The publication, ROME REDUX, was presented and released on Saturday, April 15th at the MAXXI Museum auditorium before an audience of Pratt Institute dignitaries that included the President, two Vice Presidents, the SOA Dean, and UA Chair, retiring and incoming Rome Program directors and graduates of the program from nearly every one of its 50 years.
Pratt Rome Program Celebrates 50 Years
On Saturday, April 15th at the Palazzo Brancaccio in the historic city of Rome, an event to honor all who contributed to the making and preserving of the Pratt Rome Program took place. In particular, former director Richard Piccolo and student services coordinator Emanuela Ricciardi were honored with the creation of a scholarship fund in their name for future students. The gala was attended by nearly 400 guests, making it one of the largest alumni events in the history of Pratt Institute.
Rome Redux
UA ROME PROGRAM APPROACHES ITS 50TH YEAR
Frederick Biehle has curated an exhibition opening in the Robert Seigal Gallery at Pratt Institute’s Higgins Hall that presents the pedagogy and recent work of the Rome Program for which he is the longstanding academic coordinator. The exhibit is open from September 20th to 30th on which date there will be a closing ceremony.
IDC Foundation MOD/FAB
Showcasing mass timber and experiential learning
Frederick Biehle and EJ Seong are presenting the work of their 3 IDC-funded studios on MASS TIMBER as part of a more comprehensive exhibition studios shared in the original grant secured under former chair Erika Hinrichs. The exhibit was open from September 1st, 2022 until Sept 20th.
Forma Civitas
Frederick Biehle’s article, The Actual and Its Double was included in the International Journal of Urban and Territorial Morphological Studies published by Grunberg Verlag, Weimar and Rostock. The journal was edited by Alessandro Camiz, Giorgio Verdiani, and Martin Ebert. It is also available at GREEN OPEN ACCESS: J123-2020-FC; ISSN 2748-2812 (print); ISSN 2748-3134 (online); ISBN: 9783933713681.
Society of Archeology, Art, and Architecture of Rome (ISAR)
On July 19th, 2021 Frederick Biehle was invited to present his Lecture “Ariadne’s Thread: Getting Lost in History” as a keynote to the International Summer School in Abruzzo, Italy organized by ISAR
American Academy in Rome (AM AC)
Erika Hinrichs, on her sabbatical year, spent the month of March at the American Academy in Rome as a visiting artist/scholar. She continued her investigative making with weaving from a Casa Rustica studio cross referencing the work with an examination of early Christian mosaics.
International Making Cities Livable (IMCL)
On May 20th, 2022 Frederick Biehle presented his paper Reinventing Public Housing: Restoring the Infrastructure of Community that Modernism Left Out as part of a 15 Minute Cities Session at the 38th gathering of the conference in Le Plessis-Robinson, France
The Fallen Church Matera, Italy
On May 15th, 2020 viaARCHITECTURE submitted a proposal to Reuse the Fallen Church- Chiesa Diruta of Grottole, Matera.
LACRIMOSA (REQUIEM)
Full of tears will be that day When from the ashes shall arise…
The fallen church is risen again, metamorphosed from architectural ruin into an instrument of remembrance and performance. It has become a voluminous space of sound and celebration returned to the city of Matera as well as an instrument of ongoing performance, reenacting the historical and environmental role of rainwater conservation, brought to life with its own Stravinsky fountain.
The 16th century remains are stabilized and allowed to determine the performance hall as a nested form within a new space defining envelope. The envelopes’ structure is entirely of mass timber, supported by glue laminated columns that emerge from the central space like a forest of trees to support an array of discordant and parallel V-shaped trusses. The trusses fold downward toward the center so that the roof can act as a collector of rainwater. The collected water travels down the columns and across demarcated paths embedded in the floor terminating with a set of tubular scuppers that, like trumpets, project the water as a performance into a monumental basin, an urban scale fountain set adjacent to the lower entrance. The side walls of the envelope are hung from the trusses to fit tautly over the masonry church form like a glove. The exterior cladding is standing seam lightweight steel, and it is punctuated with windows that, like musical notes, resonate with those of the structure that remains.
The orientation of the original church has been reversed to allow the lower level to act as a vestibule with coat room, gift shop and ticket booth. Above this, at the top of the stair, is the entry to the performance hall with a balcony over the entrance, and an interior bar. Bathrooms and dressing rooms occupy an ancillary structure to the original basilica. The stage sits in the position of the original church vestibule, the eroded corner becoming a second means of entrance. Like a gothic cathedral the emphasis is vertical, onto the new material presence lofted above and illuminated. The columnar displacement in line of sight is counterbalanced by video monitors which occupy all parts of the interior space.
Eagle Warehouse Triplex, BKN
On May 21st, 2021 Saying goodbye to the Eagle Warehouse after 24 years. Two apartments, one on the top floor and the last on the bottom, the triplex that saw our daughter grow from a toddler into a very wise teenager. Like many of our works, never published, but forever providing contemplative satisfaction.
