Transition (transformation) is the dominant metaphor of our time.  

We extract raw materials from the world into order to build, transforming them. These processes are sometime quite complex and involve the participation of various industries. Even though we sometimes speak of natural materials, almost everything that is used in architecture is manufactured. Throughout the history of architecture, the materials of construction have guided the development of spatial form.  

At the cusp of the anthropocene, we have begun to think differently about how materials are extracted and refined, and how they might repurposed in the future.  With the growth of the idea of circularity and reuse, buildings can be seen as a ‘pause’ in the circulation of materials from the sites of their extraction to further future use whose conditions are unknown. As allied with the Provenenance Projected project, this studio will study the origins of materials and their potential use as poetic markers of our time.  

The course will consist of two parts. The first is a detailed research into a metal or metals, with the goal of more fully understanding how metals are produced, how they are fabricated, and how they have been used in architecture. 

The second part will be to design a building that is beautiful and useful. Students will be asked to develop a personal stance with regard to the project. Design projects should strive for simplicity and elegance, while reflecting intelligently on our place in history.