWARD A COOPERATIVE ARCHITECTURE

NICHOLAS STIPINOVICH

Toward a Cooperative Architecture investigates two historically significant events, one pertaining to the discipline of architecture and the other to the quintessential post-industrial American town, and uses cooperative theory as means of exploring the potential of an evolving architectural discipline and urban environment.

An investigation into the architectural discourse during the post-World War II period revealed a growing schism in architecture. The discipline was torn between two ideologies – architecture as an inwardly focused discipline and architecture as an outwardly focused one. The inwardly oriented group looked back to precedents from the Renaissance to imbue modernism with meaning, and the outwardly focused group attempted to fully integrate architecture and technology, thereby attempting to live up to modernism’s initial premise.

Then, as part of the Cultural Now Project, an initiative of Thom Mayne, Karen Lohrmann and UCLA School of Architecture, the City of Troy, NY was investigated to understand the complex intersection between pubic policy, urbanism and culture that led to the post-industrial city we know today. Troy was once one of the country’s wealthiest cities, benefiting from its unique geographic position and its resourceful residents. The founding of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in 1824 was a product of this wealth. Initially a mutually beneficial relationship existed between the city and RPI and both entities flourished, but when industry left Troy a schism emerged that still persists.

The proposal is to design an extension for the RPI School of Architecture located in downtown Troy. The new school will attempt to address the schism in both architectural discourse, and between RPI and Troy by exploring the potential of cooperative design strategies.

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