Prattfolio Spring 2008 "Waste Not Want Not Issue"

Spring 2008

ThE MagaZiNE oF PRaTT iNSTiTuTE

Waste Not Want Not

Sustainable Art: Trash Transformed | Getting in on the Ground Floor of Green Building: The Eco-Savvy Way | Green Roofs: Planting the Seeds for Healthier Cities Sustainability Q & A

In Focus

RENE PEREZ

The four white electric cars driven by Pratt Security and Facilities Management personnel are models of clean, quiet, efficient transportation. Their use reduces carbon emissions and improves air quality— key goals of sustainability. Referred to as GEMs (Global Electric Motorcars), the cars take an hour to charge fully, drive at a maximum speed of 35 mph, and can travel up to 30 miles before recharging.

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contents

Fe atures:

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ustainable Art: Trash Transformed S Spurred by environmental concerns, artists are turning garbage into art works, producing some unusual results.

etting in on the Ground Floor of Green G Architect and environmental researcher Ed Mazria sets his sights on architecture education. His aim: to foster a new breed of ecologically conscious designer.

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uilding: The Eco-Savvy Way B Prattfolio shines the spotlight on eco-friendly design with a look at two recent building projects, including Pratt’s proposed new building at 524 Myrtle Avenue.

reen Roofs: Planting the Seeds G for Healthier Cities How Pratt faculty and staff members are using green roofs to keep New York City cooler and cleaner—and why they are sharing their lessons with the city’s youth.

ustainability Q & A S Faculty, staff, and alumni of Pratt weigh in on some of the most pressing ecological issues today.

Depa rtme n ts : About the Cover Installation artist Steven Siegel, M.F.A., Sculpture/Drawing, ’78, created Nest—a sculptural statement about societal attitudes toward trash—in the forest at the Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga, California, in 2005. He pushed huge metal spikes through 1,000 pounds of discarded newspaper, which he placed between trees that form an external armature. The 7’ x 7’ x 7’ work will eventually decompose, but the environmental issues it raises will not disappear as easily. For more information on Siegel, see page 16.

3 President’s Letter

40 Ryerson Walk Pratt ranks high on national design survey, designer Carmen Marc Valvo to be named Pratt Fashion Icon, and more news from around the Institute

4 First Thoughts Debera Johnson, academic director of sustainability at Pratt, on the role of designers in a sustainable future

46 Literary Corner

English and Humanities Chair Ira Livingston asks: Is sustainability another form of apocalypticism?

6 Pratt People

Alumna and eco-organizer Lori Gibbs; faculty member and developer Carlton A. Brown; faculty member and environmental scientist Richard Leigh; artist and alumna Eve Mosher; graduate student and academic sustainability project manager Jaime Lynn Stein; LEED architect and television host Lauren Gropper

48 Supporting Pratt

34 New and Noteworthy

63 Obituaries

2 Mailbox

51 Alumni News 53 Alumni Stories 54 Pratt Exhibitions 56 Special Events 57 Class Notes 64 Then and Now

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Mailbox ART AND THE BODY FALL 2007 The redesigned Prattfolio is terrific! The format makes for a much easier read. I loved the up-to-the minute articles.

Pratt’s attitude and energy have really pumped up since the late ’40’s. However, I wouldn’t exchange anything in the world for those two exciting (and very tough at times) years spent at Pratt. A variety of interesting jobs in the fashion area resulted. I mentioned Pratt and it was “open sesame.”

Catherine Withers Aker Certificate, Costume Design, ’48

Several people—faculty and students— read the article “Basic Training” in the last issue and commented on how well researched it was. They also commented on the strength of writing and the beautiful illustrations. We learned a whole lot about the history of figuredrawing in general, especially as it relates to Pratt’s traditions. Great job.

Jenny Lee Pratt Adjunct Professor, Fine Arts

I was very impressed with the magazine.

I hadn’t realized there were so many interesting things coming out of Pratt these days. I plan to show the issues to some of my colleagues. I’m now a professor in a large art and design department. The magazine and the content are stellar!

Ben Pratt M.I.D., Industrial Design, ’92

I was pleasantly surprised at the quality and content of the magazine, since I vaguely recalled a magazine published at Pratt during my years (1999-2003), which spoke mainly to potential donors, with zero appeal to students. The fall issue of Prattfolio was inspiring, conjuring up sometimes forgotten feelings of pride in having spent four years in such a nurturing environment.

Carolina Paula B.F.A., Illustration, ’03

I loved the photo of the early days at Pratt that appeared in a recent Prattfolio.

As a commuting student (1957-1961), I rode the Long Island Railroad home at night with notebook in hand. I would 4

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attempt to keep the movement of the day going (not to drop into the ordinary but to stay in the rare air of art as best I could). I sometimes wonder what my experiences would have been like had I lived there in Brooklyn instead of having this nightly commute, but the benefit was that I stayed very much with myself, my own thinking, and because I was on the train versus having access to paint, I kept trying to transform the visual into the verbal and every night spent an hour or so with words, often in my case, those replete with colors, as though a kind of virtual painting were taking place.

Alexandra Kittle Sellon B.F.A., Graphic Arts and Illustration, ’61

The fall issue brought back memories. I can still see and hear anatomy professor Khosrov Ajootian. In one anatomy class he raised a scapula, turned it slowly, held it up to a light, faced the class, and said “Ain’t nature grand?” Those words have stayed with me for all these years. What a teacher! What a great man!

I was a disappointed, however, at the lack of “traditional” drawing, painting, sculpture, and design in the last issue of Prattfolio. The trend seems to be in the direction of abstract and nonobjective representation.

George V. Kelvin Certificate, Illustration, ’51 geokelvin@aol.com

I was very pleased to receive the last issue of Prattfolio. I was particularly enthused when I saw the subject, “Art and the Body.” In reading about the history of anatomy classes at Pratt, I was certain I would see the name Khosrov Ajootian, who had been dean of the School of Art and Design and the anatomy professor from way before I started at Pratt, until he died. Khosrov— his nickname was Papa Koo—was an amazing man, a brilliant, nationally known anatomist, and inspiring teacher who had a wicked sense of humor and a very loving disposition. How could you have left him out?

Ann L. Dubois Fine Arts, ’59 Editor’s Note: As these reminiscences indicate, many revered Khosrov Ajootian, former dean and professor in the School of Art and Design at Pratt Institute. Thank you for reminding our readers of his important place in Pratt’s history.

The Magazine of Pratt Institute SPRING 2008 Prattfolio is published by the Office of Public Relations and Communications in the Division of Development for the alumni and friends of Pratt Institute. ©2008 Pratt Institute Pratt Institute 200 Willoughby Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205 www.pratt.edu Vice President for Development Patricia Pelehach Executive Director of Public Relations and Communications Mara McGinnis Art Director Jess Morphew Managing Editor Elizabeth Randolph Senior Designer Caitlyn Phillips Assistant Editor Adrienne Gyongy Senior Production Manager Sung-Hee Son Photo Manager Diana Pau Editorial Assistant Amy Aronoff Contributors Chantel Foretich Tess Schutte Michael Hambouz Ashley Berger Mimi Zeiger Debera Johnson Photography Chantel Foretich Bob Handelman Diana Pau René Perez Kevin Wick­

Cert n o. XXX-XXX-000

This issue of Prattfolio is printed on Forests Stewardship Council (FSC)certified paper that includes a minimum of 10 percent post-consumer fiber.

Please send letters for Mailbox to mara.mcginnis@pratt.edu or mail to Mara McGinnis, Executive Director, Office of PR and Communications, Pratt Institute, 200 Willoughby Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205.

KEVIN WICK

President’s pratt people Letter

President Thomas F. Schutte, left, speaks to photography major Kate Rothermel and digital arts major Jarl Midelfort in his office about Pratt’s proposed new green building at 524 Myrtle Avenue.

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n a press conference held in Pratt’s Rose Garden last spring, New York City

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the participation of Pratt and several other New York City–area colleges and universities in his 30/10 Challenge, which encourages a 30 percent reduction in carbon emissions by the city’s buildings within 10 years. Pratt’s verdant campus seemed a perfect site for the mayor’s plea for a “greener” city.

College administrators are rightfully concerned about the impact of their physical plants on the environment. I recently joined the Leadership Circle of the President’s Climate Commitment, a group of more than 500 college and university presidents who have pledged to reduce campus emissions. Moreover, they understand that as centers of learning we must educate our students about the challenges faced by our society and provide them with the knowledge and skills to solve complex problems on multiple fronts.

Pratt serves as a model of ecological stewardship in many ways. Our sustainability coordinator for facilities and operations is leading the effort to green our campuses, and Pratt’s new building at 524 Myrtle Avenue is expected to receive LEED-Gold certification. Our academic director of sustainability is making ecological literacy an integral part of the Pratt curriculum, and our Information Technology Division is using technology to reduce paper waste.

Pratt’s second annual Green Week, held in March, offered an overview of the efforts that have already been made by the Pratt community to green the campus and their professions. The weeklong series of events—gallery exhibitions, competitions, talks, films, and hands-on activities—inspired students and faculty to achieve new levels of creativity in solving the problems that face us.

Pratt will continue to encourage sustainable practice at every level of the Institute and by our students, faculty, staff, and community. That change is sure to radiate out as our students and professionals interact with the world around us.

Sincerely,

Thomas F. Schutte, President 5

first thoughts

Design: A Green-Collar Job M

y colleague Mary McBride, chair of Pratt’s Design Management program and my sustainability guru, came up with the phrase “greencollar job” one afternoon when we were putting our heads together and looking at the opportunity to create a new sustainability sector for creative professionals “Design is a green-collar job,” she told me.

How right she is.

At Pratt where students come to learn—from the experts—how to design products, clothing, publications, advertisements, buildings, interiors, and information systems, it is particularly important for us to examine the impact we in our professions all have on our environment. Each of us plays a vital role in reducing our consumption, but perhaps no one more than our architects and designers, artists and archivists, urban planners and writers. We make the future attractive, desirable, pleasurable, convenient, and functional. We inspire, provoke, and revolutionize. We change the systems, processes, and protocols.

Never before has it been so relevant to be a creative professional.

We have real problems to address. The built environment—the communities and buildings we occupy—produces nearly half of all the greenhouse gases and consumes almost 48 percent of the energy that humans use. Another 20 percent is produced by transportation, 18 percent by livestock. The disastrous hurricane that leveled parts of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast of Mississippi has been linked to global warming.

Habitats for arctic species like the polar bear are shrinking fast. Here at Pratt, we have recently installed tanks to handle the water flooding our basements because of the changing storm patterns.

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Look no further than the images on this spread to see that the world has become a wasteful, global culture. These images and others composed by photographer Chris Jordon point to the enormous amount of garbage generated by humans. These particular images illustrate the two million plastic beverage containers used—and discarded—in the U.S. every five minutes. This refuse clogs our landfills and waterways. The North Pacific subtropical gyre, a natural vortex in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean, has pulled the world’s floating garbage into a mass the size of Texas.

If we choose, the intent of our work can be to change the world. Recently Pratt organized a two-day conference as part of a nationwide teach-in called “Focus the Nation.” We reached into the pool of faculty and brought together architects, designers, urban planners, writers, scientists, and civic leaders. We also pulled in Pratt’s administrative leaders and invited local civic leaders and city representatives to come together and focus on finding solutions that would turn our hopes into action.

Pratt alumnus Ed Mazria (B.Arch., ’63) and founder of the environmental research and advocacy group Architecture 2030, which organized the national teach-in, has said, ”To successfully impact global warming and world resource depletion, it is imperative that ecological literacy become a central tenet of design education. Yet today, the interdependent relationship between ecology and design is virtually absent in many professional curricula. To meet the immediate and future challenges facing our professions, a major transformation of the academic design community must begin today.” My position as academic director of sustainability for Pratt

TERESITA JESSER

By Debera Johnson

Diana Pau

Debera Johnson is Pratt’s academic director of sustainability. In this role, she leads Pratt’s academic sustainability initiatives and supports Pratt’s faculty in identifying and solving environmental problems in order to place the Institute at the academic forefront among colleges of art, design, and architecture for its sustainability efforts. Johnson also serves as director of the Pratt Design Incubator for Sustainable Innovation. Former chairperson of Pratt’s Department of Industrial Design, she has taught industrial design at Pratt Institute for nearly 20 years. Johnson received a bachelor’s degree in industrial design from Pratt in 1986.

FIRST THOUGHTS

As the world becomes more complex, unordered, and chaotic, it will look to designers to find solutions. stand-alone courses or special events.

Pratt’s approach will harness our resources to systematically educate design students about the ecological impacts of their professional choices and their creative opportunities for designing our future.

In the words of my friend Richard Farson, a leading psychologist and founding dean of the School of Design at the California Institute of the Arts: “Design remains the most powerful determinant of human behavior and achievement.” As the world becomes more complex, unordered, and chaotic, it will look to designers to find solutions. Creative thinkers who can envision strategies for change, build experiences, manage projects, and provoke people to act will be an essential component to countering the most dramatic challenge with which we have ever been faced.

The stories that follow represent only a fraction of what our amazing Pratt community is doing to help change the world. I’m guessing that it will inspire you to become an active advocate for change, if you are not already. Whatever role you play—as an artist, educator, manager, designer, planner, parent, or child—I hope you will support Pratt in its efforts to educate our new leaders. P

Courtesy of Chris Jordan Photographic Arts (chrisjordan.com)

Institute was created to ensure that ecological literacy becomes an integral part of a Pratt education.

In September 2007, Pratt was awarded a 3-year, $475,000 grant from the U.S. government’s Fund to Improve PostSecondary Education (FIPSE). We were the only institution to receive a grant to “green” its academic programs and only three percent of the applicants received funding. This grant will provide the resources to find new ways of educating future architects, artists, industrial designers, urban planners, and other design professionals so they have the skills and sensibilities to creatively and successfully meet the immediate challenge of global warming.

This prestigious grant will focus Pratt on the following three initiatives: ensuring that every student understands sustainability in relation to their chosen profession; the creation of a “living laboratory” that integrates “greening” our campus along with “greening” our academic programs; and the creation of a Center for Sustainable Design and Research that provides a place for faculty, students, and outside partners to collaborate on projects that range from the practical to the provocative.

Pratt is well positioned to take on these challenges. The Institute offers more than 70 courses that address the issue of environmental sustainability.

We have expert faculty, a committed administration, and the facilities with which to experiment and innovate. But it is no longer enough to bring sustainability into temporary focus through

Chris Jordan’s Plastic Bottles, 2007, is part of the photographic series Running the Numbers: An American Self Portrait, which exposes the country’s waste and mass consumption. The image, top, represents the two million plastic beverage bottles Americans discard every five minutes; the images, middle and bottom, are closer and closer zooms.

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RenÉ PEREZ

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Lori Gibbs

B.Arch., Architecture, ’07 Program Director, Urban Studio Brooklyn (USBK); Junior Architect and Member, Marketing Team, Rafael Viñoly Architecture Photographed at Habana Outpost, an eco-eatery in Fort Greene, Brooklyn What’s that tank behind you?

This tank was the first project that USBK did during our summer 2006 workshop. We’ve actually built two water reclamation systems at Habana Outpost. This one collects rainwater from Habana Outpost’s solar panel awning and uses it to water their outdoor garden. The second, constructed during the summer 2007 workshop, is much more complex. It uses rainwater to flush Outpost’s toilets. That system is unique because it conserves drinking water and reclaims rainwater at the same time. Rainwater is not a resource conventionally used in New York City; usually storm water drains directly into the sewer system.

Do you see these projects as didactic tools?

Yes. The main focus of USBK’s summer workshops is to teach.

We bring architecture students from various New York City schools—including Pratt—together with practicing professionals, clients, and community members and give them the opportunity to build a full-scale project within the local community. Students get to explore the human and social needs that architecture has the power to address. These are typically not experiences they have while studying architecture at the college level. It teaches the public something, too. Restaurant patrons have shown a lot of curiosity about the projects, which expose the operational guts of the building to them in an interesting and visually pleasing way while they sip their mojitos.

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What challenges do you face when designing small, sustainable architectural projects in an urban setting?

Small sustainable projects such as these tend to fall through the cracks of zoning and code regulations due to their unconventional nature—not many people flush their toilets with rainwater.

What inspired you to start USBK?

It was a reaction to a panel discussion I attended at Pratt during my third year in architecture school. The discussion was centered on the Rural Studio program in Auburn, Ala. The humanity and magnitude of the Studio’s work was very inspiring because it uses the art and innovation of architecture to directly serve communities in need. Three months later I met Sean and started working with him as an intern. He was just starting Habana Outpost, and I asked if he would be interested in starting a program similar to the Rural Studio, but in New York City. He was receptive, supportive, and enthusiastic about the idea.

Barring any obstacles, what would be your fantasy green project?

I’d love to design the entire roofscape of New York City as a giant interconnected labyrinth of green, vegetated parks, and social spaces in the sky. I think New York could benefit from that in so many ways. Little of what I think of as the “piazza life” found in Rome exists here. Actually, you can find a quasiprivatized American version of it at Habana Outpost.

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Carlton A. Brown

Visiting Instructor, Architecture Founding Partner and Chief Operating Officer, Full Spectrum NY LLC; Member, Mayor Bloomberg’s Sustainability Advisory Board Photographed at the Kalahari, a green building in Harlem, New York

Tell me about the building behind you.

The Kalahari, which Full Spectrum developed, is a “green” building, but our ambition is much more robust than that. We often overlook the importance of health and human diversity in sustainability, but our objective is to create a sustainable community, not just a green building. We improved indoor air quality and focused on reducing energy consumption, which will provide residents with economic benefits. We have also included indoor exercise facilities. This is important given that obesity and its associated diseases are the primary killers in the African American community. The independent film center there will focus on film by and about people of color. Sustainable communities are those in which people have the opportunity to speak with authenticity in their own voices.

Has it been difficult to bring green developments to areas that have struggled with economic divestiture?

Ten or 15 years ago when we first began to focus on developing sustainable mixed-income communities, most of the financial institutions and public agencies were not there yet, so the going was particularly difficult. Now that we have had a few successes, we have earned the confidence of our partners in government, private financial institutions, NGOs, and the general public.

What perspectives do you bring to the Mayor’s Sustainability Advisory Board?

I speak most clearly for those people and communities who have often been left out of the discourse. I grew up in a community left out in Mississippi. I live in a community left out in central Brooklyn—Bed-Stuy—and my office is in an outsider community—Harlem. So, from every angle, I have some basic understanding of what the issues are in these communities. On the other hand, I have been engaged in some aspect of architecture, real estate, construction, and development in the mainstream market since I finished college in 1973.

One of the most interesting projects is downtown Brooklyn’s BAM Cultural District development, a residential tower with 187 units, a 40,000-seat dance theater, and street-level retail.

Since 2002, I’ve been working with members of the Concerned Citizens Coalition—the Pratt Area Community Council, Pratt Center for Community Development, Brown Memorial Baptist Church, Emmanuel Baptist Church, and community residents—to help ensure that the development will be green and affordable, that there will be a place for Brooklyn-based arts groups, and that it will provide economic opportunities for community residents and the small, local retail businesses that are being priced out of the Fulton Street corridor.

RenÉ PEREZ

What projects are on the horizon?

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Richard Leigh

Visiting Associate Professor, Math and Science Senior Engineer, Community Environmental Center (CEC) Photographed at Solar1, an environmental education center in Manhattan What’s the Community Environmental Center (CEC)?

It’s a not-for-profit energy efficiency services provider that was set up in 1993 to help affordable housing in New York City use less fuel and electricity under the federal weatherization program. We also work in several programs sponsored by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and other funding agents providing technical analysis and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) consulting.

In the last few years we have established the Build It Green recycling center in Astoria and Solar 1, an environmental education center in Stuyvesant Cove Park in Manhattan.

Tell me about CEC’s proposed building, Solar 2, purported to be the first net-zero building in the city.

By “net-zero,” we mean that Solar 2 will have a lot of photovoltaic cells on the roof that will generate a maximum of about 100 kilowatts. This will produce more power than we need when the sun is bright, and none at night. So the goal is to feed the excess back to Con Ed when available, buy from them when we need it, and have the amount we feed back be equal to or exceed what we buy from them—that’s “net-zero.” We’ll get there by keeping all our loads—heating, cooling, lighting, computers, and so on—as small as possible. The key component will be a ground-source heat pump for heating and cooling. We have a preliminary analysis that says net-zero is possible. We’re doing a more detailed assessment now.

Solar 2 will be used to extend Solar 1’s environmental education activities. It will have classrooms, a lecture hall, and educational exhibits, including solar hot water collectors and a model apartment.

What drew you to this line of work?

I was in graduate school studying physics when the first oil crisis occurred and got interested in energy issues immediately.

It was so clear that people weren’t being reasonable. They were assuming our energy use could just grow and grow forever. So after doing “pure” physics as a post-doc, I was offered a job at Brookhaven Laboratory doing national energy planning. I’ve been involved with energy issues ever since.

What steps have you taken to “green” your own life?

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René Perez

RenÉ PEREZ

We’ve got a lot of compact fluorescent bulbs, we buy Energy Star appliances, and our next car will be a hybrid, but it’s very hard to have an impact acting as an individual. What we really need is strong building codes and carbon taxes or other largescale economic structures to force the big players—industry, real estate developers, and governments—to implement meaningful change, and we need this in a hurry.

Hose cedeno

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Eve Mosher

M.F.A., Sculpture, ’05 Artist and Environmental Activist Photographed in the financial district of Manhattan.

What are you doing?

What was the strangest reaction to your project?

I’m marking the 10-feet-above-sea-level line, indicating areas that would experience frequent flooding due to climate change.

Last summer, I marked 70 miles around the coast of Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan as part of a public project called “HighWaterLine.” I also passed out action packets with steps individuals can take to combat climate change. I wanted to provide a very local understanding of climate change and to give people an opportunity to have a real two-way conversation about the topic—not just be lectured at.

One woman thought the line was ugly and wanted to know when it would go away.

What data did you use to map the high water line?

I used a U.S. Geologic Survey topographic map to trace the 10foot line and then transferred it to Google satellite maps, but the original idea for the line came from a report, published by the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies that examined the effects of climate change on New York City.

Did you encounter any skeptics?

Two. They believed in climate change but didn’t believe that it was caused by human actions. Since I’m not a scientist, I didn’t believe that it was my duty to argue the science with them—it’s out in the public realm for everyone to read. What we did agree on was the need for energy independence and that the tips I provided in the action packet were good steps towards that goal.

What was the most encouraging reaction?

I really loved some of the kids. Most of a certain age had studied a little climate change in school, so they were interested in talking about what the flood zones really meant. For the younger ones, it was often the first time they had even heard of climate change, but I hope the project will stick in their minds so when they do study it in school they will remember the experience they had with me.

What would happen to your neighborhood if the sea level rose 10 feet?

I live in Clinton Hill—which, as its name implies, is on a hill, above the 10-foot line—but because so many of the city services are along the coast, those of us farther inland would be affected as well. We would lose power, our trash wouldn’t get picked up, and the trains would stop running. Even if I had a car I wouldn’t be able to leave the island—most of the tunnels and bridges would be affected.

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Jaime Lynn Stein

Environmental Management Systems, ’08 Project Manager, Pratt’s Office of the Academic Director of Sustainability; Webmaster, Sustainable Pratt Photographed in Higgins Hall on the Brooklyn Campus What did you study as an undergraduate?

I majored in biology and minored in chemistry, but in keeping with my love for the interdisciplinary, I minored in sculpture as well. After graduating I joined the Peace Corps and was stationed in Burkina Faso, West Africa, where I did community outreach and HIV education. After the Peace Corps, I took a position doing biomedical research. I saw a lot of tuberculosis (TB) infection in Burkina, so I joined a lab doing TB and influenza studies.

What made you choose the Environmental Management Systems (EMS) program?

Pratt’s Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment has a wonderful reputation as an institution that values community and social justice. I came to Pratt because of this reputation.

I struggled with sticking to the program in the beginning, but after meeting Eva Hanhardt and seeing the vast network of environmental professionals she brought to EMS through its mini-courses, I knew the program would provide me with the most opportunities. Eva also introduced me to Sustainable Pratt.

Has the program offered chances to do work outside of Pratt?

As a part of my coursework I worked for the Mayor’s Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability—home of PlaNYC—as an intern. The internship really allowed me to expand my network among city agencies. I started to learn about all of the sustainability initiatives going on throughout the city and began to know enough about the issues and agencies to form partnerships and connections and to actually begin implementation of some projects. I love developing the strategy for implementation. I love uniting various stakeholders and disciplines in a common goal. It was fascinating for me to learn how the rubber meets the road when it comes to implementation.

On what kinds of projects have you worked as project manager in the sustainability office?

Alan klein

The core of my work as project manager is to help a team of fantastic Pratt faculty come up with a strategy to integrate sustainability into the curriculum. We have mapped the current state of sustainability on campus, where initiatives are already being implemented and where we can create interdisciplinary creative clusters of faculty and students to improve integration. It’s exciting and challenging to engage and excite people in this process.

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courtesy of lauren gropper

pratt people

Lauren Gropper

M.S., Environmental Planning and Design, ’04 Photographed on location in Toronto, Canada Tell me about your new show on the Discovery Channel.

It’s called Planet Green and it’s a one-hour green lifestyle show that will air this summer. The show revolves around making living green an attainable and inspiring life choice. We want to inspire a conscientious, hip approach to making the shift to a sustainable, eco-friendly day-to-day life. It’ll be headquartered at a demolished 1920s Los Angeles house, which we’ll “green” throughout the season. With the help of our co-hosts, episodes will also explore other cutting-edge homes, businesses, schools, and people greening over their environments. The final segment will be a very social and communal “breaking of bread” with the group from that week.

How did you become involved with the project?

The show is presented by Adrian Grenier. Most people know him from HBO’s show Entourage, but I’ve worked with him on several of his green initiatives. He introduced me to his producing partner, Peter Glatzer, and they brought me in to work on their show, which had just been sold to Discovery.

Grenier has been described as an “eco-sexy” celebrity. What has been the impact of people like Grenier and you?

I don’t know if I would put myself in the same company as Adrian, but I think it’s wonderful that there are fresh and very cool individuals like him who have become the “face of green” for the younger generation.

Have you ever gone to the annual “green” pre-Oscar party held in Los Angeles?

Yes. This was the first year I attended the Global Green preOscar party. It was great. People were talking a lot about biodiesel.

You co-hosted the first season of the show Green Force on HGTV. What was your most memorable episode and why?

The most memorable for me was the show on Nelly’s House—a women’s shelter. We met incredible women in the shelter and the staff was so welcoming and warm. When we left I felt as if we really made a lasting difference for the shelter.

Your work takes you from LEED consulting to TV host. Do you prefer one to the other?

I actually enjoy the consulting aspect more. Television hosting is just an added bonus! They complement each other in many ways.

You’re Canadian and practice in Canada and the U.S. How would you compare the state of green practices in the two countries?

Right now, the private sector in both countries is leading the green movement. I’m eager to see what the public sector is going to do to take the next step.

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“ Stop and smell the garbage” reads a sign in the New York City subways, but for many this simple act of appreciation is not enough. In this extraordinarily wealthy city, where the lack of alleys leaves rubbish bags and bins openly exposed on the sidewalks, collecting trash offers unusual possibilities.

By Adrienne Gyongy

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Steven Siegel, Grass,Paper, Glass, 2006, grass, sod, soakerhose, 8’ x 8’ x 8’.

Location: Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, N.J.

courtest of the artist

SUSTAINABLE ART:

TRASH 15

DIANA PAU

Courtesy of the artist

Wendy Kemplerer, Lions at the Gate, 2001, steel, epoxy.

Lion l: 78” x 100” x 59”, Lion ll: 108” x 120” x 75”

Courtesy of the artist

arbage can be inspirational: Tiffany Threadgould (M.I.D., Industrial Arts, ’02) furnished her apartment with castoffs found on the streets. During her early years in New York, while working as a researcher for a media company, the Michigan native would frequently “mongo,” the slang term used by the city’s Department of Sanitation both for the act of unofficially collecting garbage and for the redeemed garbage itself.

“The sidewalks were a treasure trove of recycled materials,” Threadgould recalls. “This led me back to art school at Pratt where I wanted to refine my design skills of turning trash into treasure for the masses.” Her master’s thesis, “Trash Nouveau: Reincarnating Garbage into Useable Products,” explored the idea of reusing found materials and reincarnating them back into products. Working from her design studio in Brooklyn, Tiffany today runs RePlayGround, a design firm that sells things made out of garbage.

New York is renowned for the quantity and quality of its trash. A 2007 New York Times article by Steven Kurutz reports on the “freegans” movement, defining it as “the growing subculture of scavengers who live off the affluent society’s waste as a way of distancing themselves from what they see as out-ofcontrol consumerism.”

Artists have long understood the economics of foraging for things when they lacked the money for materials; even today they cruise the streets in quest of discarded furniture and other memorabilia, often in the same pickup trucks employed for delivering their work to galleries.

Whether they use their street finds to furnish lofts or Tiffany Threadgould, Dawn, 2001, lamp of recycled mini-blinds found in garbage, 7”x 12” incorporate them into their

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Wendy Kemplerer

work, artists as trash pickers continue a tradition that harks back to the practice of using secondhand materials to make collages and manipulate found objects. By reclaiming refuse and creatively recycling it, artists employ a strategy of sustainability. “There is practicality and frugality in art that deploys large quantities of stuff that people have abandoned,” wrote SUNY Professor Patricia C. Phillips in Sculpture magazine in October 2003.

Consider the sheer simplicity of Marcel Duchamp’s “ready-made” Fountain (1917), a urinal displayed as art, or Pablo Picasso’s inventive Bull’s Head (1943) consisting of a bicycle seat and handlebars. The debris of modern life has inspired new vehicles of artistic expression among many notable artists, among them Juan Gris, Georges Braque, Kurt Schwitters, and Joseph Cornell—all of whom have explored the expressive range of other people’s junk.

“Since the 1920s,” writes Victor Margolin in Beyond Green: Toward a Sustainable Art (2005), “making art out of previously used materials has been one of the significant strands of modernism, although until recent years it has not been framed by a discourse of ecology or sustainability.” Such major figures as Robert Rauschenberg made works of art from the trash of urban civilization. John Chamberlain made large metal sculptures from cast-off automobile parts, and Louise Nevelson’s hefty wood structures are filled with found objects. Her

Michael Malpass, Newtonian Sphere III, 1989, 28” diameter, bronze, brass, copper, and silver © Michael Malpass. Courtesy of International Arts & Artists.

influence is felt in the work of Pratt alumna and adjunct professor Jean Shin (B.F.A. ’94; M.S., Art History, ’96), who gives new form to cast-off items like worn shoes, broken umbrellas, and old eyeglasses. Placed in her site-specific installations, the objects reveal an underlying beauty independent of their former function.

The scrap is given importance because it becomes part of the whole and visually interlocks with the adjoining shapes.

Artistic Recycling The works of modernist masters make sense as

“sustainable art,” though the term itself did not come into use until 1987. Whatever else the artist’s intention, the medium still delivers a message, and recycling contributes to a sustainable environment.

Artists can take credit for being among the first—the avant-garde—to launch the recycling movement, albeit in the gritty precincts of the art world.

The late American scrap-metal sculptor Michael Malpass (B.F.A., Art Education, ’69; M.F.A., Sculpture, ’73; M.S. Education, ’77), a New York native, was associated with Pratt for more than 20 years, both as a student and teacher. He created beautiful objects out of junked metal, which he scavenged

from the debris of the city. “I recycle, but also elevate,” he stated. “The scrap is given importance because it becomes part of the whole and visually interlocks with the adjoining shape. It is, in a small way, revitalization.” During his artistic career, Malpass created more than 300 spherical sculptures made from found industrial objects, using a band saw and blacksmithing techniques.

The Pratt Sculpture Park features his welded-steel work Sachaquea (1981), in which found objects interconnect and flow over the curves of the sphere, creating harmonious surface detail and subtle illusions of motion. To create his spherical sculptures, Malpass rummaged through junkyards for metal objects and scraps.

Referring to Malpass as “a poet of postindustrial nostalgia,” the renowned journalist Pete Hamill wrote about his sculpture in Tools as Art (Abrams, 1995): “Even the most accomplished welder must wonder about the way they were made, the perfection of the spheres, the seamless interlocking of the abandoned tools, scraps of metal, and other discards of the collapsing New York industrial base that Malpass collected and made into art.” Malpass completed this process by giving his sculptures a polished, painted, or wire-brushed finish.

The Pratt Sculpture Park is also the site of Lions at the Gate (2001), a commissioned work by Wendy Klemperer (B.F.A., Painting, ’83). It was inspired by the twin lions rampant on the citadel at Mycenae, Greece (1250 BC), the sculptor explained, and was originally intended for the courtyard behind Pratt’s Main Building, though it now stands on the lawn before a group of hedges. Klemperer’s work was realized through the use of scrap metal curves taken from the construction site of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, where she found most of the shapes already bent into the piles of rebar; her process was largely to select and cut, then tack weld the preexisting curves into sculptural forms.

“Bent and twisted, such pieces contain energy and a potential new life,” says Klemperer. “These steel creatures, formed from the debris of industry and development, celebrate the natural world.”

Through artistic recycling the metal outlines become animal-like metaphors for dramatic movement, as Klemperer’s lunging lions rise against the open-air setting. A light covering of marine epoxy increases the work’s visibility and contributes to the bonelike quality of the skeletal forms.

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Steven Siegel, Freight and Barrel, 2004, crushed plastic soda bottles, rubber, hose, wire.

Freight 10’ x 10’ x 10’, Barrel 15’ x 15’ x 22’. Three River Arts Festival, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Environmental Concerns “Environmental issues have been addressed

in works of art since at least the 1970s,” observes Victor Margolin in Beyond Green: Towards a Sustainable Art (2005), “Artists who call attention to social or environmental problems sometimes garner more notice and public interest than the people who are engaged directly with such problems.”

Israeli-born Richard Lowenberg studied Environmental Design and Film at Pratt from 1964 through 1968. His pioneering multimedia work, The Secret Life of Plants (1976), used biofeedback sensors to record

Imagination is an artist’s greatest asset. It can produce bold visions of what a sustainable future might be like. muscular and neurological signals from people and vegetation and transformed them into musical performances. The project involved a collaboration with dancers, designers, and technicians working with some of the early digital video synthesizers to show the complex interrelationships between living beings and technological systems. “My creative interests and works have always been ‘ecological,’ with a dedicated focus on better understanding the ecology of our complex, dynamic ‘information environment,’” Lowenberg explained recently. His current creative efforts are to motivate deployment of an example setting, communities’-owned fiber optic broadband network throughout New Mexico.

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Society conceals what happens to goods after they are used, so consumers are unaware of the landfills that result from their garbage. But the artist can dramatically rivet public attention to the issue of reusing industrial and other waste products. The 1980s and 1990s saw the emergence of artists who specifically emphasized environmental concerns.

Steven Siegel (M.F.A., Sculpture/Drawing, ’78) makes massive public trash sculptures that address the wastefulness of consumer culture. Set in huge landscapes, his large-scale outdoor works are constructed of many pieces of the same thing— recycled newspapers, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, shredded rubber—that he layers and stacks into densely striated forms, a reflection of his interest in geology. Siegel’s vast accumulations of barely used materials build upon the rich tradition of using garbage and found objects to create art.

His site-specific installations, usually built with local assistance, make a contrast between unspoiled nature and societal waste, both echoing their natural setting and intruding upon it. His work Scale (2002), for example, used 20,000 lbs. of newspaper and stood 17’ high with an internal wooden armature. Constructed in the rural settings of university campuses, parks, private lands, and museum grounds, Siegel’s public works express his engagement with environmental ideas. Artfully crafted from the humble materials of daily life, Siegel’s sculptures remind the viewer that progress comes with a price. Like the “freegans,” he is critical of the capitalist ethic of overproduction and speedy disposal, so he creates works that decompose over time or can be dismantled and recycled again.

and embrace a human narrative that would otherwise be lost in plain view.”

The results appear as horizontally striated landscapes that are freestanding sculptures. Held together by water and compression, Labor Byproduct #5 (2007) is composed of a week’s worth of sawdust from four different woodshops on the Pratt campus. Labor Byproduct #8 (2007) is made of a single shop’s daylong sawdust production.

Sustainability Realized

courtesy of the artist

Professor Cathey Billian (M.F.A., Fine Arts,

teven Siegel, To See Jennie Smile, 2006, paper, 24’ x 12’ x 10’.

S North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, N.C.

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Rainy Lehrman (M.F.A., Sculpture, ’08) is also is taking on the challenge of transforming leftovers into art. She finds hunks of wood and, with very little treatment, makes them over into art objects.

Recently, she has moved away from the craft of furniture to make art with the by-products of production and consumption.

Sawdust is a material in plentiful supply in Pratt’s woodworking studios, but often overlooked because of its granular form. Using this workshop waste as a sculptural medium, Lehrman packs layers of sawdust and water into a wooden mold that is removed when the work is completed. “By repurposing this wasted material and reconstituting it into a stratalike form,” she says, “a physical time line begins to emerge. The layering of the sawdust creates a geographic narrative, allowing the audience to interpret time in an immediate way

Diana Pau

’78) has been teaching at the Institute for 27 years and is an active member of Sustainable Pratt. In her Foundation class, Billian assigned her students the project, “Illumination Recycled,” which entailed emptying the cafeteria’s recycling bins and reusing the plastic forks to create functional hanging lamps. “The exercise, ” Billian explains, “serves as a handy reminder of the availability of materials all around us, waiting to be translated, but embodying an ever fascinating history via their prior life.”

Another lighting fixture was devised out of bobby pins found in a student’s room. Billian encourages students to take on the challenge of transforming “leftovers”—industrial by-products, trash, and recyclables—into art.

“Imagination is an artist’s greatest asset,” writes Margolin in Beyond Green. “It can produce bold visions of what a sustainable future might be like.”

When the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York reopened in December 2007, it displayed assemblage sculpture by 30 artists, all made with the materials of everyday life. Titled “Unmonumental: The Object in the 21st Century,” the exhibition is augmented by “Collage: The Unmonumental Picture,” which introduces the two-dimensional designs of 11 more artists who work with salvaged materials to communicate the tenor of our times. The collages on the walls surrounded the sculptures on the floor, endorsing conservationist values as surely as if their creators had chained themselves to trees. P

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Rainy Lehrman 2 Rainy Lehrman, Labor Byproduct, #5, 2007, sawdust, water, 15”x 13”x 36” Rainy Lehrman, Labor Byproduct, #6 (detail), 2007, sawdust, water, 15” x 13” x 36”

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GETTING I N ON THE GROUND FLOOR

OF GREEN

BY ELIZABETH RANDOLPH

Architect Ed Mazria has gone to great lengths to get his “No C oal” message across to architecture and design students across the country. Is anybody listening? You bet.

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o raise awareness of the architect’s role

keith price

in a sustainable future, green advocate and Pratt alumnus Ed Mazria (B. Arch, ’63) is targeting architecture students before they graduate, heading them off at the pass before they begin to design energysucking buildings. He’s after their instructors, too. It’s a clever strategy. According to the AIA, three-quarters of the built environment in the U.S. will be either new or renovated by 2035. A good number of those buildings will be designed or redesigned by those who are now attending schools of architecture. Mazria knows that these students will be key players in the fight to stem climate change and he has long argued that ecological literacy must become a central tenet of design education.

As Pratt Institute’s 2007 Presidential Lecturer, Mazria brought this message to the students and faculty of his alma mater on November 29, 2007. “It’s up to us to change the way we teach, to get ecological issues into the curriculum,” he told Pratt educators during his lecture. “Architecture programs need to catch up with the demand for green architects.”

Calling the threat of global warming “the greatest challenge facing humankind today,” Mazria delivered sobering statistics on the rapid rise in the earth’s temperature since 2000.

A body painting about reducing He showed striking scientific projections our carbon footprint earned illustrating the effect that a mere one- to twoMiles Courtney (Art Direction, meter rise in sea level would have on coastal ’08) a prize in Architecture 2030’s Reverberate competition. regions of the U.S.—some seaside towns would almost disappear—but said the results of unchecked climate change could mean an even greater rise of four to seven meters. To bring home the catastrophic nature of such a scenario, he 20

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reminded the audience that 53 percent of the U.S. population now lives in coastal cities and towns and that people are still migrating to the coast every day.

Mazria is a seasoned presenter. Just when his audience is beginning to fear, not so much for the well- being of the polar bears, but for their own safety and the safety of their progeny, Mazria knows it is time to emphasize the positive, to tell us what can be done. This portion of Mazria’s speech is essential to rally that part in all of us that constantly hears the warnings about climate change, sees the evidence in powerful storms and strange weather patterns, but feels powerless to stop what we secretly fear is nature’s plan.

Mazria reassured the audience, “Global warming is preventable if we are well on our way toward global greenhouse gas emissions reductions within seven years.” According to UN estimates, after that time catastrophic climate change will become irreversible.

The first and most effective action to reduce global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, Mazria said, is to declare a moratorium on the use of coal-fired energy plants worldwide. According to Mazria, coal is the only fossil fuel plentiful enough to push the planet to 450 parts per million of atmospheric CO2, a level that could trigger irreversible glacial melt and sea-level rise.

Second, Mazria said, we must dramatically reduce the energy consumption of buildings, which currently consume 76 percent of the electricity generated by U.S. power plants. The architect urged Pratt’s students and instructors to adopt the 2030 Challenge issued by the nonprofit organization, Architecture 2030, which Mazria founded in 2002. The 2030 Challenge offers benchmarks for reducing the energy used to construct and operate buildings, calling for

courtesy architecture 2030

Ed Mazria sets an example for those competing in Architecture 2030’s Reverberate competition, which asked students to communicate the “No Coal” message through face- and body-paints.

the building sector to reduce emissions by 50 percent of regional averages in existing buildings and by an additional 10 percent every five years, so that by 2030 all new construction will be carbon neutral.

As important as events like Pratt’s President’s Lecture Series are in reaching interested and receptive audiences, Mazria acknowledges that the urgency to address climate change will require getting the message out to colleges much more quickly. To reach an even greater number of students and faculty members, Architecture 2030 implemented a bold new strategy to increase ecological literacy among the next generation of designers. In early 2007, it issued “The 2010 Imperative,” which calls for accredited architecture, design, planning, and engineering schools to add an ecological requirement to all design studio problems so that each student understands how his or her designs impact the environment.

Mazria expects this to cause a “snowball effect.”

When students are presented with these design problems, he reasons, they will be required to conduct research to find new strategies and technologies that lessen the ecological impact of products and structures. The students will bring this information back to their classmates and instructors; thus, every presentation will have the potential to teach.

Webcasting is another means that Mazria has employed to communicate his message to educators and students. By using a medium that is comfortable

and familiar to those in academia, he is able to reach large audiences at colleges and universities across the nation and the world—all at once. The most recent Webcast organized by Architecture 2030 was “Face IT,” part of a nationwide teach-in on global warming solutions that took place on January 30 and 31. Pratt’s students and faculty members participated in the two-day event that included Architecture 2030 and Metropolis magazine’s Reverberate competition, which urged students to use body paints and video to communicate the “No Coal” message.

It’s up to us to change the way we teach, to get ecological issues into the curriculum.

Like most compelling presenters, Mazria tailors his message to each specific audience. To the students ready to take on tomorrow’s design challenges, he seems to be saying: Your professions, indeed your planet, need you more than ever. “When we design something, we set up its emissions pattern for the next 50 years, or however long a building or community stands,” the architect has said. Clearly, Mazria wants future architects, engineers, and designers to get it right the first time. If he has any say in the matter—which, of course, he does—they most certainly will. P 21

Building: The

Eco-Savvy Way Kenneth M. Wyner

By Mimi Zeiger

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Kenneth M. Wyner

Opposite page, alumnus and architect Robert Wilkoff used passive solar energy and careful siting to make the Chung residence energy efficient and economical. Above, the FSC-certified maple-and-wheatboard cabinets used in the Chung’s kitchen cost less than nonsustainable wood counterparts.

Green is mainstream. Al Gore drives a Prius; farmers markets serve up locally grown, organic produce;

and big box retailers like WalMart and Target are topping their stores with living “green roofs” for energy efficiency and to control storm water runoff. The New York Times recently reported that hundreds of mayors, representing cities and suburbs across the nation, have signed the United States Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, a pledge to meet Kyoto standards for carbon emissions by 2012.

Here in New York City, Mayor Bloomberg is challenging Last December in The New York Times, Michael Pollan, University of California-Berkeley professor New Yorkers to reduce global and author of the book In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, wrote, “The word ‘sustainability’ has warming emissions by 30 pergotten such a workout lately that the whole concept is in danger of floating away on a sea of inoffencent by 2030. With all these siveness. Everybody, it seems, is for it whatever it means.” Pollan goes on to discuss industrial ecologically good works agriculture, but his sentiment could apply just as well to architecture. As green building becomes under way, what does it mean commonplace, does it risk floating away on a sea of sustainably harvested bamboo flooring? for a building to be green?

“You see a lot of companies using it as a marketing gimmick, but I don’t see that as universal,” says architect Robert Wilkoff, B.Arch., ’75. When he attended Pratt in the 1970s, the environmental movement was just gaining momentum: He celebrated the first Earth Day while a student. A consciousness of sustainable strategies such as wind power, solar power, and passive solar was budding.

But while he remained committed to green design over the next couple of decades, he saw support for these techniques fade, mostly due to lack of governmental incentives for their development.

Today’s understanding of global warming, especially among his daughter Kate’s generation, encourages Wilkoff. (She will enter Pratt in the fall of 2008.) “What we do in the environment can have serious ramifications, but subtle changes and awareness can have a huge impact,” he explains.

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Kenneth M. Wyner

Wilkoff’s Washington DC–based firm, Archaeon, Inc., specializes in designing and renovating custom homes, and creating green commercial architecture. Wilkoff works in sustainable practices every chance he can, even if it is just making sure a building is well insulated or swapping out incandescent lightbulbs for compact fluorescent alternatives. “None of it is real rocket science, but there are dividends: health to the earth, health to the environment, and you save money on energy costs.”

Wilkoff recently designed a contemporary green residence in a forested area of McLean, Va., for clients Beth and Luke Chung. As a conservation policy consultant, Beth was determined to use green products, but the say, has been the most energy-saving aspect couple also wanted an economical home. of their new home. They are also pleased Their challenge was to spend no more than that Wilkoff’s careful siting meant that the 5 percent above what it would cost to build home would have little impact on the natural environment. a conventional residence.

Wilkoff sited the home on a natural slope to take advantage of cool breezes and the sun’s warming rays. Large, sometimes floor-to-ceiling, windows—a key part of the architect’s plan—allowed his clients to utilize natural light, which filters into the residence from almost every angle. The architect also super-insulated the building envelope, wrapping the exterior in environmentally friendly, man-made “stone” siding and trim that look like natural finishes. Wilkoff ’s passive solar energy and cooling strategy, the Chungs

What we do in the environment can have serious ramifications, but subtle changes and awareness can have a huge impact,

Wilkoff and the Chungs engaged in an exhaustive search for sustainable and green products, including Belizean ipê wood for the deck of the house; kitchen cabinets made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)–certified woods that actually cost less than conventional cabinets; wall-to-wall carpets of 100 percent post-consumer recycled content; broadloom carpets made from thousands of recycled soda bottles; Energy-Star kitchen and bathroom appliances and fixtures; well-planned, dimmable lighting, including LEDs, compact fluorescents and other low-energy bulbs that allowed the Chungs to create “layers of light”; and programmable shades that allow the home owners to change light and temperature levels even when they are not at home.

For its efforts in designing the home, Wilkoff’s firm won a National Monument Award for superior home design. The house also received a Best in Show nomination from the National Association of Home Builders for its environmental features.

academic and administrative building, scheduled to open in 2009, is sure to pitch the college further into the green discourse. Designed by Studio A/WASA, where Pratt alumnus Jack Esterson, B.Arch., ’75, is principal, the 120,000square-foot mixed-use building will house student services, The Pratt Center for Community Development, the Institute’s Office of Development, a digital arts research facility, the Department of Digital Arts, and graduate fine arts studios. A large glass atrium will provide a social space that will connect the various offices. When completed, the building will be not only a forward-thinking structure representing the Institute’s commitment to responsible building, it will be a textbook of those practices. The design team is aiming for a LEED Gold rating. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating SystemTM certification is the most widely accepted standard and is set by the U.S. Green Building Council; LEED Gold is the second-highest designation.

Kenneth M. Wyner

524 Myrtle Avenue , Pratt Institute’s new

Opposite page and above, the Chungs used eco-smart furniture and décor throughout their home, including upholstery with reclaimed or natural fibers and a variety of low-energy lighting.

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Sun orientation is an important element in the design of 524 Myrtle Avenue. Each façade responds differently to the sun. The building is sited lengthwise along Myrtle Avenue. That means that the 230-footlong façades face north to the street, with retail shops on the ground floor.

Since no direct sunlight hits the north façade, it is considered the cool side.

In the winter it will be prone to heat loss, but in the summer will require less air-conditioning. A brick façade and small windows provide thermal mass to regulate temperature. In contrast, the south façade of the building, which faces Pratt’s main campus, will get full sun exposure, so the architects designed a glass curtain wall system integrated with louvered shades.

When sun angles are low in the winter, light can penetrate deep into the building. In the summer, the louvers will cut the glare and provide muchneeded shade. This kind of sensitivity to the site helps the building’s overall energy efficiency, since it lessens demand on the heating and cooling, conserving resources.

524 Myrtle Avenue’s green features can be divided into three categories: site and water management, energy, and materials. A green roof falls into the first category. The plantings will regulate roof temperature and slow storm water runoff. Native landscaping around the building is designed to retain water and to recharge it back into the ground. The energy category includes such features as efficient mechanical equipment, plenty of natural day lighting, and a 50-kilowatt photovoltaic solar array on the roof. These solar roof panels will generate enough electricity to power 10 houses. The materials specified, such as building steel, have a high-recycled content. Interior finishes are also recycled or sustainably harvested woods, or, as in the case of cork, rapidly renewable. Additionally, all materials, including paint and carpet, are chosen because they do not “off-gas,” or release chemicals into the air through evaporation.

524 Myr tle is uncompromisingly modernist, green, and integrated into the community.

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reen Features

524 Myrtle Avenue

A: 50-kilowatt photovoltaic array B: Green roof: extensive green roof with some areas of intensity, native plants C: North-facing wall designed for thermal performance, reflected daylight, and views; high insulation values.

D: Structural steel and concrete; high in recycled content.

E: Interior Finishes: nonpolluting, nonoutgassing, and lowodor F: High-efficiency mechanical equipment with variable speed motors, and integrated control systems.

G: Exterior sunshading devices, which admit winter sunlight, while blocking summer sun H: High-performance, low-e glass I: Ultra-low-flow plumbing fixtures, and dual-flush toilets.

J: Rainwater cistern for irrigation of green roof and site landscaping.

K: Vestibule with walk-off mat L: Separate exhausts for brush cleaning, spray booths, and other areas with high potential for poor air quality M: Daylight penetration deep into core of building, high ceilings, and interior glazing, which reduce daytime lighting energy.

N: Light-colored pavement and shade trees, which mitigate the urban heat island effect O: Groundwater recharge and best management practices for retention of stormwater P: Extensive site landscaping with native plant species requiring little or no irrigation.

Q: Storage and collection of recyclables R: High-efficiency condensing boiler S: Shower and changing room for bicycle commuters T: White roof

Going beyond the details, Esterson sees the seamless integration of sustainability into 524 Myrtle Avenue’s design as reflective of the building’s overall link to the local community.

The two different façades help to unite the campus to Clinton Hill. A glass atrium runs all the way through the structure—a portal between the two sides. “In the past, Pratt was seen as a fortress,” says Esterson, who’s lived in the neighborhood for 37 years. “We didn’t want to create another wall. The new design is uncompromisingly modernist, green, and integrated into the community.” P

Pratt’s new building at 524 Myrtle Avenue is expected to be completed in 2009. The Institute aims to obtain LEED Gold certification for the building from the U.S. Green Building Council.

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Green Building from the Inside Out

For the Health House kitchen, designers Doering and Hansen chose Marmoleum® floor tiles made with 100% natural ingredients, water- and energy-saving appliances, and recycled-content countertops.

The bedroom will feature reclaimed wood trim, zero-VOC paint, and energy-efficient lighting.

Energy-saving LED under-cabinet lighting, low-VOC finishes, and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified flooring will be used in the living room/kitchen.

For Pratt graduate industrial design alumnae Erika Hansen, ’04, and Erika Doering, ’93, green building is wholly tied to healthy, sustainable living. The two serve as interior designers for the Health House, a collaborative project that will transform a decrepit and toxic building into two green, three-bedroom townhouses.

Putting their Pratt industrial design education to good use, Hansen and Doering are dedicated to searching out new materials and techniques. They work directly with local manufacturers, pushing companies to design products to meet environmentally conscious criteria. “We both drive our designs from hands-on experience. We like to get our hands dirty. We like talking to manufacturers,” explains Doering.

The duo worked closely with Green Depot, a company dedicated to sustainable building products, to develop a scheme that pushed the envelope of ecological technologies, but also maintained a truly livable home. “Interior designers don’t always realize the key role they play in driving the greenness of a project.

Having the whole project team on board has made our green efforts a lot more interesting and effective,” says Hansen.

In green interior design, the origin of materials is key. For the Health House, the designers specified FSC-certified wood flooring—the Forest Stewardship Council identifies lumber resources with good sustainable practices. They also used Marmoleum®, a linoleum-type flooring that is free from toxins, and cork, which is a quickly renewable resource. Tiles in the kitchen and bathroom are either locally manufactured or have a highrecycled material content.

Conservation was part of the scheme, too. Hansen and Doering employed elements like electronic-sensor faucets to reduce water waste. The designers acknowledge that they are a bit unusual for residential use, but hope that green products of this kind will challenge people to truly embrace green thinking. “People still want the colonial home; most people are not seeking a green lifestyle,” Hansen continues. “It is our job to make it desirable.”

Hansen and Doering teamed up with developers R & E Brooklyn and architect Tony Daniels to work on the project. Re-using the brick shell of the existing structure in a dense urban neighborhood near public transportation is just one of the sustainable approaches illustrated by the homes. Efficient use of space is another. The townhouses are small, but the rooms receive lots of natural light and have elements that connect residents to the outside. In order to make the most of the space, the designers created built-in furniture. In addition, each house features sustainable and energyefficient elements such as solar panels that produce electricity and hot water; radiant heat floors; recycled, salvaged, and sustainably harvested materials; and terraces and sunshades to control summer heat.

When completed, the model building is expected to be LEEDcertified under the Green Building Rating System’s residential program. It will also be the first building in New York City to be certified by the American Lung Association’s (ALA) Health House program. Criteria for the ALA program include high-efficiency air filtration systems and low VOC (volatile organic compound) paint, carpet, and other interior finishes that do not give off toxic chemicals over their life spans. P

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A rendering of the Adlai Stevenson High School’s proposed green roof, in the Bronx, to be built by a consortium of partners including Pratt faculty members Paul Mankiewicz and Ned Kaufman

G reen R oofs: P lanting the Seeds for Healthier Cities

by Elizabeth Randolph

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Pratt faculty and staff members are using green roofs to keep New York City cooler and cleaner, imparting important lessons to the city’s youth in the process.

Courtsey Rafael Viñoly Architects

Storm water runoff is considered one of the greatest ecological hazards facing urban areas. A dearth of open land and vegetation in cities means there are fewer places for rainwater to be absorbed; consequently, it drains into sewers, which then overflow, polluting waterways. Green roofs have been heralded as one infrastructure solution by large municipalities like New York City, which recently passed legislation requiring the development of a citywide Sustainable Storm Water Management Plan.

The “urban heat island effect” is a phenomenon in which the temperature in urban areas like New York City can be 1 to 10 degrees warmer than in surrounding suburban or rural areas. William Riley, a construction manager for Pratt Center for Community Development, explains that this occurs because the predominately flat roofs of city buildings absorb and radiate heat back into the environment. Heat from the rooftops as well as waste heat from air conditioners and industry activity gets trapped in urban canyons, contributing to record-high temperatures that put undue strain on urban residents and energy systems used to keep them cool.

Vegetative coverings have been shown to reduce the ambient temperature of roofs. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, on hot summer days, the surface temperature of a vegetated rooftop can be cooler than the air temperature, whereas the surface of a traditional rooftop can be up to 90°F warmer.

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A Problem and a Solution So with a multitude of advantages, why doesn’t

s New York’s architects and engineers search for ways to reduce energy usage and pollution, green roofs are becoming increasingly popular. The constructions address environmental maladies facing urban areas while, in many cases, offering educational opportunities for New York City’s schoolchildren. As a result, green roofs are making the city cooler and less polluted and contributing to a higher level of environmental consciousness among the nation’s youth.

The rise in popularity of vegetative, or green, roofs is due, in part, to the growing awareness of environmental hazards faced in urban areas—in particular, the rise in temperature in these areas due to the “urban heat island effect” and the pollution caused by storm water runoff. Pratt itself will use a green roof on its proposed LEED Gold building at 524 Myrtle Avenue to both insulate the roof and to capture storm water.

every city building have a green roof? Riley, who has been involved in energy conservation projects since the early 1970s and has built and tested the effectiveness of green roofs as part of his work with the Pratt Center for Community Development says, “The additional square foot cost associated with green roofs make this option less attractive to building owners, who instead choose more cost-effective

Green roofs are contributing to a higher level of environmental consciouness among the nation’s youth. alternatives as roofing insulation and light/heat reflective paints. Green roofs won’t truly flourish, Riley predicts, until municipal governments offer tax rebates or other incentives to encourage vegetative roof projects.

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The environment teaches students that a roof doesn’t have to be a black desert.

One of the main technical impediments to creating green roofs, however, is the heavy weight of the soil used to plant them, but advances in the growing media used to support green roofs are making this less of an issue. One giant step has been GaiaSoil™ for Green Roofs, an alternative soil created by Paul Mankiewicz, visiting associate professor in Pratt’s Environmental Management Systems program and executive director of the Gaia Institute. The ultra-lightweight and ecofriendly soil is made of nontoxic, recycled, expanded polystyrene foam coated with organic pectin and mixed with high-quality finished compost. The patented product is nearly 50 percent lighter than any other green roof growing medium, yet it retains 200 percent of its weight in water, easily capturing the majority of storm water it encounters.

In addition, GaiaSoil emulates and enhances the essential properties of high-quality, natural soil to support all kinds of vegetation, from shrubs to sedums to wildflowers.

From Growing to Learning

Courtest Rafael ViÑoly ARCHITECTS

Several of Gaia’s green roof projects are generating data to help quantify the ecological and economic benefits of rooftop gardens. At the same time, the projects are being used to engage K-12 students in learning a variety of topics including math, biology, and other sciences.

One such endeavor was the first green roof in the Bronx—a 3,500-square-foot structure completed in June 2005 atop the St. Simon Stock Elementary School in the Fordham section. The Gaia Institute, along with the school’s faculty and students and the Green Apple Corps of the New York City Department

of Parks and Recreation, constructed a native plant community and urban vegetable roof garden, using Gaia Soil. Precision monitoring equipment—including a rain gauge, heat sensors, and temperature and humidity meters—was installed to help document the roof’s performance.

St. Simon Stock students have not only had an ongoing role in planting and harvesting a variety of fruits and vegetables—they also have played a role in data collection and analysis. In addition to classroom instruction, they receive lessons from volunteers of the Green Apple Corps as well as occasional demonstrations by Mankiewicz himself.

“The students love going up to the roof,” Mankiewicz says. Some love growing things and others just love the greenness of it. The environment teaches students that a roof doesn’t have to be a black desert, that there is the possibility to encounter life.” The biologist himself was surprised find that the habitat had become a stopover for monarch butterflies, which float by every five minutes in migratory season, along with snowbirds, which normally avoid urban environments.

The small, self-sustaining ecosystem contributes to the feeling of being “out in nature,” one that is hard to come by in the asphalt jungle. “One student actually said it reminded her of her homeland in the Dominican Republic,” recalls Mankiewicz.

A similar green roof project is taking shape in the Soundview section of the Bronx. Gaia Institute is part of a public-private consortium is working to provide Adlai Stevenson High School, once considered a failing school, with a new state-of-the-art green roof featuring designated learning areas. Though the consortium is awaiting final approval on funding before proceeding with the installation, Stevenson’s students already have worked with designers at consortium partner Rafael Viñoly Architects’ (RVA) to help visualize design solutions during several charrettes, and students and teachers are gearing up to help with the installation of the growing medium and plants.

The Stevenson roof, as it stands today, before improvements

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A rendering of the proposed new Stevenson roof

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Paul Mankiewicz explains the alternative growing medium GaiaSoilTM to visitors of the St. Simon Stock roof.

Ned Kaufman , an adjunct associate professor of grad-

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uate architecture at Pratt, who heads the Architectural Training and Research program at RVA, says the learning goes both ways. RVA’s trainees have worked on the project since its inception, helping teachers and administrators in the school to develop a curriculum to be used in conjunction with the roof. “It’s been interesting for our architects to work with engineers, biologists, and developers at the Salvadori Center to conceive of a green roof design—not merely as a form of roof covering, but also a suite of outdoor classrooms,” Kaufman reports.

A visitor enjoys the St. Simon Stock Elementary School’s rooftop garden.

At over 20,000 square-feet, the Stevenson green roof promises to be the largest fully instrumented vegetative roof in the United States. After the installation, RVA’s 2005–2006 Fellow Joseph Hagerman, now an official at the Federation of American Scientists in Washington, D.C., will test his innovative green roof design, which incorporates Foamglas®, an industrial insulation material produced by Pittsburgh Corning—the company will donate its product in order to investigate its effectiveness for such uses.

Officials at Gaia Institute and RVA, and other members of the consortium hope that the Stevenson roof will serve as a model for greening the city’s inventory of school buildings as they enhance educational opportunities for architecture trainees and primary school students alike.

The research on this and other green roof projects will inform the work of scientists and designers as they seek to improve urban environments around the globe. P

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What the “Experts” Learn

Ripe, juicy tomatoes planted by students at St. Simon Stock

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Lauren Alpert Lauren Alpert has served as project coordinator, New York Public Interest Group (NYPIRG), Pratt Institute Chapter, since graduating from the State University of New York at New Paltz in 2006.

Q: How does NYPIRG work and what are its biggest challenges when it’s trying to influence policy makers?

A: NYPIRG’s Board of Directors, which is made up entirely of students

Eva Hanhardt Professor of urban and environmental planning and coordinator of the Pratt Institute Environmental Management Systems (EMS) program, Eva Hanhardt is a City and Environmental Planning Consultant whose professional activities center around community-based and environmental planning.

Q: Does Pratt’s EMS program emphasize a preventative approach to environment issues?

A:

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Environmental laws passed in the 1970s focused on a “command and control” approach that set acceptable pollution standards and posited that the solution to environmental problems could be “engineered” and then “managed” at the individual, business, and institutional levels.

The Pratt program was originally designed to respond to such marketplace demands. In recent years, however, scientific research relating to the environment has shown that these earlier compliance-based strategies were not producing the results that had been anticipated and were inadequate. A greater understanding of cumulative impacts and the adoption of pollution prevention approaches was seen as necessary if problems were to be successfully addressed.

The Pratt EMS program has been redesigned to educate environmental professionals who both have a comprehensive understanding of the causes and interrelationships of environmental problems and are familiar with alternative cutting-edge strategies and technologies. EMS graduates are able to identify and implement sustainable best practices and are able to operate confidently within the realms of environmental policy, architecture, city planning, community development, business, and industrial production.

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from across the state, chooses the issues we take on, and the students who work with our campus chapters put in a lot of hours to make our programs work. These students, paired with the expertise of NYPIRG’s issue staff, allow NYPIRG to make a difference by running multiyear campaigns that do not end with finals. This has led to huge victories for clean air such as New York’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to reduce industrial pollution.

NYPIRG is often up against great odds. As a public interest group we are always working to improve the quality of air and water, and to expand the use of mass transit. Unfortunately, these are issues that are often opposed by well-financed corporations that have the ear of policy makers. Our support is from the grassroots work of students and members of our communities, who pound the pavement to fight for change across New York State. A great example of this is our efforts to pass the Bigger Better Bottle Bill, which aims to add a 5¢ deposit on noncarbonated beverages and recapture unclaimed deposits for the Environmental Protection Fund. It has stalled in Albany because of a few big industry opponents, but the grassroots efforts of students and the community keep bringing the Bigger Better Bottle Bill closer to becoming law.

Pratt’s faculty, staff, and alumni weigh in on some of today’s most pressing ecological issues.

Steven S. Matt Bachelor of Fine Arts, Communications Design, 2007, Steven S. Matt is founder and chief executive officer of One Earth Network and is a social entrepreneur at Pratt Design Incubator for Sustainable Innovation.

Q: H ow can Internet technology be used to promote sustainability?

A:

The Internet has liberated us from the constraints of geography. However, one of the medium’s most underrated aspects is its ability to connect people locally and to allow for the communication of locally relevant information. Each community must call upon its “local experts”—average people who happen to know a lot about their community’s solutions for achieving sustainability. If we draw upon the world’s vast source of collective knowledge, there is no need to reinvent the wheel along the way.

My contribution to a solution is one-earth.com, a multifaceted reflection of communities around the world and a way for people to discover what they can do in their community as told by local experts.

One-earth.com acts as a facilitator and aggregator of sustainable solutions. We recently used interactive technology to create a green map of Fort Greene, Brooklyn. The map was originally created for The Hill, a local newspaper, but it eventually went on the site. We identified resources such as community centers, compost sites, organic restaurants, and green business services. The interactive map has the same features as the printed map but with the ability for local residents to edit the content, using a Wiki.

Miriam Greenberg Professor of social science and cultural studies and faculty fellow at Pratt Center for Community Development, Miriam Greenberg teaches and performs research in urban studies. She co-created and co-taught the Pratt course Eco-Metropolis at Pratt. Greenberg is the author of Branding New York: How a City in Crisis Was Sold to the World (Routledge, 2008).

Q: What is the most pressing issue you discuss in Eco-Metropolis?

A:

ask: How do we think simultaneously about the environmental and social sustainability of cities, and We how do we measure the impact of urban development on the environmental, epidemiological, economic, political, and cultural life of the urban areas?

To answer these questions, we use readings from urban sociology, environmental studies, and biology, and we invite speakers who combine an environmental and social justice approach in their work.

The class also does research and analysis of current urban development debates. We recently discussed the Williamsburg Waterfront Rezoning Plan. To its credit, the plan highlights sustainability and green building techniques throughout, and includes set-asides for affordable housing via “inclusionary zoning.” Yet, these benefits may be offset by its massive scale. This “green” plan may well lead to greater carbon emissions—due to the influx of traffic, congestion, and sewage—and deteriorating air quality in a neighborhood already plagued with some of the highest asthma rates in the city. It may also exacerbate the displacement of Williamsburg’s low-income residents, good working-class jobs, and diverse cultural mix. This is a high cost to pay for “sustainable development.”

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Roxanne Eklund Professor of fashion, Roxanne Eklund designs and develops footwear, accessories, and textiles and is involved with By Artistic Hands, a foundation for developing cultural art involving global textile artists.

Q: How would you define textile science and how do you incorporate ecological considerations into your courses?

A: Textile science is the study of fibers and fabrics—their properties, performance, aesthetics, production and manufacturing, finishing, and the global and environmental issues surrounding them. It is an enormous amount of information to understand, digest, and apply for students, especially in their freshman year. However, it is a required course so that design students can really understand the materials.

In my class, I teach students that each stage and process involved in producing fibers and textiles affects our environment. The real “cost” has to be considered, and it becomes a difficult choice for the fashion industry—our profit or our planet.

If we choose a natural fiber such as cotton, for example, we have to consider fields being overplanted, the toxic pesticides involved, cleaning methods that use too much fuel, and the ability to recycle cotton goods. Synthetic fabrics can be very efficient and inexpensive for manufacturing, but most synthetics use petroleum bases that are not considered biodegradable.

We have several small projects that involve surfing the Internet for fashion companies and products that are using “planetfriendly” materials, organic fibers, or recycling nonbiodegradables.

Meta Brunzema Professor of architecture and coordinator of the Graduate Urban Design Program at Pratt, Meta Brunzema is principal of Meta Brunzema Architect P.C. She is a graduate faculty member at Pratt, a fellow at the Institute of Urban Design, and a U.S. Green Building LEED ® accredited professional.

Q: Y our firm is working on a carbon-neutral “Eco-City” in Eastern Europe. What is your definition of an eco-city? Is it possible for all cities to become “eco-cities”?

A:

In general, the word “eco-city” refers to a sustainable, ecologically healthy, and socially just urban

environment. Most recently, the term has been used to describe a handful of carbon-neutral cities where all of the infrastructure, buildings, and public spaces have been planned completely from scratch. My firm is working on an eco-city in Turkey that aims to be carbon-neutral. This will be achieved by balancing the amount of CO2 released with the amount sequestered or offset. Our eco-city will create more energy, water, and food than it consumes and will virtually eliminate solid waste. Our renewable energy infrastructure includes wind powered-desalination plants, hydrothermal thermal energy systems, and heliostats—mirrors that track the sun and redirect sunlight into buildings. We will incorporate urban agriculture with planted surfaces or hydroponics. Our landscaping strategy focuses primarily on rapidly growing plants and carbon-absorbing trees.

The city aims to be physically, economically, and culturally diverse, too—a kind of regenerative urban ecology.

Overall, though, I think it’s more important to transform our existing cities to prevent a potential environmental disaster. This will only be possible with an extraordinary engagement by educators, scientists, and creative professionals to advance environmental knowledge and design.

But most importantly, we will need courageous political leaders willing to challenge the status quo and enact environmentally ambitious legislation to “futureproof” our world.

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Allan Chochinov Master of Science, Industrial Design, 1988, and professor of industrial design, Allan Chochinov is partner and editor in chief of Core77 and strategist for Coroflot.com and DesignDirectory.com. In addition to his editorial work he coordinates design events, competitions, and content partnerships.

Q: How should designers regard “green” design?

A: In design education, there is a tendency to silo areas of study in an attempt to “dive deep” into the subject matter. Here, you might end up with a course “in sustainability,” for example, which affords the deep dive but has the undesirable side effect of communicating to design students that sustainability is an option, a specialization, or an elective. It’s not, of course. Going forward, sustainable design is an absolute mandate in everything that designers do. I had a student recently ask me about the option of “going green,” and I really took exception to the expression. There is no more “going green,” in my opinion. Moving forward, the strategy, the considerations, and the practice of sustainable design will be the most important way for designers to add value to the world. Otherwise, we’re just making more garbage.

Ecological Literacy at Pratt Below is a selection of some of the many courses taught at Pratt that emphasize issues of sustainability and green design.

Carol Crawford Master of Science, Interior Design, 1995, and professor of interior design, Carol Crawford has taught interior design at Pratt since 1998 and currently teaches classes in color and materials and sustainable design.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification Green Adaptive Re-Use and Rehabilitation Life-Cycle Analysis

Q: What is the overarching design issue that you address in your class, Sustainable Design?

A:

he main consideration is how sustainability can drive innovative T design. A criticism of green design is that it hampers freedom and creativity, perhaps because it requires so much mindful, and often demanding, construction and material choices.

Green design requires designers to look toward innovative solutions to create forms that function successfully as well as beautifully—such as developing energy-saving HVAC and water conservation systems, and finding ways to utilize a high degree of natural lighting. It requires research, questioning, and a refusal to accept cookie-cutter solutions.

I tell my students that their goal as designers should be to create environments that are healthy, safe, and inspiring to live and work in. Human concerns must play a major role.

Architecture

Ecological Footprint Assessment/ Sustainability Indicators Environmental Impact Assessment Energy Management—Systems and Alternatives Environmental Economics Environmental Law Environmental History and Ethics Energy Conscious Architecture

Art and Design

Managing Innovation and Change Art in the Urban Environment Art, Culture, and Social Policy Color and Materials Sustainable Design Continuing Education/Professional Studies

Ecology, Environment, and Pollution The Ecology of Sustainability Eco Metropolis Ecology for Architects Science and Society

Information and Library Science

Building Green: An Overview Greening Your Facilities: A Holistic Approach Integrate Environmental Design Into Your Practice: Sustainability Renewable/Green Energy Unbearable Lightness

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New and Noteworthy I te ms in th e marke t plac e c r e at e d by Prat t Al u m n i , Faculty, and S t ude n t s

F ully-loaded C hair Alexander Reh, M.I.D., Industrial Design, ’06 $5,500 The Fully-Loaded Chair is a lounger made of more than 400 12-gauge shotgun shells and powdercoated steel. The back of the chair, with its web of red hulls protruding outward in an intense array of plastic arterial sections, creates a stark contrast to the brassy front. Though critics have expressed doubts about the chair’s comfort level, its suggestion of seductive torture is intended to be part of its charm. Reh asserts that the bright brass caps give a soothing massage that the user might find therapeutic, like acupuncture. The chair is built to order and available through alexanderreh.com.

T h e In ven t i o n o f E very t h i n g E l se Samantha Hunt, Pratt faculty member $24 (Houghton Mifflin, 2008) This novel re-creates the lost history of Nikola Tesla, the Serbian immigrant inventor who lived at the New Yorker Hotel, at Thirty-fourth Street and Eighth Avenue, for 10 years and, in 1943, died there nearly destitute at the age of 86. During his lifetime, Tesla failed to receive proper credit or royalties for theoretical work that made possible wireless power transmission, radar, Xrays, the AC motor, and remote control.

Hunt’s novel imagines a friendship between the eccentric visionary and a young chambermaid at the hotel where he lived out his last days. The chapters alternate between the voices of both. The invented parts of the plot include a semi-functional time machine, a mysterious visitor from the future, and a white pigeon who is the object of Tesla’s most ardent affection. The author, whose debut novel, The Seas, won a National Book Foundation Award, was drawn to Tesla, she says, by the appeal of “looking at the imagined future from the known past.” Available at bookstores.

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NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

Totes, B ags, an d Pil lows Katherine Rasmussen, M.S., Communications Design, ’95 $45–$65 Brooklyn-based designer Katherine Rasmussen asked people who race sailboats to donate their used sails to her in exchange for a free bag, which she fabricated out of the swapped-out sails’ recycled canvas. Using the remaining material, she handmade a whole line of totes and messenger bags that highlight details from the sails themselves, like grommets and sail seam stitching. The sturdy Dacron fabric holds up well to everyday use, and the resultant designs have clean lines and subtle detailing, with lots of pockets on their organic cotton-lined insides.

Even their cardboard hang-tags are eco-friendly: they’re made out of repurposed cereal boxes. Emblazoned with bold numbers and symbols, the totes, bags, and throw pillows display a striking graphic quality and come in a range of colors and sizes. Available through reiter8.com.

Lady J J e w e l ry D esign s Jessica D’Amico, B.F.A., Sculpture, ’99 Palm Necklace $199 Giraffe Cuff $399 Style mavens will appreciate the romantic rocker chic of Lady J’s meticulously handcrafted jewelry, which comprises pendants with chains, unisex rings, cuff links, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings in combinations of silver, leather, and semiprecious stones. The designer, who started her business in 2003 in the back space of a now defunct Brooklyn indie boutique, has since carved a niche in the booming accessories market. Much of her inspiration comes from just being in the studio and working with the component parts that become jewelry. D’Amico likes to use silver because it adapts to a strong, yet delicate, feminine look that can be produced at a reasonable cost, a design aesthetic that is key to her brand. Available through ladyjjewelry.com.

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New and Noteworthy

Antle r Coroz o C uff li n ks Gregory Buntain, B.I.D., Industrial Design, ’08 $188 Wear your sentiments on your shirtsleeves with these cuff links made from sustainable and repurposed materials. The Antler Corozo Cuff Links, for which Buntain served as creative design consultant, are made from fallen rack antler horns—a naturally occurring event. At the other end of the link is a corozo wafer button made from sustainable South American tagua nut. This nut aids in the protection of rainforests by giving the local communities incentive to cultivate tagua, instead of harvesting old growth rainforests. The two end pieces are connected by sterling silver links. Handcrafted in New York City for the sustainable luxury company COTO, the cuff links come packaged in a wooden box made from sustainably managed Canadian forests and are laid on a bed of natural reindeer moss. Available exclusively through 20ltd.com.

W e Are the Sh i p : Th e S tory of N e gr o Le ague Baseball Kadir Nelson, B.F.A., Illustration, ’96 $18.99 (Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 2008) The award-winning illustrator and writer of children’s books tells the story of Negro League baseball from its beginnings in the 1920s through its decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947. Intended for baseball lovers of all ages, the book is also a mirror for the social and political history of black America in the first half of the 20th century. Nelson, whose work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, richly illustrates the narrative with dozens of full- and double-page oil paintings created with an understanding and affection for these lost heroes of our national game. Available in bookstores.

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Paris Café : T h e Sél ect Cr owd Written by Noël Riley Fitch, Illustrated by Rick Tulka, B.F.A., Integrative Studies, ’77 $17.95 (Soft Skull Press, 2007) For nearly nine decades, Café Le Sélect in Montparnasse has been vital to the intellectual life of Paris, hosting such notables as Ernest Hemingway, Simone de Beauvoir, Pablo Picasso, James Baldwin, and George Plimpton. Illustrator and editorial cartoonist Tulka joins forces with the author Noël Riley Fitch to fashion a charming love letter to their favorite hangout.

Although the book is organized around a history of the café—its daily and seasonal rhythms, interesting patrons, and typical café recipes—it prominently features Tulka’s illustrations of celebrities as well as full-page drawings of each waiter and many genial caricatures of today’s regulars. Among the standouts: Hart Crane pictured with a leering sailor in the near background; 18 varieties of French noses; a youthful Bill Murray looking frisky; a well-coiffed Hemingway, writing implement in hand; and Isadora Duncan reading a newspaper about the Sacco and Vanzetti case. Available through amazon.com.

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

Cr ud e Jewelry Liz Kinnmark, B.I.D., Industrial Design, ’07 Ring, silver $75, 14k gold $295 Necklace, silver $145; 14K gold $790 Save a memento of how cheap oil used to be! A necklace, bracelet, and ring decorated with miniature oil barrels, Crude Jewelry is a social commentary on America’s fetishization of oil that takes the concept of black gold literally. The line is manufactured in monthly batches. Each piece—whether gold-plated, sterling silver, or solid 14K gold—is engraved with the date of production and the price of a barrel of crude oil on that date.

Crude Necklace comes with a 25”-long chain. Crude Bracelet uses the nostalgia of a charm bracelet to evoke the notion that oil may one day be a thing of the past. Crude Ring redefines luxury by placing a miniature oil barrel into the prong setting, rather than a traditional diamond. Kinnmark, co-founder of Design Glut, specializes in conceptual product design. Her work is inspired by culture, politics, aesthetics, and technology. Available through coroflot.com or designglut.com

Creat ivit y: U n co n v e n tio n al Wis d o m fro m 20 Acco m p l is h ed Min d s Edited by Herb Meyers, B.F.A., Illustration, ’49, and Richard Gerstman paper $24.95; cloth $42.50 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2007) How do natural talent and drive turn into art? How does inspired problem solving yield unexpectedly successful results? By interviewing 20 of the most influential creative leaders of our time, the editors find out directly from them just how they came up with their original ideas. Such powerful personalities as playwright Edward Albee, glass sculptor Dale Chihuly, painter Chuck Close, author Erica Jong, film director Spike Lee, architect Daniel Libeskind, and Apple computer co-founder Steve Wozniak are among those who shed light on common themes and share their firsthand experiences, methods, and incentives while also offering advice on becoming more ingenious yourself. Meyers is a Lifetime trustee of Pratt Institute. Available at bookstores.

Drag n e t Lo un g e C hair Lo la h Eas y A r m c hair Kenneth Cobonpue, B.I.D., Industrial Design, ’91 Dragnet Lounge Chair $3,300 indoor, $4,200 outdoor Lolah Easy Armchair $2,148 indoor, $2,873 outdoor Bringing nature into the home is Cobonpue’s goal in furnishing the living space. A native of the Philippines, he merges traditional craftsmanship and local organic materials with his own avant-garde designs to put a sophisticated, non-Western spin on modern, artisan-style furniture. Most of his sensuous, striking pieces are made from natural native fibers such as rattan, bamboo, and Manila hemp, though he also works in leather and metals.

Cobonpue’s award-winning designs have caught the eye of such celebrity collectors as Hollywood actor Brad Pitt, who has bought beds and sofas from Cobonpue’s Los Angeles store. One bed was even featured in the Warner Brother’s film Ocean’s 13. Available at outlets worldwide and through kennethcobonpue.com.

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New and Noteworthy

S tar Wars : A P o p - U p G u i d e to t h e G a l ax y Matthew Reinhart, M.I.D., Industrial Design, ’98 $32.99 (Scholastic, 2007) Intended for young readers (aged 6-13), this spectacular pop-up book, based on George Lucas’s epic Star Wars movies, brings its universe to life on paper, delighting children of all ages. Best-selling pop-up artist and engineer Matthew Reinhart has designed a 30th anniversary commemorative edition that comes packed with a variety of novelty features: pop-ups, working light sabers, pull tabs, and other interactive looks at the exciting and popular movies. This beautiful book will impress all fans of Star Wars and gives a whole new perspective on the films. Available through amazon.com.

F l u t t eri n g Win gs Laven d er Sach et Miranda Hellman, B.F.A., Art and Design Ed./Painting, ’04 $9

S pin dle Table Brad Ascalon, M.I.D., Industrial Design, ’05 $1,555 While still a student at Pratt, Ascalon was named as one of the world’s top 10 up-andcoming designers by Wallpaper magazine. His Spindle Table (2007) is an occasional table made of glass, high-gloss painted wood, and steel, with a spindle of Ascalon’s own design.

The Spindle Table is just over four feet long and stands just over a foot high. Ascalon breaks up a minimal shape with a single anachronistic, purely aesthetic detail that challenges the nature of minimalistic design. The polished steel discs that set the spindle in place further allow this classical element to float within the overtly modern borders of the glass, so the entire table acts as a pedestal or a frame for the single classical element.

Although Ascalon develops product and packaging designs for a wide range of companies and industries, he applies most of his energy and passion towards furniture design.

Available exclusively through Ligne Roset.

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The effects of mass production cause global warming and poison our air, water, and soil. Express your individualism and support for better air quality with these novel, handmade goods created by Hellman, a working painter, printmaker, bookbinder, and occasional costume designer. Her fanciful creations are made of vintage finds, recycled fabric, plastic beads, Venetian glass, and semiprecious stones turned into dried lavendar sachets, placemats, jewelry, and other accessories. In 2006, Hellman started her company, Mira Artz, to promote her line of handcrafted items, which she also markets at arts and crafts fairs around New York City. Available through MiraArtz.etsy.com.

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

Fair B racel et Ruth Mikos, M.F.A., Photography, ’96 $118

By the El: T hir d Av enue and it s E l at Mi d - Centu ry Lawrence Stelter, B.Arch., ’80, City Planning ’82 $19. 95 (H&M Publications, 2007) Whether you love or loathe the New York City transit system, Stelter’s documentary photographs of the now-defunct elevated train line that ran along Third Avenue in Manhattan during the early 1950s will leave you fascinated. This haunting tribute to the Third Avenue El’s final years of operation and subsequent demolition captures in color the life and times of this bygone era with a wonderful sense of composition, light, and feeling. Stelter’s written history leads us north along the El’s itinerary of stops, relating the midcentury railroad structure to the surrounding elements of New York City. Historically informative and visually compelling, this book is a must-read for anyone who savors New York City’s vibrant street life. Available through amazon.com.

Ruth Mikos’s line of photographic glass jewelry is eye-catching and different, with many fun, retro images in the mix. A photography assignment at Pratt led her to shoot flea markets all over New York City.

This focus soon extended to include all kinds of childhood memorabilia from her life in the Midwest. Over a year ago Mikos began over to incorporate her pictures of toys, dolls, discarded lunch boxes, and old furniture into photo charms for her jewelry collection, a practice that combines her love of photography and fine art into something fun and funky that she would be likely to wear. In her Jersey City, N.J. studio, the images are printed by computer onto waterslide decal paper in reverse, applied to glass, sealed with resin spray, and strung onto leather straps or silver chains. There are also larger images reproduced on glass tiles that can be hung on the wall. Available through ruthmikos.com.

I CON IC A MER IC A : A R o l l e r - Coas t er R id e T h r o ug h t h e Ey e - P o p p in g Pa n oram a o f A m eri can P o p C u lt ur e Tommy Hilfiger with George Lois (Pratt student 1949-1951) $60 (Universe, 2007) “What is America?” asks this book and replies: “It’s Monopoly and Mickey Mouse; it’s Barbed Wire and the Can Opener. It’s the Declaration of Independence and Bob Dylan and Groucho Marx. It’s Alfred E. Newman and Muhammad Ali, Dr. Spock and Dr. Strangelove, the Edsel and our landing on the moon.” Inspired by fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger’s passion for Americana and famous advertising art director George Lois’s provocative visual power, this volume presents a mosaic of more than 400 iconic and iconoclastic images juxtaposed on its pages from the melting pot of the American experience. The images compel Americans to question who we are, what we stand for, and, perhaps, where we should be heading. Not only does this volume celebrate the snap, crackle, and pop of American popular culture, it offers a poignant and compelling commentary on America. Available at bookstores or amazon.com.

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© 2006 Bob Handelman

Ryerson Walk

PRATT TOPS NATIONWIDE DESIGN SURVEY Pratt Institute’s design departments were among the highest-ranked schools in the 2008 “America’s Best Architecture and Design Schools” issue of Design Intelligence (DI), a monthly architecture and design journal. DI’s annual school rankings are based exclusively on companies’ perceptions of how well schools prepare their graduates for professional practice.

Pratt’s Undergraduate Interior Design program was ranked second and its Graduate Interior Design program was ranked third by interior design and architecture firms across the country. In addition, Pratt’s Interior Design undergraduate and graduate programs were ranked first by firms in the eastern region of the country as well as by firms across the United States. Pratt’s Interior Design department also scored high among schools with students showing innovation in design, skill in using computer applications, and cross-disciplinary experience.

Pratt’s Industrial Design department was ranked third for its graduate program and fifth for its undergraduate program by industrial design firms across the country. Both the undergraduate and graduate programs were ranked first in the eastern region of the country by firms in the eastern region.

Pratt’s Undergraduate Architecture program was ranked ninth in the country, according to DI. The undergraduate program was ranked fourth among schools in the eastern region of the United States by architecture and design firms in the eastern region and was ranked fifth among schools in the eastern region by firms nationwide.

Group Meets to Formulate Sustainability Strategies Last fall, a diverse group of architects, designers, urban planners, technology specialists, and other leaders and thinkers in sustainability gathered at Pratt Manhattan Gallery for a strategy session that laid the groundwork for making Pratt a model for sustainability for schools of art and design across the country. The forum was led by trustee Robert H. Siegel and Debera Johnson, Pratt’s academic director of sustainability.

The group generated close to 200 concepts, then identified six key areas of focus, including creating green jobs and internships and creating standards and graphics that make it easier for individuals to understand how they can go carbon neutral. It is expected that these action items will lead to a series of concrete proposals for advancing Pratt’s leadership in sustainability.

“The exciting outcome of the meeting is the beginning of a ‘smart network’ that will continue to bring in a diversity of professionals who are committed to the environment,” says Johnson.

Architecture School Is “Home Base” for Film on Architecture Education

JOE VERICKER

Pratt Center for Community Development marked more than four decades of planning and advocacy for social, racial, economic, and environmental justice with its 45th Anniversary gala dinner this spring.

During the festivities, the organization honored the accomplishments of three leaders who have helped to further the organization’s vision: J. Max Bond, Jr., FAIA, a partner at New York City–based Davis Brody Bond, Architects and Planners, and former New York City planning commissioner; Jonathan Rose, founder of the award-winning national real estate firm Jonathan Rose Companies LLC, which plans, develops, and acquires environmentally responsible projects; and Alexie Torres-Fleming, executive director of Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, a community development center.

From left to right, bottom: honorees Jonathan Rose and Alexie Torres-Fleming, President Thomas F. Schutte, and honoree J. Max Bond, Jr. Top: Pratt Center Director Brad Lander and Pratt trustees Gary Hattem, Mike Pratt, and Robert Siegel.

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Arbuckle Industries

Pratt Center Celebrates Its 45th Anniversary

Filmmakers Ian Harris, above left, and David Krantz, architects themselves, are putting their careers on hold to tell the true story of the grueling challenges in the lives of architecture students in the feature-length documentary Archiculture, which they are shooting on Pratt’s Brooklyn campus this spring semester. They chose Pratt due to the diversity of its students and the architecture program’s willing support.

Archiculture will provide viewers with an indepth look into the creative yet competitive process of architectural education by following five students during their turbulent final semester at Pratt, revealing their passion, drive, and unflagging determination. The film will use the their projects and their stories to examine contemporary issues surrounding the profession.

RYERSON WALK

CARMEN MARC VALVO TO BE NAMED 2008 PRATT INSTITUTE FASHION ICON AT ANNUAL PRATT FASHION SHOW Pratt Institute will present the 2008 Pratt Institute Fashion Icon Award to acclaimed designer Carmen Marc Valvo at its annual fashion runway show on Wednesday, May 7, 2008. Following the Fashion Show, Pratt President Thomas F. Schutte will host an exclusive party in Manhattan to honor Valvo.

The designer, who has dressed the likes of Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, Katie Couric, Oprah Winfrey, Kate Winslet, Mary J. Blige, Iman, and Queen Latifah, began his own label in 1989, after working for Nina Ricci and Christian Dior. His sportswear, an instant success, was carried by several top stores, and his elegant evening wear was selected by retailers Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. After establishing his Collection line, Valvo launched Carmen Marc Valvo Couture, a collection that is presented twice a year during New York Fashion Week and that caters to his celebrity clientele. He also designs daytime dresses under CMV by Carmen Marc Valvo, fine furs, swimwear, lingerie, and recently introduced a line of eyewear.

The 2008 Pratt Fashion Show will feature the work of select graduating seniors from the program. The designs to be shown on the runway will be chosen by a panel of fashion industry critics and will span several categories of apparel including women’s, men’s, children’s, evening, bridal, sportswear, and costume design.

The 2008 Pratt Fashion Show is sponsored by the Importer Support Program of the Cotton Board and Cotton Incorporated.

The Pratt Libraries recently received donations of three new collections.

The Thoren Collection features photographs and memorabilia from alumna Virginia Thoren (Certificate, Advertising, ’42), a society and fashion photographer who worked for such magazines as Vogue and Town&Country.

The Dazian Collection, donated to Pratt by the Museum of the City of New York, comprises 500 rare books on costume, fashion, theater, textiles, and fine arts, some featuring hand-colored plates, engravings, lithographs, and drawings.

School of Information and Library Science Dean Tula Giannini recommended acquisition of the collection, which was originally a gift to the museum by the owners of Dazian’s Theatrical Emporium.

The Whelan Collection comprises approximately 5,500 texts on art, architecture, design, and photography from the estate of the late biographer Richard Whelan.

The majority of the materials will be housed in the rare book room of Pratt’s Brooklyn library, but the collections will gain a broader audience due to Pratt’s membership in the Computer Library Center, which places member holdings in an online catalog accessible worldwide.

Prattstore Emerges as Creative Center for Artistic Community Changes are under way at the Prattstore, as the Institute’s on-site source of books and art supplies expands both its offerings and its activities under the leadership of Roy Muraskiewicz, formerly general manager of Kate’s Paperie and vice president of retail for Sam Flax, both in New York City.

The Prattstore carries a wealth of art supplies and books linked to Pratt’s curriculum, and its core products also serve Brooklyn’s growing community of artists. Products designed by Pratt alumni and students will have a special place in the home décor section, which already includes colorful new rugs, lamps, accessories, and shelving units.

“The 15,000-square-foot space allows us to try new products that foster creativity,” says Muraskiewicz. To better serve the Pratt community, he has increased the stock of art supplies so materials are available throughout the semester and has kept pricing competitive with other art suppliers in the metropolitan area.

The store also offers a range of inexpensive ready-made frames for student shows, and Muraskiewicz has installed a complete customframing department that features about 1,000 different moldings.

In an attempt to draw in the general consumer and casual art store shopper, the store has

expanded its selection of office supplies and introduced custom printing, stationery, greeting cards, decorative papers, posters, and prints to its offerings, and hosts well-attended Saturday morning children’s readings, and month-long art exhibitions that give neighborhood artists needed exposure.

© 2007 Bob Handelman

New Collections Bolster Research Holdings at Pratt Libraries

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Amanda Adams-Louis

Halloween at Pratt: More Than Ghouls and Goblins

Bernard Gotfryd/ Getty Images

Fifty revelers entered the Communications Design 2007 Halloween Costume Competition, sponsored by the Undergraduate Communications Design department, with costumes that went far beyond the traditional ghoulish fare.

Three costume designs rose to the top, however.

From left to right, fashion design student Tori Iannarino won a $1,000 first prize award for her costume “Carousel”; industrial design student Morgan Street won a $500 second prize award for “Trash Emu”; and Ben Gould, who is also an industrial design student, won a $250 third prize award for “Quill.”

Professor Francine Monaco Inducted into Interior Design Hall of Fame

Angela Davis, the educator, writer, and activist who has made a career of combating oppression in the U.S. and abroad, served as the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ first Scholar in Residence this spring.

Davis engaged the minds of students and faculty alike with her keynote address, “Identifying Racism in the Era of Neoliberalism,” in which she spoke about the mutating yet persistent dynamics of racism.

Davis also screened the documentary film The Farm: Angola (Liz Garbus, Wilbert Rideau, and Jonathan Stack, USA, 1998), which depicts day-to-day life in Angola Prison in Angola, La.; led a roundtable discussion with New York–based artists about aesthetic practice, cultural politics, and social justice; and held a seminar for Pratt faculty members on “Violence and the Visual.”

Davis is a tenured professor in the History of Consciousness department at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the University of California presidential chair in African American and Feminist Studies.

Exhibition Showcases Sustainable Architectural Design from Sponsored Research Studios The exhibition “Manufactured Surfaces: Three Pratt Institute Sponsored Research Studios for Sustainable Architecture” features recent and ongoing work by students in three collaborative studios straddling the undergraduate architecture and interior design departments. The exhibition will be on display May 19–30 at the Pratt Manhattan Gallery, located at 144 W. 14 Street, Manhattan.

The design research on display uses building products by Designtex, manufacturer of architectural wall coverings, fabrics, and panels; Hunter Douglas, makers of window covering products; and Velux, manufacturers of skylight products, to explore the topics of design, sustainability, and their relationship to contemporary manufacturing methodologies. The studios developed new applications for building products through full-scale prototypes, material demonstrations, and project proposals.

A reception for the exhibition will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 6–9 PM in the Gallery.

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Courtesy of Francine Monaco

LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES HOSTS FIRST SCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE: ANGELA DAVIS

Francine Monaco, adjunct associate professor, Interior Design, was inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the Waldolf=Astoria on November 28. Monaco, an architect, was honored alongside her business partner, Carl D’Aquino, for their work with D’AquinoMonaco Inc., a design firm they founded over a decade ago.

Monaco has taught a variety of interior design courses since her arrival at Pratt eight years ago and has offered interdisciplinary studio courses with Anthony Caradonna, associate professor, Architecture. Monaco also assists Interior Design department chair Anita Cooney in developing course curricula for the program.

RYERSON WALK

COURTESY DIOR BEAUTY

Dior Beauty Receives 2008 Art of Packaging Award

Dior Beauty, the fragrance, makeup, and skin care house of Christian Dior, Inc., received the Pratt Institute-Luxe Pack Art of Packaging Award during the 19th annual Marc Rosen Scholarship fundraising gala, which took place on April 15, 2008 at the University Club in Manhattan.

Pamela Baxter, president, Christian Dior, Inc., accepted the accolade on behalf of the company, which was chosen for its longstanding commitment to package design. Diana Williams, WABC-TV Eyewitness News anchor, served as master of ceremonies for the gala event.

Proceeds from the event will fund monetary awards for exceptional Pratt students studying packaging design.

The Marc Rosen Scholarship for Graduate Package Design was established at Pratt Institute in 1989 to provide funds for the education of students in packaging design, particularly in the fragrance industry. The awards are made to promising students who enroll in the world’s only graduate course in cosmetics packaging design, taught by acclaimed designer Marc A. Rosen, M.F.A., Packaging Design, ’70, who has served as a Pratt trustee for many years.

Thierry Gourjon

Pamela Baxter, president, Christian Dior

Trustee David Walentas and Graduate Digital Arts student William Rahilly at the new studios

GRADUATE DIGITAL ARTS STUDENTS CELEBRATE NEW DUMBO STUDIO SPACE Students from Pratt’s Graduate Digital Arts program gathered in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn in February, not to party or to check out the swanky new restaurants and bars in the area, but for a reception to celebrate their move into a loft-like studio space at 20 Jay Street. President Schutte, trustees, department Chair Peter Patchen, and guests joined in the festivities.

“This is the first time in the 20-year history of the department that Pratt’s Graduate Digital Arts students have had dedicated studio spaces of their own,” reported Patchen. “This is something that will change the culture of our department.” The space will temporarily house the studios until Pratt’s new 524 Myrtle Avenue building is completed two years from now.

The students, who had previously struggled to work in cramped quarters at home, thanked Trustee David Walentas and spouse Jane, who is his business partner, for their generosity in donating the space, and demonstrated their projects for visitors.

In a special presentation, Ya Chi Peng, a second-year graduate student, demonstrated her thesis project by doing a percussive flamenco dance that triggered lights and movement in flowerlike objects that hung from the ceiling. She sighed with relief at the end of her performance. “It’s great to have space,” Peng said. “Can you imagine me doing this in my kitchen?”

Matthew Burger

Students Help to Build “Way-to-Go” Car

The “Way-to-Go” Car in action Pratt industrial design students Paul Crotty, Jason Pfaeffle, Gerry Heferman, and Brad Jones helped to demonstrate, this spring semester, a prototype of the “Way-to-Go” Car, a lightweight

tandem vehicle, developed as part of a project involving faculty members and students of Pratt and The Cooper Union. Backed by a private funder, the project may lead to the mass production of an entire class of green cars that are inexpensive to purchase and drive—the final prototype will likely use a biodiesel engine that allows the car to get more than 100 mpg.

The Pratt team also included Arthur “Tip” Sempliner, adjunct associate professor, Industrial Design, who designed the vehicle; designer and fabricator Jon Pettingill (B.I.D., Industrial Design,

’02); and Adam Apostolos, (A.O.S., Graphic Design, ’83), manager of the metal shop and visiting instructor, Fine Arts, who helped to build and test the prototype.

Jeff Tolbert, adjunct associate professor, Industrial Design, who served as project manager, says the process has been helpful for students who enjoyed mentor-student relationships akin to those of days past. “They have learned about research, craftsmanship, problem solving, and how beauty of form and functional integrity can be one and the same.”

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DIANA PAU

The Nissan Cube—a car popular with Japanese youth, but not yet available in the United States—made its debut at this year’s New York International Auto Show with the help of Pratt industrial and interior design students. The students had worked for months, under the guidance of Martin Skalski, professor, Industrial Design, to perfect colorful and intricately patterned exterior and interior treatments that represented the spirit of the car for the show.

The team members who created the design “Quazé” said its gridlike exterior pattern was inspired by a street map of Brooklyn, where the teammates all live.

The vehicle’s surface, which second-year graduate industrial design student Emily Potter says reflects the “buzz and beat” of the borough, contrasts with the quilted, silk-taffeta interior, complete with zip-up seat belt/vests, designed to wrap passengers in comfort.

The “Nielus” team mixed aggressive shardlike shapes with larger, broken polygons and subtle squares, setting up a striking tension as the patterns shift on the surface of the vehicle and as the viewers’ eyes notice the changing shapes. Team member Minos Tzouflas, a first-year graduate industrial design student, said, “We wanted to create an interest on various levels so that people wouldn’t think about the design until they started to examine the surface of the car.”

The Nissan Cube is slated to make its official entry into the U.S. market at the Los Angeles Auto Show this fall.

DIANA PAU

STUDENTS PRESENT DESIGNS FOR NISSAN CUBES AT NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW

1. “Nielus,” designed by students Susan Hasselbrook, Kaspar Spurgeon, Diana Thomas, and Minos Tzouflas 2. “Quazé,” designed by students Tawny Hixson, Yeon Jee, Emily Potter, and John Renaud

Pratt Students Compete in Lighting Competition Commemorating Design Innovator George Kovacs

Stephanie Slaght

Graduate and sophomore industrial design students participated this spring in the George Kovacs Lighting Competition, organized to preserve the legacy of George Kovacs, the late Austrian-born designer, manufacturer, and importer of modern lighting fixtures, who first introduced the halogen torchère to the United States. Students were encouraged to create new lighting designs that embodied the standards set by Kovacs more than 50 years ago.

Three outside judges made the selections based on originality, creativity, and use of sustainable materials. “It was hard to decide,” reported Alecia Wesner, Kovacs’ first in-house designer and current president of Kovacs-Wesner Design Group, when she announced the winners in February.

Jennie Maneri (Graduate Industrial Design, ’10), took first prize, earning $1,000, for her design of the table lamp, Night Sky, which Wesner said was a “universal favorite.” Austin Doten (Industrial Design, ’11) won second prize for his table lamp, FIYA, and Robert Volex (Industrial Design, ’11) took home third prize for his floor lamp, Filament. Recognition for Best Concept went to Alexandra Pulver (Graduate Industrial Design, ’10) for her table lamp, Hourglass. Heidi Patterson (Graduate Industrial Design, ’10) earned a special mention for her floor lamp, Current.

From left to right, Alecia Wesner, Austin Doten, Robert Volex, and Jennie Maneri 46

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Sculpture Student Receives First Anthony Gennarelli Memorial Award

Charlotte Meyer, M.F.A., Sculpture, ’09, is the first recipient of the Anthony Gennarelli Memorial Award, which will support her participation in the School of Art and Design’s Pratt in Venice program this summer. Meyer, whose sculptural installation Repair, 2006, is shown above, received the award based on artistic and academic merit. Anthony Gennarelli was an innovative visual artist who brought the art of stone sculpting with him from Tuscany to the U.S.; he was also a talented musician, teacher, and owner of a successful textile firm.

His wife, Alba Gennarelli, used proceeds from the sale of some his sculptures to establish the Anthony Gennarelli Memorial Award, which will be used to support sculpture students’ study abroad, to fund their work in Pratt’s sculpture program, and to back their endeavors at other institutions with which Pratt partners.

RYERSON WALK

Federal Library Grants Help Link SILS Students to Local Institutions Two federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grants to Pratt’s School of Information and Library Science (SILS) to fund practicums and internships for urban librarians are paying off, helping to provide SILS graduates with bridges to—and jobs at—some of the most prestigious institutions in New York City.

A $525,000 IMLS grant, which began in 2004, has supported the SILS Public Urban Library Service Education (PULSE) program, created in collaboration with the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) to recruit and educate new local librarians. A second grant of $591,000, which began in 2005, has supported the school’s Graduate Archives Training and Education: Work and Information (GATEWAI) program, which offers specialized onsite training to future archivists, manuscript curators, and photo/ image specialists at the Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS). The grants have since funded 21 full-time trainees and 20 internsat BPL and 30 interns at BHS. “Students value these hands-on learning experiences and the opportunities for networking that often lead to excellent positions,” says SILS Dean Tula Giannini. By way of example, she names Lily Dougherty, library information supervisor at the Stone Avenue branch; Megan Kilgallen, children’s librarian in the Youth Services Division at the Central branch, who recently obtained positions at the BPL after doing practicums there; and Eunice Liu, who was hired as a project archivist at the BHS after an internship. “The list goes on and on,” says Giannini.

Aviva, 2003, by Chris Wright, adjunct assistant professor, Fine Arts

Aviva Stone, an artist model who had been a muse to Pratt’s students, faculty, and staff for more than two decades, passed away in December 2007. With her ample curves and larger-than-life personality, Stone became known as “La Grande Dame des Ateliers.” Over the years, she posed for Pratt’s Fine Arts, Foundation, Communications Design, Fashion, and Pre-College classes and was a perennial favorite at the Institute’s Draw-a-thon.

Keith Gratkowski, a third-year architecture student from Scranton, Pa., died on Nov. 27, 2007, after sustaining brain injuries resulting from an accidental fall on Nov. 24. He had been on the Dean’s List at Pratt and was a member of

the American Institute of Architecture Students.

He earned an associate degree, with honors, from Johnson College in Scranton, Pa., and also had studied at the University of Pittsburgh.

Patricia Ruth Parker-Williams, B.Arch., ’06, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly of natural causes on Feb. 21, 2008. After graduating from Pratt, with honors, she moved to Virginia Beach where she was an architect intern with Hanbury, Evans, Wright, Vlattas + Company.

She had been married for one year to Sgt. Christopher Brian Williams (U.S. Marine Corps) of Virginia Beach, currently assigned to the 2nd Intelligence Battalion, Camp Fallujah, Iraq.

Students Participate in Pratt’s First Spiritual Art Show Pratt students recently participated in the Institute’s first ever “Spiritual Art Show,” which explored the notion of art as a spiritual path. The exhibition, which was sponsored by the Department of Campus Ministry, was on view in the Pratt Chapel in February and March. Rabbi Simcha Weinstein, who organized the show says, “I wanted people to understand that they could put spirituality into their art—that the two concepts are not mutually exclusive.”

More than 30 students responded with submissions that ran the gamut from a humorous illustration of a shofar (a ram’s horn used as a call to religious observance during the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah) to photographs documenting the Amish in Lancaster, Pa. Also on display were images by Father Richard Bretone depicting Christian symbols and the comic book Art School Rabbi, written by Weinstein and drawn by student David Ben-Yshay. Weinstein had previously penned the book Up, Up, and Oy Vey, which focuses on the Jewish culture’s contributions to the history of the comics.

RÉne Perez

For Family Weekend: A Peek into the Lives of Students

In Memoriam

More than 400 relatives of Pratt students visited Pratt’s Brooklyn campus for Family Weekend 2007 during the fall 2007 semester. The annual event provides an opportunity for relatives to experience a “day in the life” of Pratt students.

During the event, participants enjoyed such workshops as figure drawing, jewelry design, and color theory. Above, a parent tests her skills in a painting workshop.

Art School Rabbi, a comic strip by student David Ben-Yshay and Rabbi Simcha Weinstein 47

Literary Corner

Sustainability

Apocalypticism and

By Ira Livingston

Ira Livingston is chair of English and Humanities at Pratt.

This essay was originally delivered as an address at Pratt’s sustainability teach-in in February.

I

nterest in sustainability is driven by many factors, primary among which is a collective desire to stay alive. Without throwing any wrench in those works, I want to suggest some other cultural forces at work.

Sustainability isn’t just a set of material practices but also an emergent mind-set, paradigm, and worldview. In the largest sense, sustainability is something that can shape the way we understand everything from our daily actions to the overall trajectory of life on the planet. In other words, it has scientific and technological dimensions as well as what we might call religious dimensions.

The coexistence of aspects of science and religion is one way you can tell sustainability is a postmodern phenomenon. Everyone not made anxious by the term “religious” may now bristle at “postmodern,” but, in my view, this is an essential point.

To put it schematically, modernity conceives of itself as a dynamism that breaks with the stasis of the premodern past. But sustainability is both and neither dynamism and stasis. It comes from an understanding of how open systems sustain themselves dynamically.

Sustainability is also at odds with master narratives of progress and decline, organizing principles of modernity. The scientific incarnations of these principles were developed in the 19th century.

Evolution was largely conceived as a progress narrative,while the Second Law of Thermodynamics— whereby the disorder of a closed system inevitably increases to a maximum—was posited as a principle of relentless decline. Together, these principles yielded a narrative of evolving biological life striving, upwardly mobile, set in stark relief against an irreversibly decaying thermodynamic universe. This stance went well with the patriarchal white ruling class’s sense of its own tragic heroism, beset inside and out by threats of devolution and disorder.

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A century later, the relations between biological figure and thermodynamic ground are shiftier.

Scientists like Stuart Kauffman are now establishing that life is not so improbable or heroic after all, but rather an “expected emergent collective property of a modestly complex mixture of catalytic polymers,” at home in a universe hospitable to life and characterized by lively self-organizing processes at all scales, from molecules to galactic clusters. I’m giving the sunniest and most animistic version, but in any case, sustainability belongs to this decidedly postmodern universe.

It’s easy to see that sustainability and its dark twin, apocalypticism, don’t jibe with modernist narratives of progress and decline. But such narratives aren’t obsolete. In fact, obsolescence is itself mostly a modernist notion; we postmodernists affirm that our narratives are recycled! My point is that sustainability is orchestrated with and against narratives of progress, decline, and apocalypse in complex ways.

I suggest that sustainability is one response to an underlying, often unacknowledged but ever present sense of the imminent eclipse of the West—especially the U.S.—as dominant world power; the sense that these are the latter days of an imperial dynasty.

As with global warming, we are confronted regularly with signs that this event is coming, or that the tipping point has passed and we’re already on the downward slope. Which narrative resonates more with you depends on whether your neurotic style tends more towards anxiety, the sense that something bad is about to happen, or depression, the sense that something bad and irrevocable has already happened. The latter is related to what cultural theorist Paul Gilroy called, in the case of England, “postcolonial melancholia.”

A glance at two films will show how this background unease can be marshaled to support particular politics.

Literary corner The Day After Tomorrow imagines the sudden arrival of catastrophic climate change. United 93 rehearses the events of 9/11. The setups in both films are subtly but strikingly similar. (I can only talk about the beginning of United 93, since I got fed up and stopped watching.) Both films open with extended montages, cutting back and forth between scenes being gathered toward what we know will be a catastrophic convergence. In The Day After Tomorrow it is assorted signs of imminent climate change; in United 93, it is terrorists preparing, plane passengers arriving at the airport, and so on.

What struck me was the music. In both films, it is as though an extended, low, ominous chord or chords were playing continuously in the background, unresolved chords that require the coming catastrophe to break the tension. One experiences this unease bodily; humans may even be programmed neurologically to respond to low-frequency sound with fear and dread. I stopped watching United 93 because of my sense that the film was working to put that uneasiness in the service of creating a culture of fear, to install it in our brains via that background hum. The hum fits what historian Daniel Lord Smail calls a “teletropic mechanism,” something designed to “influence the body chemistry of others.”

Sustainability is something that can shape the way we understand everything from our daily actions to the overall trajectory of human life on the planet.

Christopher Zacharow

”

Virginia Woolf evoked another kind of hum—a cheery one—that for her characterized the golden days before the First World War. “In those days,” she wrote, “every conversation seemed to have been accompanied by a sort of humming noise, not articulate, but musical, exciting, which changed the value of the words themselves.” Closer to the downbeat hum I’m talking about is Victorian poet Matthew Arnold’s account of “the Sea of Faith” receding, like a wave across a rocky beach, with a “melancholy, long, withdrawing roar.” Or, going from sublime to ridiculous, think of 1992 presidential candidate Ross Perot’s evocation of “the giant sucking noise” of U.S. jobs continuously being lost to low-wage countries.

If you Google “The Hum,” you’ll even find that there are people across North America for whom these metaphors are only too real, people bedeviled by “what is perceived as a persistent low-frequency sound for which obvious sources have been ruled out” (Wikipedia).

I suggest we understand sustainability as a kind of melody played with and against such a chord—that unresolved low chord playing continuously in the background of our lives—the sound of the displacement, decline and/or collapse of U.S. power and of Western modernity itself.

At its worst, then, sustainability is a form of denial, a whistling through the graveyard—or slightly better, a kind of Prozac that takes the edge off symptoms of imperial decline—or better still, a kind of antiapocalypticism. But I want to leave you with a question that is also a challenge: Is it possible that, at its best and most joyful, sustainability is itself a kind of apocalypticism, sweeping through all that we know and do? P 49

Supporting Pratt office personnel. Tiered support for centralized enrollment and registration through a “one-stop” system will enable students to complete the entire process—from selecting classes to paying tuition and filing loan papers— in one visit. With this new facility we will see the end of the dreaded “Pratt run around” for good!

Courtesy of Studio A/WASA

The Center will feature computer kiosks for enrollment and registration; free-standing desks for staff crosstrained in all aspects of the enrollment process, outfitted with dual-sided computer screens so staff can easily walk students through any aspect of the process; and private offices for individual staff specialists to help with more complex registration and financial aid issues.

524 Myrtle Improves Student Serviced and Facilities

T

he new “green” building Pratt is erecting

at 524 Myrtle Avenue, which is expected to attain the coveted LEED Gold standard, is perhaps the most tangible example of Pratt’s stated commitment to transforming the campus into a living laboratory for sustainable design. This alone is enough to make the building an important addition to the Institute. But even more important, at least in the daily life of many staff and the students they serve, is the fact that 524 Myrtle has been designed to relieve some of the longstanding issues plaguing student life at Pratt.

Upper level floors will house the new Digital Arts Center and the Convergence and Fine Arts Studios, which will offer sorely needed state-of-the-art learning, practice, and exhibition spaces. 524 Myrtle will also be the new home of the widely acclaimed Pratt Center for Community Development, which has worked for more than 40 years toward a more just, equitable, and sustainable city for all New Yorkers. The Pratt Center will share a floor with the Institute’s Development and Alumni Relations offices, including Publications and Communications.

In recent years Myrtle Avenue has been transformed into a busy thoroughfare with more shops, restaurants, and cafés, and the new building will extend this vitality.

A Kentucky Fried Chicken had formerly occupied the site at 524 Myrtle, but in recent years it was vacant and blighted. The new building will have a ground floor dedicated to retail space, providing initiative and encouragement to Myrtle Avenue businesses and creating a naturally dynamic mingling and meeting point with our neighbors.

The Student aServices Center 524 Myrtle will, for the first time, make it possible for all student services to function out of one physical location. The new Student Services Center will house registration, enrollment, financial aid, and bursar’s 50

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For information about how you can help Pratt achieve its full vision and goals for 524 Myrtle through your financial support, please contact Patricia Pelehach, VP of Development at 718-6363448 or pelehach@pratt.edu. We would be happy to provide you with architectural renderings or to arrange a site visit.

supporting pratt

Ensuring Pratt’s Future

Charles Prat t left an indelible mark on Brooklyn, the art and design world, and society at large when he founded Pratt Institute. Since that time, many generous individuals have sought to ensure Pratt’s future by including the institution in their estate plans. Today, bequests provide critical resources for Pratt’s most fundamental endeavors, including professorships, scholarships, and academic facilities. Beyond the financial resources they provide, bequests are truly gifts from the heart, enabling alumni and friends to perpetuate their vision and love of Pratt Institute for generations to come.

Your Gateway to News about Pratt Institute GATEWAY is the community newsletter of Pratt Institute and provides news to the Institute’s alumni, faculty,

Remembering Pratt Is Easy.

staff, students, and friends.

You may make an outright bequest by specifying a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate to Pratt Institute. Sample language might include the following:

It is published twice

“I give, devise, and bequeath to Pratt Institute, a not-for-profit educational institution located at 200 Willoughby Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205, and incorporated in the State of New York, the sum of $_____.”

ber, December, June, July,

You may also bequeath a percentage of your estate. Or you may make a residuary request, which indicates that a gift of the remainder of your estate will be made to Pratt Institute after all other specific bequests have been fulfilled. You may not have to change your will to remember Pratt. Many states, including Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, allow residents to add a codicil to their wills.

published once per month.

Please contact Cindy Forbes, major gifts officer, should you wish advice and assistance at 718-636-3757 or email her at caforbes@pratt.edu.

If you notify us of your bequest intention, we will enroll you in the Renaissance Society of Pratt Institute.

monthly, excluding Novemand August, when it is

We’d like to share GATEWAY with you electronically.

Send your e-mail address to alumni@pratt.edu and we’ll keep you informed about what’s happening at your alma mater.

Legends 2008 A Pratt Institute Scholarship Benefit honoring Art and Design Icons

SAV E T HE DATE T HU R SDAY, O C TO B ER 16

L EGENDS 2 0 0 8 C O - C H A I R S Kurt Andersen, Amy Cappellazzo, Marjorie Kuhn

For more information or to reserve tickets, please contact Pratt Special Events at 718.399.4486 or mhambouz@pratt.edu.

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Remember Renew Reimagine

Save the Date

ReIGNITE! A Weekend of Connection and Creativity

October 24–26, 2008 Join your classmates and Pratt faculty at ReIGNITE! to explore thought-provoking and skill-building panels

A Weekend of Connection and Creativity

and workshops. All are welcome.

’’s e n o y r e Ev Invited!

To learn more, visit www.pratt.edu/ReIGNITE! Sign up online for email alerts.

If this is not your reunion year, additional information about ReIGNITE! will be available only online and via email.

Re me mb er Art and War War is humankind’s most self-destructive and aberrant behavior. Yet it is also the locus of expression of some of our most prized virtues: patriotism, heroism and sacrifice. This theme looks at artists’ and designers’ participation in war (and peace activities) from several vantage points. We dare not forget. Join us as we remember the conflicts of the past, and investigate our responses in the present.

Renew Creative Renewal and Exploration How do you renew your artistic vision when inspiration seems to have dried up?

How do you transition from one art career to the next stage…which may be retirement or volunteer activities? How do you define success? How do you incorporate new ideas and practices into your business model or studio? Come learn firsthand from prolific and ever-renewing artists, advisers, and lifelong learners’ tips and techniques for keeping your artistic practice fresh and satisfying.

Rei magine Art and the Word Visual art and design have long had a symbiotic relationship with literature and words. From the Bible and classic literature to graffiti and hip-hop, art is impacted by words and vice versa—think of classic history paintings and Victorian narrative paintings, illustrations for newspapers and books, Picasso in his Cubist period reasserting the primacy of the picture plane by painting words on the surface, and more recently, the work of Jenny Holzer, Richard Prince, the Hernandez brothers (Love and Rockets). Art and words are the crux of the relationship between artists and designers and their critics, and between art directors and copy editors. This theme explores the ever changing, ever challenging relationship between art and words and invites you to reimagine your own work through the power of words.

Campus and neighborhood tours / President’s Circle members’ reception / Reunion exhibition / Opening of special alumni section in the Prattstore / Gala dinner and live music / Prerelease screening of The Ghost Army, a World War II documentary that shows how Pratt alumni used art to deceive Axis powers in Europe

Especially for Reunion Classes (alumni whose class years end in ’3s and ’8s) • Champagne luncheons for alumni celebrating their 25th and 50th reunions.

• Opportunity to include work in the Reunion exhibition featuring art, design, and architecture.

• Invitation to the Alumni Achievement Award luncheon—space is limited—RSVP early.

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Alumni News

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1. 2007 Alumni Achievement Award honorees Robert Cioppa, Rodney Leon, Beverly Pepper, President Thomas F. Schutte, Deirdre Lawrence, and Dr. Michael Allocca. 2. Betsy Lewin with Duck for President, which she illustrated, and Paul Wrablica, in front of his mid-1940s redesign of the Presidential Seal in the Reunion exhibition. 3. Virginia Thoren discusses her photographs with Ashley Berger at the Reunion 2007 exhibition. 4. Myrtle (Fredrickson) Johnson, Betty (Kormusis) Crumley, Marcia (Nurnberg) Wiener, President Thomas F. Schutte, and Joan (Azzolina) Cousineau review yearbooks at Reunion 2007. 5. Bruce Freeman and Marjorie (Kler) Freeman at the 55th Reunion luncheon.

2007 Alumni Achievement Awards Honor Distinguished Graduates During Reunion, Pratt honored five outstanding alumni with the 2007 Alumni Achievement Award, as part of an awards luncheon held in the Hazel and Robert Siegel Gallery in Higgins Hall. Honorees for 2007 are as follows: Dr. Michael Allocca , B.S., Electrical Engineering, ’64, is a member of the faculty of The Mahler Company, a global leader in executive development and organizational change, with headquarters in New Jersey. His appointment follows a long career in the corporate world, where he has held a broad range of management positions in engineering, marketing, sales, and general management in both large and small firms.

Robert Cioppa , B.Arch., ’67, is a principal of the Manhattan-based architectural firm of Kohn Pederson Fox Associates PC. During a career spanning more than 40 years, he has overseen the design and construction of government, corporate headquarters, and offices for a variety of media, research, and financial clients including Boston Properties, Hines Properties, and Gannett/USA Today.

Deirdre Lawrence , M.S., Library and Information Science, ’79,

has been principal librarian at the Brooklyn Museum since late 1983. In this capacity, she established the museum’s archives

and implemented projects to preserve and make accessible the museum’s research collections. She has also overseen a renovation project and the implementation of an online catalog.

Rodney Leon , B.Arch., ’92, who received Pratt’s 2007 Young

Alumni Achievement Award, is a founding principal of AARRIS Architects LLP. He was chosen as the winning designer of a permanent memorial that uses seven elements to explain and honor the history of the African Burial Ground on Duane Street in Lower Manhattan.

Beverly Pepper , Certificate, Illustration, ’42, is an internationally acclaimed sculptor whose large-scale works are found in plazas and parks around the world. Pepper’s determination to create a more profound dialogue between sculpture and its natural environment has led to an ongoing commitment to site-specific projects of ever-increasing complexity.

Reunion Draws Old Friends, Talent, and Memories Galore Pratt Institute celebrated its 2007 Alumni Reunion and Homecoming October 12–14, 2007, hosting more than 200 graduates and guests from the classes of ’02, ’97, ’92, ’87, ’82, ’77, ’72, ’67, ’62, ’57, ’52, ’47, and ’42 on the Brooklyn campus.

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1. Delilah Mulraine, Ian Thornell, Lincoln Farrell, Lawrence Stelter, Diana Sorkin, Darnley Beckles, and fellow alumni at the Brooklyn Architecture Exchange

Last year marked the second “Reunion: Work by Pratt Alumni” exhibition. Thirty alumni artists, designers, and architects contributed pieces ranging from the mid-1940s redesign of the Presidential seal, to original fashion photography from the 1950s and 1960s, to contemporary large-scale paintings, ceramics, and screenprints.

Alumni enjoyed a gallery tour through Williamsburg and Greenpoint, Brooklyn, led by Gumshoe Explorers. The highlight of the evening was a stop at alumna Yuko Nii’s Williamsburg Art and Historical Center for a guided tour of “Sun Pictures to Mega Pixels,” a photo exhibition.

The classes of ’62, ’57, ’52, ’47, and ’42 celebrated with a champagne luncheon at the Caroline Ladd Pratt House.

The classes of ’87, ’82, ’77, ’72, and ’67 reminisced over a gala dinner, also at the Caroline Ladd Pratt House and then joined Pratt students and the graduating classes of ’02, ’97, and ’92 for a live music set by alumni band Japanther in Memorial Hall. The band consists of Matt Reilly, Art Direction, ’02, and Ian Vanek, Graphic Design, ’02. Reilly played his guitar for the entire show with his Pratt alumni ID card. Both Reilly and Vanek said it was a dream come true for them to play in beautiful Memorial Hall.

The School of Information and Library Science (SILS) brought together more than 60 SILS graduates, students, and faculty to the Manhattan campus for the 20th Annual Nasser Sharify Lecture. The featured speaker was Professor W. Boyd Rayward, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who spoke about the future of libraries and LIS education in today’s diverse global culture in the digital age.

Brooklyn Architecture Exchange January 23, 2008

More than 200 Brooklyn-based architects and Pratt alumni gathered for Brooklyn Architecture Exchange, part of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s after-hours networking events program. The event was held in the Hazel and Robert Siegel Gallery in Higgins Hall.

Fourth Annual Alumni Basketball Game February 2, 2008

More than 100 Pratt alumni and students gathered on Saturday, February 2, to participate in the Fourth Annual Alumni Basketball Game. Alumni came from as far away as California, Virginia, Maryland, and Georgia to participate in the event.

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2. Darin Brooks and Robert Reid at the PrattConnects Texas alumni

reception in their studio.

3. Rodney Leon discusses his African Burial PrattConnects African Burial Ground Tour Ground with President Schutte, alumni, faculty, and students. 4. Rich Kirt Joseph, fellow alumni, and current Cannoneers at the fourth andPaul, Reception annual14, alumni November 2007basketball game.

Eighty alumni gathered at the African Burial Ground Memorial in downtown Manhattan for a private tour and presentation by designer Rodney Leon, Architecture, ’92. Leon led the group through all of the design elements of the monument, discussing historical and physical references. (The memorial, which towers above and surrounds viewers, is as tall as the burial ground is deep.) After the presentation, alumni enjoyed a reception on the 30th floor of the Ted Weiss Federal Building.

PrattConnects Texas Alumni September 25, 2007

Fifty alumni from across Texas gathered at Brooks-Reid Studio, the Houston boutique studio and home of alumni Robert Reid and Darrin Brooks, for networking and a brief presentation by President Schutte on the state of Pratt Institute. Reid and Brooks, both Masters of Interior Design, ’00, were excited to host their first PrattConnects alumni reception. Relocating from New York City to Houston immediately after graduation, Reid and Brooks quickly became senior designers in a Top 100 commercial interiors practice. Within two years, they started their own practice with clients from across North America.

Alumni Stories

Below are excerpts from three Alumni Stories that appear on our Pratt Web Site. Alumni Stories presents selected theme-based recollections, interviews, and musings by and about Pratt Alumni. To find out more about the Hermans, Adams, Grays, and other great Pratt couples, visit www.pratt.edu/alumnistories. If you would like to share your Pratt experience, email your own story to stories@pratt.edu.

Partners in design and life “Pam and I used to pass in the Pratt corridors,” says Alan Herman. “We had many of the same teachers and classes but never at the same time! We finally met in Southern California after we both graduated in 1969.” While the Hermans’ relationship blossomed after Pratt, the couple credit Pratt for nurturing their taste, craftsmanship, and philosophy of life—which includes working as a team for the last 31 years in their own company, Alan Herman & Associates (http://alanherman.com).

Alan Herman, Advertising Design, Cum Laude, ’69, Pamela Jo Carlson Herman, Advertising Design, ’69

“He had the swagger of a man who had worked on a boat for years.”

“The moment I saw Robert, I knew I would marry him,” says Marie Piro Gray. And she was right! Seven years after her first day at Pratt, the couple wed and enjoyed 35 wonderful years together until Mr. Gray’s passing in 1998. Recently, Mrs. Gray has begun painting watercolors, an activity that harks back to her days in Pratt’s Art Education program.

Marie (Piro) Gray, Art Education, ’58, Robert Gray, Engineering, ’58

Courting on the court “Rick had seen a picture of me while he was visiting a friend at TK

the Willoughby dorm,” says Minnie Adams. “He kept asking me to come to one of his basketball games.” Mrs. Adams wasn’t interested in basketball at first, but since Dr. Adams played for the Pratt Cannoneers she went to all the games and even became a Pratt cheerleader! A year after graduating, the couple was married and has been together for 30 years.

Dr. Rick Adams, Chemical Engineering, ’77, Minnie (Grant) Adams, Merchandising and Fashion Management, ’77

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spring–summer 2008

KEN COX

courtesy of the artist

Pratt Exhibitions

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MICHAEL O’ROURKE: RECENT PRINTS

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ANNUAL SENIOR EXHIBITION: JEWELRY

1. Michael O’Rourke, Grass, 2007 2. Maneola Mandera, Planet Necklace, 2007 3. Jeong Ah Bae, Enamel Set, 2007 4. Bo Kyung Kim, Bracelets and ring, 2007 5. Jean-Pierre Hébert, Telemachos, 2001–2002 6. Camille Utterback, Untitled 5, 2004

Past Pratt Manhattan Gallery My World: The New Subjectivity in Design January 5–February 23, 2008

Impermanent Markings March 7–April 17, 2008

The exhibition explored the new subjectivity in contemporary design, which uses sophisticated new technologies to create objects with qualities traditionally associated with hand craftsmanship. Participating designers included Danny Brown, Committee, Doshi Levien, Neutral, Peter Traag, Alison Willoughby, and Wokmedia.

The show defined drawing in very broad terms and explored mark making in various ephemeral and impermanent media such as sand, fire, earth, water, code, motion capture, performance, and video. It was guest curated by Linda Lauro-Lazin, adjunct associate professor, Digital Arts. Participating artists included Jean-Pierre Hébert; Ana Mendieta; Oscar Muñoz; The Open Ended Group: Marc Downie, Shelley Eshkar, and Paul Kaiser; C.E.B. Reas; Carolee Schneemann; and Camille Utterback.

Current President’s Office Gallery

Pratt Manhattan Gallery

Michael O’Rourke: Recent Prints February 25 –September 15, 2008

Pratt M.F.A. Exhibition April 25 –May 17, 2008

Michael O’Rourke, professor, Digital Arts, displays digital prints on paper and canvas from several of his recent series. He has exhibited and screened his artwork—which combines digital and traditional techniques such as printmaking, mural, sculpture, drawing, and animation—around the world and has served as a digital-imaging consultant to a number of artists, including Jenny Holzer.

Paintings, sculptures, photographs, prints, and videos by students graduating from Pratt Institute’s M.F.A. program Section 1: April 25–May 3, 2008 Section 2: May 9–17, 2008

The Rubelle & Norman Schafler Gallery Senior Drawing, Painting, and Photography May 8–July 25, 2008

For more information, visit pratt.edu/exhibitions.

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IMPERMANeNT MARKINGS

The Rubelle & Norman Schafler Gallery

This was the first exhibition of work by faculty, alumni, students, and patients from the Institute’s Creative Arts Therapy Program.

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Upcoming Pratt Manhattan Gallery Naomi Leff Interiors June 19–September 13, 2008

This fourth installment of the President’s Exhibition Series will be the first to explore the full spectrum of Pratt graduate Naomi Leff’s innovative career in interior design. It will use the designer’s personal archive to demonstrate her creative process and present her work.

Party Headquarters ’08 Fall 2008

“Party Headquarters ‘08,” guest-curated by writer and art critic Eleanor Heartney and artist, democracy activist and political humorist Larry Litt, seeks to address the state of voting attitudes among vote-eligible citizens and will serve as a space where the public and artists can comment on American politics and mainstream media.

© 2007 Bob Handelman

The Spontaneous Gesture Realized: Art and Dance Therapy Department Exhibition January 23–March 14, 2008

The Rubelle & Norman Schafler Gallery The Schafler Gallery, shown above, presents exhibitions by Pratt Institute faculty, students, and alumni in fine arts, architecture, and design. The gallery favors cross-disciplinary topics drawn mainly from the work of students and faculty and provides an open forum for the presentation and discussion of contemporary culture. The Schafler Gallery is located on the first floor of the Chemistry Building on Pratt’s Brooklyn Campus and is open Monday–Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Phone 718-636-3517 or contact pratt.edu/exhibitions.

Pratt Manhattan Gallery Pratt Manhattan Gallery is the public art gallery of Pratt Institute. The goals of the gallery are to present significant innovative and intellectually challenging work in the fields of art, architecture, fashion, and design from an international perspective and to provide a range of educational initiatives to help viewers relate contemporary art to their lives in a meaningful way. It is located at 144 West 14th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues in Chelsea. Gallery hours are Tuesday–Saturday, 11 AM to 6 PM. Phone 212-647-7778 or contact pratt.edu/exhibitions.

Steuben Media Arts Gallery Located on the third floor of Steuben Hall on the Brooklyn campus, the Steuben Media Arts Gallery showcases the work of Pratt Institute students majoring in photography. It also features solo exhibitions by contemporary photographers whose work highlights interdisciplinary connections between architecture, design, and fashion. Gallery hours are Thursday–Saturday 1 to 5 PM. 57

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Special Events

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1. Rowena Reed Kostellow honoree Lucia DeRespinas, left, with Industrial Design student Liz Pavase, who designed the 2007 award 2. From left, Pete Hamill, Dean Toni Oliviero, President Schutte, and Kurt Andersen at Pratt’s Salon Series 3. From left, Architecture Dean Thomas Hanrahan, Ed Mazria, former First Lady of the State of New York Silda Wall Spitzer and President Schutte before the 2007 President’s Lecture 4. From left, Interior Design Chair Anita Cooney, designer Calvin Tsao, and Dean Thomas Hanrahan Pratt Salon Series: Heyday: The Moment New York Became Modern October 23, 2007

On Tuesday, October 23, Pratt trustee, journalist, and author of the critically acclaimed Heyday: A Novel, Kurt Andersen, and Pratt alumnus and celebrated novelist and journalist Pete Hamill joined moderator Toni Oliviero, dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, for an evening of dinner, cocktails, and illuminating conversation with donors and friends of the Institute.

The two quintessential New Yorkers led a lively discussion about 19th-century New York City, and the intensity of social, cultural, and artistic change that laid the foundation for our modern city.

14th Annual President’s Lecture Series: Ed Mazria November 29, 2007

Internationally recognized architect, author, educator, and lecturer Ed Mazria spoke at the fourteenth annual Pratt Institute President’s Lecture Series in November at Higgins Hall Auditorium on Pratt’s Brooklyn Campus. Former First Lady of the State of New York Silda Wall Spitzer, an advocate for green building, commended Pratt for its leadership in sustainability before introducing the speaker to a standing58

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room-only audience. As the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Architecture 2030, Mazria has developed the 2030 Challenge—a strategy to dramatically reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel consumption by the year 2030—issued to the global architecture and building community. Mazria, who received a degree in architecture from Pratt in 1963, discussed the projected impact of burning fossil fuels, the rapid depletion of global petroleum and natural gas reserves, and the role we must play in addressing them.

Following the discussion, Pratt hosted a special student reception and formal dinner in honor of Mazria.

Rowena Reed Kostellow Award January 25, 2008

Lucia N. DeRespinis, designer and Pratt adjunct professor, was awarded the 2007 Rowena Reed Kostellow Award for her dedication and teaching of threedimensional design. The ceremony took place at the Knoll Showroom in New York City and was attended by Pratt Department of Industrial Design faculty and students, industry leaders, and friends, family, and colleagues of the honoree.

The fund and awards were established to celebrate and communicate the contributions and philosophy of Rowena

Reed Kostellow, who taught in Pratt’s Department of Industrial Design for more than 50 years. The Fund’s mission is to introduce her ideas to new generations of designers by supporting scholarships, publishing, and programs.

Two Rowena Reed Kostellow Awards— one to a student and one to a professional—are presented annually.

Anna and Joseph Syrop Annual Lecture: Calvin Tsao February 14, 2008

In February, the Interior Design Department hosted architect and Interior Design Hall of Fame inductee, Calvin Tsao as the 3rd Annual Anna and Joseph Syrop Lecturer. Tsao is currently president of The Architectural League of New York and has served as the vice president for Design Excellence at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) New York Chapter. Before a packed house in Higgins Hall Auditorium, Tsao explained his approach to his own work and addressed the related challenges involved, using a 257-image slide presentation. This event, sponsored by the Selz Foundation, is an annual lecture by outstanding individuals in design.

1930s

Al Konetzni, Pictorial Illustration, ’35, a Disney artist and Legend, designed four new Disney stamps, featuring Mickey Mouse, Dumbo, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, and Aladdin with the Genie. Konetzni was on hand for the unveiling in September at the South Florida Museum.

Maida Heatter, Painting, ’36, will have five of her cookbooks featured in the 2008 spring catalog of Andrews McMeel Cookbooks. The internationally acclaimed dessert cookbook author recently donated to the Pratt Libraries autographed copies of 13 of her award-winning books.

Alvin J. Pimsler, Fashion Illustration, ’38, was elected to the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame in 2006.

1940s

Ellsworth Kelly, Fine Arts, ’44; Doctor of Fine Arts (Hon.),’93, is the artist whose one-color lithograph, titled Red Curve,

appeared on the cover of the 2007 holiday greeting card sent from the president’s office to constituents and friends of Pratt Institute.

Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl in Manhattan recently presented a solo exhibition of his lithographs, titled “Ellsworth Kelly: The Rivers.”

Helen Fleischman Post, Illustration, ’46, was invited by the Woodbridge Art Center to exhibit her oil and pastel paintings last March.

1950s

Harry Shekailo, Architecture, ’50, wrote Grandpa’s Thoughts of World War II, Bush, Love, and More (Trafford, 2006) to help him cope with the stress of taking care of his disabled wife for the final 18 years of her life. Now 90 years old and “still enjoying life,” Shekailo is helping his great-grandchildren get their college education and is painting again.

William C. North, Art and Design Education, ’51, was appointed artist in residence in February 2006 at the Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park in Naples, Fla. His impressionist oil beachscapes, painted on location, were on view last summer at the Florida Fine Art Gallery in Fort Myers.

Norman J. James, Industrial Design, ’56, recently released Of Firebirds & Moonmen: A Designer’s Story from the Golden Age (Xlibris Corp., 2007), a memoir that vividly recaptures the odyssey of a maverick

Class Notes

car maker and presents a behindthe-scenes look at the design of the GM gas-turbine Firebird III, which is still considered one of the most advanced concept cars ever built.

Robert F. Manning, Graphic Arts, ’58, has been a member of the Speakers Bureau of the Vermont Humanities Council since 2001.

His three lectures, funded by the Council, are: “Bearing Witness— Art As Social Commentary, Art As Propaganda”; “The Neolithic World of Stone”; and “Georgia O’Keeffe, An American Master.” After 35 years of teaching, Manning is a retired professor of fine arts.

Marilyn Church, B.F.A., Graphic Arts, ’59, exhibited several of her collages in a group show at Lana Santorelli Gallery in Manhattan this winter.

Jan Sand, Industrial Design, ’59, recently launched an Internet blog (http://sandfile.blogspot.com/), an autobiographical site that focuses on Sand’s creative journey in Helsinki, Finland. Sand sustains his creativity writing poetry, drawing, and painting, and has had many works published. Before moving to Helsinki in the early 1990s, he was employed by the UN as a design adviser in Israel and has developed numerous temporary exhibitions throughout Europe and the United States.

1960s

Guido G. Karcher, Mechanical Engineering, ’60, was honored by

the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for outstanding leadership in the advancement of its codes and standards. He received ASME’s Melvin R. Green Codes and Standards Medal.

Barbara Nessim, Graphic Arts and Illustration, ’60, exhibited her work last summer in two back-to-back shows at Sienna Gallery in Lenox, Mass. The first show, “Transitions,” included pieces from her early 1990s RAM 400 project; the second, included drawings from the “WOMANGIRL” series of the early 1970s. Selections from the latter were also exhibited in the “What F Word?” group show at the Cynthia Broan Gallery in New York City.

William L. Porter, M.I.D., ’60, a retired General Motors designer, has been constructing an all-steel house, garage, studio, workshop, and barn complex north of Ann Arbor, Mich..

Sam Cochran

Samuel Cabot Cochran B.I.D., ’05, used his senior thesis project as the basis for Grow Ivy, a hybrid solar and wind prototype that attaches to the side of buildings to turn the sun’s light into solar energy and electricity. The wind energy is captured through piezoelectric devices that generate wind power from the fluttering of the solar leaves.

Collapsible, portable, and beautiful, Grow Ivy won immediate praise from architects and designers when it was displayed at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York in 2005. It was featured in “Design and the Elastic Mind,” an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, from February 24 through May 12, 2008, with the sponsorship of the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance.

Cochran’s start-up company, Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology (SMIT), began as a sustainable business plan proposed in his sister Teresita’s master’s thesis project in New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program, from which she received her degree in 2005. Cochran quickly realized that they were working in the same field of interest, so the siblings formed SMIT in spring 2005. In the fall they moved into Pratt’s Design Incubator for Sustainable Innovation to turn his thesis project Grow Ivy into a real-world product.

“The incubator network has been a huge advantage,” said Cochran, “from connecting me with the right people, to solving legal issues and finding investors.” SMIT already has a patent pending on the combination of photovoltaics (solar panels) and piezoelectric devices.

He and Teresita Cochran welcomed a third partner as of November 2007—Pratt alumnus Benjamin Howes, B.Arch., ’06. They are now in pursuit of other provisional patents.

“I believe sustainability can be the standard way of working and designing,” said Cochran. “Each one of us has the opportunity to create and be a part of the new industrial revolution. We can make the word ‘sustainability’ a reality.”

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CLASS notes

Dru Nadler, The Advocate© 2007 Southern Conn. Newspapers

City Landmark. Nii led a group of alumni through her center as part of reunion.

Lorna J. Ritz, Art Education, ’69, had solo shows at Gallery Anthony Curtis in Boston last summer and at The Oxbow Gallery in Northampton, Mass., last fall. Through the International Residency Program at the Augusta Savage Gallery of the University of Massachusetts, she was cultural ambassador to artists in South Africa in 2007. Ritz teaches painting at Western New England College.

1970s

Donald M. Axleroad B.F.A., Illustration, ’56, the winner of numerous awards in printmaking, recently retired as founder and CEO of the Food Group, one of the food industry’s leading advertising and marketing firms. For two decades during this time, he served on the board of the Culinary Institute of America.

Today, Axleroad puts his energy into further developing his own printmaking skills and reaches out to help others move forward in their lives.

Recently, in his home state of Connecticut, Axleroad held three solo exhibitions of his Greek mythology–inspired prints and paintings. “The Allegory of Myth and the Modern Mess” was shown at the New Haven Free Public Library Gallery and then at the Silvermine Guild Arts Center.

Despite a fire that destroyed some prints two days before the opening, “Fear of Fate, Then and Now; Ancient Myths, Modern Messages” went on view at the Carriage Barn Gallery in New Canaan in January 2008.

Axleroad’s work depicted the parallels between ancient Greek mythological characters and modern victims of degenerative diseases. “In both mythology and in diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s,” says Axleroad, whose father and longtime companion were both afflicted with the latter, “things keep happening that no one can explain, and people ask ‘Why did this happen to me?’”

Axleroad is the founder and director of the Always Reaching for Independence Artist’s Initiative of Stamford, where he has been teaching developmentally disabled residents to draw and paint for four years. “I’ve seen almost all the individuals develop not only the persona of an artist— prideful—but also come into styles that express distinct depth and creativity,” he says. “The mind can keep evolving despite tremendous obstacles.”

Raphael Montanez Ortiz, Art and Design Education ’64, M.S.; Art Education, ’65, renowned for his 50 years in destruction art, was honored by the Jersey City Museum in a solo exhibition and comprehensive catalog, titled Unmaking: The Work of Raphael Montanez Ortiz. Ortiz has been a member of Rutgers University’s arts faculty for many years.

Jonathan B. Isleib, Interior Design, ’66, has been a residential designer for many years in Lyme, Conn. Recently, he designed and built his own new home and office space situated on a scenic Connecticut River site.

Haig Khachatoorian, B.I.D., ’67, has practiced internationally in the disciplines of industrial, exhibit, graphic, and interior design as consultant, educator, and freelance 60

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designer. In 1987 he joined the faculty of North Carolina State University College of Design, where he has served as department chair of industrial design, director of graduate programs, and associate dean for research.

Lucinda Parker McCarthy, M.F.A., ’68, has created a 40’ x 10’ acrylic painting, with a night-today theme, for the future performing arts center of Lower Columbia College in Longview, Wash. The mural will hang above the visual arts gallery and will be visible from campus through large windows in the façade.

Yuko Nii, M.F.A., ’69, founded the Williamsburg Art and Historical Center in 1996. The Center’s building in Brooklyn, N.Y., is on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as a New York

Emma Lee Crawford, B.F.A., ’70; M.S., Packaging Design, ’75, exhibited one-of-a-kind works of art on paper in winter 2007 at the Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Caesar J. Santander, M.F.A., ’72, creates photorealistic paintings.

Frequently the subjects of his art are collectible toys.

Roger M. Bazeley, M.I.D., ’73, received a master’s degree in transportation management from San Jose State’s Transportation Institute in June 2007.

Ann Marie Rousseau, M.F.A., ’74, had a solo exhibition, “Alternatypes II: Interior Light,” at the Cypress College Photography Galleries in Cypress, Calif., last October.

Tucker L. Viemeister, B.I.D., ’74, is one of the founders of Smart Design. His name appeared on a very select list of “Design Revolutionaries” in the October 29, 2007, issue of New York magazine.

Viemeister was recognized for OXO’s Good Grips line of housewares, which combine “real design” and “real function.”

Ted Muehling, B.I.D., ’75, was featured in an article, titled “The I.D. 40 Creative Workspaces,” that appeared in the January/February 2008 issue of I.D., The International Design Magazine.

Cheryl Phillips Raiken, B.F.A., Communications Design, ’75; B. Arch., ’78, catered the 2007 PrattConnects reception in San Diego last summer. She and her husband, Dean, established Metro Gourmet, Inc. in 1993.

Kay WalkingStick, M.F.A., ’75, was featured last fall in a solo show of her recent paintings at June Kelly Gallery in Manhattan. Her diptych landscape paintings, oil on wood panel, depict sites related to her own experiences or those of her Cherokee heritage and history.

Peter M. Fiore, Illustration, ’76, won first prize for landscape in Artist’s Magazine’s 2007 Annual Competition. He was also noted as an “Artist to Watch” in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine. Feature

articles about Fiore appeared in Orange Magazine, and American Art Collector.

Lynn Saville, M.F.A., ’76, had a 2007 solo exhibition, titled “Night/Shift: Photography of Lynn Saville.” The Pensacola Museum of Art presented more than 30 of her color and blackand-white photographs. Recently, Saville’s public installation of seven lightbox displays in the 42nd Street Bryant Park subway station in Manhattan received great attention.

Nancy Simonds, M.F.A., ’76, is a producer/director for Houston PBS, KUHT-TV. In fall 2007 the channel aired “Our Nation’s Highest Honor: Remembering World War II’s Finest” and “The Cruiser Houston: Of Pride and Purpose.”

Steven Bleicher, B.F.A., ’77; M.F.A., ’79, had a solo exhibition of his work, presented last fall by the art department of The Southeastern Community College in Whiteville, N.C., and a two-artists show this winter at Santa Fe Gallery.

Stewart M. Fishbein, B.Arch., ’77, and Dr. Peter M. Aupperle were joined in a civil union on April 22, 2007, in Mendham, N.J. Fishbein is a principal in the Switzer Group, a Manhattan architecture firm specializing in corporate interiors.

Michael N. Napolitano, B.Arch. ’77, was appointed director of construction and design for the California-based restaurant chain, Baja Fresh Mexican Grill.

Therman Statom, Graduate Fine Arts, ’77, received the prestigious 2008 UrbanGlass Award for Outstanding Achievement at the annual UrbanGlass Gala at Chelsea Piers, New York City.

Marjorie Williams-Smith, M.F.A., ’77, employed metal point and graphite to capture the beauty of fragile dried flowers in her artwork exhibited last summer at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center.

Williams-Smith is associate professor of art at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She had the honor of creating the design for the United States Mint’s Congressional Medal honoring the “Little Rock Nine.”

Dinesh Doshi, M.Arch., ’78, has published two books with writer and editor W.B. King: The Art & Science of Store Design and Dinesh Doshi—A Lifetime of Art and Interpretation, which covers his oil on canvas paintings of the last 40 years.

class notes

Barbara Greenwald Lesser

Nicole Lesser

B.F.A., Fashion Design, ’74, is a 30-year veteran of the apparel industry and a pioneer in the casual dress market. The Los Angeles–based entrepreneur began her career as a sweater designer, then spent several years in New York before taking a position with San Francisco Shirt Works and later with Esprit at the height of the company’s growth. During the decade of the ’80s she owned a sportswear company, Felicity, with her husband and business partner, Mark Lesser. In 1990, the duo launched Wearable Integrity, Inc., and subsequently, in 1991, FIBERS by Barbara Lesser, a sportswear collection that is known for its incredible fit.

With her spouse providing the business acumen, Lesser is able to focus on fashion as an art form. Her informal, yet sophisticated designs feature stretch fabrics in silhouettes that flatter a variety of body types and are sold at better specialty stores throughout the United States. Lesser says lifestyle, as well as fashion trends and exciting colors, plays a large role in her design decisions.

Early on the Lessers became involved with the environmentally responsible concept of organic cotton. “I began to use organic cottons and recycled products in the early ’90s,” she recalls, “but it was too early for the fashion audience. The contemporary market is now ready to feel responsible for their purchasing power, and our industry is gearing up and educating itself while offering sustainability in many forms to the public. The concept of sustainability has a big future in the fashion world.”

Lesser credits her alma mater with making a big difference in her life and career. “I loved my years at Pratt,” she says. “They helped me build independence, individuality, and confidence by exposing me to new ideas and experiences.”

Nancy Gittleman Katz, B.F.A., Merchandising and Fashion Management, ’78, was appointed as a trustee of the National Kidney Foundation of Florida last July and now serves on the Planned Giving Subcommittee. Katz, herself a kidney disease survivor, was instrumental in establishing the Palm Beach Council of the National Kidney Foundation.

Ellen Wallenstein, M.F.A., ’78, was the featured artist last fall at The Henry Street Settlement Abrons Arts Center in Manhattan. On exhibit were her photographs and artist books made during the three years she spent as a hospice volunteer. Wallenstein is an adjunct associate professor in the Media Arts Department of Pratt. She is also a faculty member at the School of Visual Arts.

Peggy K. Cyphers, M.F.A., ’79, and Christine E. Twomey, M.F.A., ’79, co-founded the New York City–based BROADTHINKING.ORG, a changing amalgam of women artists who advance innovative ideas promoting the continued existence of all living things. Kathleen F. Vance, Sculpture, ’99, was also a participating artist in the inaugural BROAD- THINKING group exhibition, presented at Silent Space and E32 in Kingston, N.Y., last August.

Lawrence Heintjes, Painting, ’79, exhibited his sculptural paintings in July at Tillie’s, a Pratt neighborhood restaurant. He and his wife, Mary Rieser, Fine Arts, ’85, produced the stained glass sign for Tillie’s window when it first opened 10 years ago.

Clifford Smith, M.F.A., ’79, had a solo show of his realistic landscapes, oil on linen canvas, at Rosenbaum Contemporary at Gallery Center in Boca Raton, Fla., last fall. He is currently a New Hampshire resident.

1980s

Lina Bertucci, M.F.A., ’80, was featured by Perry Rubenstein Gallery last fall in an exhibition of her portrait photographs called “Women in the Tattoo Subculture.”

Daryl Moore, B.F.A., Illustration, ’80, was recently appointed as the founding dean at California State University, Stanislaus College of the Arts. He was formerly chair of art and design at Montclair State University in New Jersey.

Paul Karasik, B.F.A., Graphic/ Communications Design, ’81, was introduced to the work of a littleknown cartoon artist and was so impressed by the artist’s genius that he was inspired to edit a book, titled I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets: The Comics of Fletcher Hanks. Karasik also wrote the afterword.

Barbara Bally Wallace, B.F.A., Painting, ’81, was a participating artist at The Merck 2007 Union County Juried Art Show last fall.

Marjorie Matthews Moutari, B.S., Nutrition and Dietetics, ’82, is CEO of her company, Kazam Natural Body Care, Her health and beauty products are sold in her Bayonne, N.J., store. Moutari is married to the former ambassador of Niger.

Roxanne Faber Savage, B.F.A., Drawing, ’82, is a printmaker whose work was presented by The Friends of the Fairfield Public Library, Bruce S. Kershner Gallery, in a solo show this winter.

Benjamin F. Jones, M.F.A., ’83, was honored for his support of the arts community at the 25th anniversary gala event, held at the Newark Club, to benefit the City Without Walls show, “METRO 25.” Jones is a board member of the Sumei Arts Center in Newark, N.J. The Jersey City Museum will present a retrospective of the last 40 years of his artwork in September 2008.

Aino-Marja (Mari) Rantanen, M.F.A., ’83, had a solo exhibition of her paintings from the past 15 years at the Kunsthalle in Helsinki, Finland, in 2007. An accompanying book presented her work from the earliest to the most recent.

Anthony M. Catsimatides, B. Arch., ’84, recently reëstablished his architectural practice in Syracuse, N.Y., after obtaining his master’s degree in architectural research and technology at Syracuse University.

George P. Hirose, M.F.A., ’84, captured colors unseen by the naked eye when he focused his camera on the Cape light of Provincetown, Mass., after sunset.

His new book of photographs, Blue Nights, was released in the fall by Provincetown Arts Press with an essay by Norman Mailer, a former permanent Provincetown resident.

A. Wayne Sides, M.F.A., ’84, was the featured artist in an exhibition sponsored by the Louisiana State University School of Art, titled “Wayne Sides: Photography 1977– 2007,” in The Alfred C. Glassell

Gallery of the Shaw Center for the Arts in Baton Rouge. Sides is currently in his 20th year of teaching photography at the University of North Alabama.

Robert J. Eckstein, B.F.A., Communications Design, ’85, is the author of the book, The History of the Snowman, which was released by Simon Spotlight Entertainment last November and featured in The New York Times Book Review, as well as other publications. This is Eckstein’s first nonfiction, adult book.

Liliana Sosa Gonzalez, B.S., Electrical Engineering, ’85, is currently chief engineer of Design Engineering for Con Edison, where she began her career in 1985 as a management intern.

Dina Grossman, Communications Design, ’83-’85, published her first book, How We Returned to Egypt (Tzipora, 2007), under the pen name Yaakol Shirim. It describes the emigration of Soviet Jews to Israel and has been endorsed by a member of the Israeli parliament.

Mary Rieser Heintjes, B.F.A., ’85, is a participating artist in a show this spring, late April through midJune, in the Main Gallery of the Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza. The presentation of her work, “Nature and Architecture Through Light,” includes paintings, drawings, and photographs.

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Courtesy of the Artist

class notes

Mark Wagner B.F.A., Illustration/Communications Design, ’83, has worked professionally as a freelance artist, as a concept artist for the film industry, graphic designer, illustrator, Web developer, and teacher since 1986.

With his wife, a writer, he has been raising two young daughters.

Becoming a parent inspired Wagner to record the experience in drawings, photographs, and text, resulting in his first book proposal, “The Art of Being a Dad: The First Seven Years.”

During his time at Pratt, Wagner was offered a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to explore on a computer at New York University.

“That computer cost a million bucks and had eight colors,” said Wagner.

“In 1995 I went digital and have been on the computer making art everyday since then. I find art and the spirit easy and interesting to access with digital media.”

Wagner is the founder and creative director of the “Kids’ Chalk Art Project,” an event to celebrate and invest in the creative spirit of children.

The project’s goal is to create the world’s largest chalk drawing to achieve the Guinness World Record through the combined efforts of kids (K-12) and the extended San Francisco Bay Area community. (The Guinness World Record is currently held by a chalk drawing measuring 60,439.3 square feet, made by more than 700 volunteers for an event in Eeklo, Belgium, in 2006.) For a two-week period, young and older participants will be drawing together in shifts to cover a 120,000-square-foot swath of pavement at the decommissioned Alameda Naval Air Station in Alameda, Calif. The project culminates on June 7 with a festival and a satellite photo of the finished creation. Wagner’s project will soon launch ReEnchanting the World Through Art, a nonprofit organization that supports and inspires children’s creativity and imagination.

Barbara Lehman, B.F.A., Illustration, ’85, is the author and illustrator of wordless picture books. Her fourth book, Trainstop, is being published this spring by Houghton Mifflin. Her first work, The Red Book, was awarded the Caldecott Honor in 2005 and was a New York Times best seller.

Tamar R. Stone, B.F.A., Photography, ’85, was a contributing artist to the recent group show, “Pricked: Extreme Embroidery,” at the Museum of Arts and Design in Manhattan. On exhibit was one of her doll bed/artist books.

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Megan Montague Cash, B.F.A., Graphic Design,’86, won the firstplace gold medal in the Society of Illustrators’ annual children’s book competition in 2007 for Bow-Wow Bugs a Bug (Harcourt Children’s Books, 2007). The book was co-created with Mark Newgarden.

Cash and Newgarden recently released two follow-up tales: BowWow Orders Lunch and Bow-Wow Naps by Number.

Miriam Korolkovas, M.F.A., ’86, is a jewelry designer and sculptor living in Brazil. A photograph of a jewel and an accompanying article written by her were recently published in a book, titled Kristallós.

Michael Santoro, B.I.D., ’87, is president of MacCase, a company that produces premium leather products, including shoulder carriers, sleeves, accessory bags, and iPod carriers. A new tote and briefcase will be available soon.

Barbara Beirne, M.F.A., ’88, has worked as a documentary photographer for more than 25 years. Her photography exhibition, “Becoming American: Teenagers & Immigration,” opened in September at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, Calif. The exhibition, developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, will tour the United States through 2011.

Jane Greenwood, B.Arch., ’88, is co-founder of Kostow Greenwood Architects, NYC, which is designing SteelStax, a performing arts, cultural events, broadcast, and educational complex in Bethlehem, Pa. The project is scheduled to break ground in January 2009 on the former site of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation.

Mario Robinson, B.F.A., Illustration, ’88, is renowned for his portraits of African Americans. In December 2007, he was cited in a FineArtConnoisseur article, titled “Artists Making Their Mark: Three to Watch.”

Stefan Sagmeister, M.S., Communications Design, ’88, exhibited at Art Basel/Miami 2007.

In February, Sagmeister had an interactive exhibition of his work, called “Stefan Sagmeister: Things I have Learned in My Life So Far,” and a presentation of his new book by the same name, at Deitch in New York City.

Danièle M. Marin, M.F.A., ’89, was the solo artist in an exhibition of her paintings and installation, titled “Rescue (Object Lessons),” at Noho Gallery in Chelsea, Manhattan.

Robert G. Meyer, B.F.A., Printmaking, ’89, and Teri Muroff, B.F.A., Painting, ’90, were married on August 16, 2007, at the summit of the Cyclone, the historic Coney Island roller coaster in Brooklyn, N.Y.

1990s

Kenneth Cobonpue, B.I.D., ’91, recently received the “Most Inspiring Cebuano Entrepreneur” award conferred by the Philippine Center of Entrepreneurship at the Go Negosyo Entrepreneurship Conference held in the Cebu International Convention Center.

See page 37.

Joseph Caserto, B.F.A., Communications Design, ’92, received a 29th Annual National Design Award of Excellence from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for the front cover of the October 15, 2006 issue of Baseline Magazine. Caserto art directed and designed the cover, as well as the editorial content of the entire issue.

The competition is the largest among U.S. business publications.

David R. Dike, B.Arch., ’92, has joined HOK Chicago’s International Studio as senior designer. His emphasis at HOK will be on work in growing regions, such as the Middle East.

Kirsten M. Fischler, M.F.A., ’92, was the curator and a participating artist last fall in an exhibition titled “Recycled Creativity: The Tipping Point of Cultural Chaos.” The theme explored both the physicality of recycling through “found object art” and dumpster diving, as well as the recycling of images and themes. The show was held at The Arts Scene in West Chester, Pa. Eun-Ju (E. J.) Lee, M.S., Interior Design, ’92, was recently named principal at Gensler. She has been with the firm since 1999 and led the interior design of the New York Times headquarters. Currently Lee is leading the design for the interior architecture of the new Bank of America tower at One Bryant Park, which is on track for a LEED-Gold rating.

Paul Ligniti, M.Arch., ’92, and his wife, Jeanette, are the proud parents of their first child, Stefano Antonio Ligniti, born August 21, 2007.

Jinbae Park, M.S., Interior Design, ’92, is teaching in the Interior Design Department at F.I.T. in New York City. His various vocations include interior designer, educator, author, photographer, and chef. His seventh book, New York Idea, was published in Seoul, Korea, last May. Kenneth Schlesinger, M.S., Library and Information Science, ’92, has been named professor and chief librarian at Lehman College, CUNY, in the Bronx. Schlesinger is vice president of the Theater Library Association and a founder and board president of Independent Media Arts Preservation.

class notes

Gilen Chan

Amanda Riley

B.E., Mechanical Engineering, ’85, started her career as an engineer at General Electric’s Aircraft Engines Group and then worked as an internal auditor there. She conducted governmentcompliance investigations and was inspired by the legal department at GE to pursue the study of law.

Today, after responsible positions in transportation, entertainment, advertising, and banking, Chan is an attorney with an expertise in ethics and compliance, a topic on which she has written and lectured extensively over the last nine years.

“Being receptive to opportunities one may not be traditionally prepared for can lead to a satisfying career and life,” she says, and advises: “Keep an open mind.” In 2007, Chan became the first person to occupy the newly created position of special counsel in the Office of the President at New York City College of Technology, City University of New York. “I truly believe I can make a difference in this role,” Chan says. “My job utilizes the majority of all that I’ve learned. I had great faculty at Pratt,” she adds, citing as her biggest influences former Pratt faculty members Dr. Richard North and Dr. Eleanor Baum.

Chan’s concern about environmental sustainability is manifest in personal ways: She drives a sturdy 20-year-old car that consumes little gas, employs every piece of metal scrap in her jewelry hobby, and educates her eight-year-old son to appreciate the significance of recycling and reusing items in his environment. In her capacity as an official of City Tech, Chan says, “We have a responsibility to teach our students the value of making things that last. In a world that has become a throwaway society, where it is easier to replace something than to keep it, the environment benefits from structures and products that last and are not made for quick disposal.”

Peter A. Wachtel, M.I.D., ’92, was appointed to the newly created position of product design director for Cookie Jar Entertainment, based in Los Angeles. Wachtel is the father of Aaron Andrew, born January 20, 2006.

Paul N. Ligniti, M. Arch., ’93, and his wife, Jeanette, are pleased to announce the birth of their first child, Stefano Antonio Ligniti, born August 21, 2007.

Todd C. Poteet, Communications Design, ’93, is the owner of Pen & Ink Creative in Red Hook, Brooklyn. He has worked with many Fortune 500 companies and environmental organizations while focusing his attention on the needs of community-minded organizations. Poteet founded the Art Institute of Mill Street Loft, a precollege portfolio development program for artistically and careerminded teens. Since the program’s inception, every one of its graduating seniors has gone to college on a scholarship.

Vlad Bina, M.Arch., ’94, finished his architecture studies with a Fulbright at MIT and did his thesis on shape grammars and conceptualizing structures. He spent a year in Boston as a traditional architect on the “big dig” project and has been doing digital set design since 1995. His film credits include Matrix Reloaded, Matrix Revolutions, Sin City, Spiderman II and III, and The DaVinci Code.

Bernard Chang, B.Arch., ’95, is currently illustrating the comic book, Wonder Woman (DC Comics), written by acclaimed scribe Gail Simone. He is also drawing IronMan: The End for Marvel Comics, which tells the last story of armored hero Tony Stark in the year 2050. (It is due out in May.) Chang’s work can also be found in the New York Times best seller, The Rules of the Game by Neil Strauss, and he is credited with illustrating the cover to the British version of the book. Later this year, Upper Deck will debut a new line of their All-Star Vinyl sports figurines designed by Bernard, including Kobe Bryant, Jaromir Jagr, and Mike Modano.

Takafumi Eura, M.I.D., ’95, in 2007 launched an original company and brand called C-Zen, Inc. in Santa Monica, Calif., with partner, Sohail Sherif. After nine years as a shoe designer for K-Swiss, Westlake Village, Calif., he is excited to be developing a new product that will hit the U.S. market, Europe, and Asia by the end of 2008.

Jacquelyn A. Martino, M.F.A., Computer Graphics, ’95, was named chair of the 35th annual SIGGRAPH International Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, which will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in August. Martino recently joined the IBM Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, N.Y. Tama Dumlao, M.P.S., Art Therapy, ’96, received an artist grant for one year from the Kenneth A. Picerne Foundation.

Joseph J. Minuta, B.Arch., ’96, was honored for his work with senior nursing care facilities for Elant Foundation, Inc. The Elant Signature Award is for philanthropy-vision-communication. His firm, Minuta Architecture, PLLC, has made significant in-kind contributions in renewing their facilities in Newburgh, N.Y. Jean Kyoung Shin, M.S., History of Art, ’96, had her artwork exhibited recently at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, N.Y.; The Rockland Center for the Arts, Nyack, N.Y.; Berkeley Art Museum, Calif.; Tang Museum, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas.

Peter M. Fiore, Illustration, ’97, was featured in a solo exhibition, “The Luminous Landscape–2007,” at the Travis Gallery in New Hope, Pa., in September. Fiore was praised in a recent article in FineArtConnoisseur, and he was the 2007 first prize winner in the landscape category of The Artist’s Magazine’s annual juried competition.

Lea Barton, M.F.A., ’98, was the solo artist at Cole Pratt Gallery on Magazine Street in New Orleans last fall. The exhibition, titled “South,” featured her mixed media work.

Pamela B. Paul, M.S., Interior Design, ’98, has lived for 10 years on the island of Bali, where she initiated the first no-kill domestic shelter and The Bali Society for the Protection of Animals. Paul also works as a translator and location scout for film crews on the island.

Susannah Chipps Tamarkin, M.S., Library and Information Science, ’98, became the first library teacher in the New York City Department of Education to receive National Board Certification in Early Childhood/Young Adult Library Media.

Carey Kirkella, B.F.A., Photography, ’99, was a participating artist in The Noorderlicht Photo Festival in Groningen, the Netherlands, last fall. The 2007 festival theme was “Act of Faith.” Several prints from Kirkella’s Christian music festival series were included in the exhibition.

Nathan Opp, M.S., History of Art, ’99, had a solo show of his paintings in an exhibition, titled “Intimate Spaces,” at the Tulsa Artists’ Coalition Gallery in Tulsa, Okla., in August.

Mark C. Smith, B.F.A., Painting, ’99, is the creator and impetus behind the Design Seed thesis project in the industrial design department at Auburn University. Design Seed’s first venture is a toy company called MABA, which will make developmental toys for children up to the age of seven. Smith is also the designer of the tulip ceiling fan, whose blades expand and contract like flower petals.

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class notes

2000s

Tahir Hemphill, M.S., Communications Design, ’00, recently completed three new projects.

Using a team approach, a rubric called Hip Hop Word Count was developed to estimate the years of education needed to understand the language in hip-hop rhyme.

Hemphill has filmed a documentary about the life of his father, Brother Harold, whom he met for the first time in 1999. An excerpt from the documentary was screened in November at Monkeytown, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Angela Kettler, B.F.A., Fashion Design, ’00, and Jennifer Dwin, Fashion Design, ’01, were two of the first four young New York City designers selected to participate in Forward, a retail incubator for start-up fashion designers. Each participant was paid $4,200 to take part in the six-month program, dubbed “The Real World of Fashion.” Forward is funded by the Lower East Side Business Improvement District.

Sattor Uzkhon Jabbor, M.S., Urban Design, ’01, is currently employed at RMJM London and is enrolled in the professional translator program at Westminster University.

Zulema Mejias, B.F.A., ’01; M.P.S., ’04, married Oscar Penas on January 29. Mejias is assistant to the chairperson of Graduate Communications/Packaging Design at Pratt, and her husband is a musician.

Peter M. Riesett, Graduate Fine Arts, ’01, was chosen as one of the winners from the United States in a photography competition, titled “Flash Forward 2007.” Images from his series, “Testament,” were displayed at The Magenta Foundation’s “Emerging Photographers Book Launch and Exhibition,” held at Lennox Contemporary in Toronto and at Kathleen Cullen Fine Art in New York City.

Jason Curtis, B.F.A., Photography, ’02, was one of the emerging fine arts photographers featured in a book, titled A Field Guide to the North American Family, by Garth Risk Hallberg. An exhibition by the same name was curated by Humble Arts Foundation in collaboration with Mark Batty Publisher and displayed at Gallery Bar in Manhattan last December.

Caryn M. Koster, B. Arch., ’02, is a project manager responsible for various capital projects at Yeshiva University. .

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Kathryn Bric Millhorn, M.S., Library and Information Science, ’02, was appointed to the position of director of library services for AIBMR Life Sciences, Inc., a fullservice natural and medicinal products research institute.

Andrew K. Tay, M.I.D., ’02, is building a unique career by merging design, music, and education. He is a freelance Web designer for a major indie music retailer and Web hosting company. Tay teaches guitar and is making musical instruments, both performanceoriented and art pieces. Tay received funding to study the art of luthier making this spring with Quebec-based master guitar builder, Sergei DeJonge.

Jerome L. Myers, Library and Information Science, ’03, was appointed to the position of reference and instruction services supervisor for the Tacoma Public Library in Tacoma, Wash. He began his career at the Brooklyn Public Library in 2001.

Eneri Abillar, M.I.D., ’04, joined the California-based Vapor Studio, Encinitas, in 2007, after serving as the contract design lead on a number of the studio’s high-profile projects. Maku, a furniture line designed by Abillar, made the cover of the July 2007 issue of Décor & Style.

Anthony (Tony) Alvarez, B.F.A., Photography/Media Arts, ’04, was represented in the group show “refuse/refuse” at Pochron Studios in Brooklyn last September.

Jonathan Shehee, M.F.A., ’04, accepted a position in residential sales at the Corcoran Group in Manhattan. While building his real estate career, he still finds time to do some artwork.

Chelsea Carter, Industrial Design, ’05, has worked in the Jim Henson studios in Manhattan since her senior year. She’s made a range of objects for the studio, including banjos, shoes, and, recently, Ben Stiller’s eyes for a 2007 holiday show. Carter also makes cookies for Cookie Monster!

Numyi Lee, M.F.A., ’05, had a solo painting exhibition, “Numyism/ Survivors,” presented by chashama in Manhattan last fall. Lee began the survivors’ story of her family-in-law in Iraq in 2007 and expanded the series to include herself as a survivor. Lee started the chashama residency program in 2006 and had a solo show, “Between Black and White Colors.” Nine drawings of hers were rented for the movie American Gangster (2007). Her paintings and drawings will also be seen in the movies Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008) and Phoebe in Wonderland (2009).

Ashley Sabin, B.A., History of Design, ’05, has directed her first film, which she co-produced with David Redmon. The award winning documentary, Kamp Katrina, is the story of a group of people who sought refuge in a tent city created within a garden provided by a New Orleans couple.

Jennifer Asselta, B.F.A., Graphic Design, ’06, is a junior brand designer for Palio Communications in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Prior to her new appointment, she was a freelance designer at American Express Publishing.

Emilie Baltz, M.I.D., ’06, created a limited edition of five gilded picnic tables. The 24 KaP (24 Karat Amish Picnic) table was exhibited at Florian Papp Galleries in Manhattan in September.

William Caballero, B.F.A., Computer Graphics, ’06, has two films that were chosen as “Film of the Week” on mtvU in 2007: Tango in Red, a short musical video art piece, and Without Sin, a short film that was also screened at the 29th Annual Big Muddy Film Festival in Illinois. Another piece, Themes and Variations for 10 Instruments and 1 Actress, was shown at Lincoln Center in April 2007.

Jonathan Gibson, M.F.A., ’06, has a full-time faculty position in the Department of Art, Xavier University, in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he teaches design and photography.

Mary Jane Nichols, M.S., Information and Library Science, ’06, has been drumming for a threegirl rock band for more than two years. The Vesties performed their 30-second jingle for Dodge Caravan, in a rock version of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” on ABC’s The View. The Vesties were one of three weekly winners of a Dodge Caravan competition.

Benjamin Wolf, B.F.A., Photography, ’06, received a $1,500 grant awarded by the 2008 Brooklyn Arts Council, Community Regrant Program Panel and the BAC Board of Directors and funded by the Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. His project, “IN WITH THE OLD, OUT WITH THE NEW: An observation of the Now,” is on view from May 15–June 15.

David Conners, M.S., Information and Library Science, ’07, became the Digital Collections Librarian at Haverford College in Haverford, Pa., last August.

Deena DeNaro, B.I.D., ’07, began working last fall for Material ConneXion, Inc., an international knowledge base for information about new and innovative materials.

Natalie Lanese, M.F.A, Printmaking, ‘07, participated in the Scope Fair in Basel, Switzerland, in June 2007. The fair owner, Alexis Hubshman, saw her work and invited her to do an installation for the Scope fair in the Hamptons in July 2007.

Jonathan Lee, B.F.A., Interior Design,’07, created, as a senior project, a digitally animated short, titled Rice Ball Brawl. The film was screened in February 2008 at the Animex International Festival of Animation & Computer Games in Middlebrough, England. It was also screened at MetroCAF 2007, the fifth annual NYC Metropolitan Area College Computer Animation Festival.

Nicole Melanson, B.F.A., Film, ’07, was a participating artist at Anthology Film Archives in Manhattan. Her senior thesis film, Welcome, Human, was screened as part of Anthology’s Halloween show.

Will J. Staley, M.I.D., ’07, was appointed as a domestic policy fellow by the Clinton Foundation.

He works in the Harlem office for the Clinton Climate Initiative, helping to research and design products that create jobs in impoverished areas of the world and that protect the environment.

Staley is participating in the Pratt ID Incubator program this year and working on the THRIVE project.

Obituaries 1920s

1940s

1950s

1970s

Margaret Woodfall Williams Painting, Drawing, Illustration, 1928

Bessie Mameletzi Hauzinger Costume Design, 1940

Sebastian Matilla Industrial Design, 1951

Paul S. Heteji, Sr. Industrial Design, 1940

George Klauber Drawing, 1952

Sylvia Walter Jaroslow M.S., Library and Information Science, 1971

Robert F. Kuhn Illustration, 1940

Robert M. Taylor Pictorial Illustration, 1952

Robert Edward Redmann Industrial Design, 1941

Donald C. Axon Architecture, 1954

1930s

Pauline Lazarus Schachtmeister Costume Design, 1941

Leon Brand Architecture, 1955

Grace Hansen Cella Advertising Design, 1932

Margaret Stanley Library Science, 1941

Benjamin Feinstein Architecture, 1955

Virginia Hartle Jackson Library Science, 1942

Olaf K. Schoenherr Mechanical Engineering, 1956

Jean Haurand Furman M.S., Library and Information Science, 1983

Albert H. Moore Mechanical Engineering, 1942

Leonard S. Baer Illustration, 1957

Gerald Paul Hildebrandt Industrial Design, 1983

Frederick R. Schmitt, Sr. Structural Engineering, 1942

Carmela Cinque Jacaruso Home Economics, 1957

Carol Cox Stites Interior Design, 1943

Sara Jacoby Library Science, 1957

Samuel Owen Schwartz Electrical Engineering, 1944

David H. Larson Advertising Design, 1958

Dean Timothy Andrews Library Science, 1945

Anthony Razziano Mechanical Engineering, 1959

Edith Piquet Kaylor Dietetics, 1929 Marjorie F. Pedretti Costume and Commercial Illustration, 1929

Michael Horelick Industrial Electrical Engineering, 1932 Helen Troll Schlueter Institutional Management, 1933 Dorothy Robbins Gifford Curtis Industrial Design, 1934 Edward J. Urban Industrial Mechanical Engineering, 1934 Robert C. Danzer Advertising Design, 1935 Dorothy E. Gaffney Reid Advertising Design, 1937 Janet Muse Osborn Dressmaking, 1938 David Shaw Illustration, 1938 Freda Follender Vink-Brock Costume Design, 1938 Alfred A. D’Agostino Industrial Chemical Engineering, 1939

Joseph S. Campbell Electrical Engineering, 1947 Louise Meyerowitz Merrim Art and Design Education, 1947

(George) Wimberly Drew Costume Design, 1948

Margaret J. Petruska Smith Dressmaking, 1939

George Stimak Advertising Design, 1949

Sharon M. Bascom Fashion Design, 1978

1980s

Gladys Wynne Jarrett Library Science, 1963 Gladys “Eekey” M. Hodapp Library Science, 1966 David K. Kaestle Advertising Design, 1967

William J. Pecau Advertising Design, 1947

Ernest H. Kittredge Drawing, 1948

David Mandl Architecture, 1976

1960s

Anne Morrell Walsh Industrial Design, 1945

Dominic E. Merlo Advertising Design, 1939

Steve Kasloff Illustration, 1974

Edward N. Richardson Illustration, 1968 Francisco Laurier Architecture, 1969 Nancy Pope Ross Art Education, 1969

Friends of Pratt Walter Louis Civardi Professor Emeritus, Photography

Herman Rose Former faculty member

Alan Maxwell Pottasch Parent of current Pratt student

Norbert Turkel Former faculty member, Architecture

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patrick marchetta

Then and Now

diana pau

This photograph, taken by Patrick Marchetta (B.Arch., ’75) at the corner of Myrtle and Washington avenues, reveals a slice of Brooklyn history­—the oft-remembered Myrtle Avenue El, which operated between 1888 and 1969.

Today, the corner, free from the El’s trestles, is booming, as is Pratt’s neighborhood, Clinton Hill. The area now boasts a diverse mix of restaurants, cafés, yoga studios, and boutique shops.

Pratt will build a new “green” building on the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Emerson Place, a few blocks east. It is scheduled to open in 2009.

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p rat t folio

Display your degree as proudly as your artwork!

Desk drawers are no place for degrees to languish.

Frame them. For exhibition-prone Pratt graduates, the Prattstore offers a range of excellent and price-wise frames.

Visit us online at www.prattstore.net for a sampling of products, or you can call us at 718-789-1105 with any questions.

Alumni always get 10% off the purchase price.

S tore Hours:

Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–7 PM | Saturday, 10 AM–6 PM | Sunday, Noon–5 PM

The Prattstore | 550 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205

Gallery Gallery

This penthouse apartment in Naples, Florida, with its bold geometric forms and circular ceiling recess, is one of the many An image interiors fromthat the installation will be featured “Point in A “Naomi → B” by Leff: digital Interiorartists Design”, Marc part Downie, of the Shelley President’s Eshkar, Exhibition and Paul Series, Kaiser, at the Pratt whoseManhattan work will be Gallery featured frominJune “Impermanent 19–September Markings,” 13, 2008. an exhibition The exhibition of work also in ephemeral celebrates the media publication to open at of the monograph Pratt Manhattan Naomi Gallery Leff: Interior on March Design 7, 2008.

(Monacelli The piece, Press, which 2007),explores edited by children’s interior designer movements, Kimberly makes use of the Williams trio’s with new a foreword real-timebyrendering Paige Rense, technology editor to in impart chief, a Architectural heightened Digest. sense of three-dimensional awareness.

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