CriticalMass started in 2002. It was the idea of a handful of graduate students wishing to share thesis project work with other graduate schools of architecture from the Southeast Region. At that time, the students were interested in the idea of place and region, and the event sought to bring diverse projects from different institutions together so that the students could share, and perhaps understand, what commonalities might be present in their final project work. The students themselves identified and invited international and national architects and critics to discuss the work and to give an evening presentation. These critics have varied over the past ten years, from those interested in regionalism to those that were launching practices on a more global scale. From the efforts of that first handful of students, CriticalMASS has fostered a tradition of collaboration and exploration across schools of architecture. Year after year, the event continues to inspire students to reach across institutional boundaries and come together with shared interests; no other such forum for cross-institution student interaction and learning currently exists. With coordination from a selected student committee and hard work from graduate student volunteers and faculty advisors, each spring, CriticalMASS hosts a series of presentations and discussions from selected students and Distinguished Guests. Each project represents its respective university, and explores architectural ideas and issues independently through the lenses of technical methods, urban design, and theory. The yearly success of CriticalMASS is a result of the effort and dedication provided from the current, first, and second year graduate students and continued support from the entire student body, faculty, and local practitioners. Together we organize and integrate a unique outlet for student work that has become a respected part of the UNC Charlotte School of Architecture and the region at large.
dates + tentative schedule Thursday, April 3 5:00-6:00 pm 6:00-7:00 pm Welcome and Opening Reception Joshua Prince-Ramus Presentation An opportunity for our distinguished guest to present and for the audience to ask questions. Foyer Storrs 110 7:30-9:00 pm Student Social Flying Saucer Friday, April 4 8:00-8:30 am 8:30-9:00 am 9:00-12:30 pm Breakfast Welcome by Chris Jarrett, SoA Director, followed by Panel Discussion with Joshua Prince-Ramus and other Critics. An opportunity for students and local practitioners to discuss current architectural trends with the distinguished guest. Exhibition of Work and s An opportunity for guests, local practitioners, and students to casually view all of the projects and interact with the presenters. 9:00-9:30 9:30-10:00 10:00-10:30 10:45-11:15 11:15-11:45 11:45-12:15 Foyer/Salon Foyer/Salon Salon/Cafe 12:30-1:30 pm 1:30-4:30 pm 5:00-5:30 pm 5:30-6:00 pm Lunch Exhibition of Work and s An opportunity for guests, local practitioners, and students to casually view all of the projects and interact with the presenters. 1:30-2:00 2:00-2:30 2:30-3:00 3:15-3:45 3:45-4:15 4:15-4:45 Closing Reception Distinguished Guest Closing Remarks Foyer/Salon Salon/Cafe Salon Salon
Alabama Auburn University Missouri Washington University in St. Louis Arkansas University of Arkansas New York Pratt Institute District of Columbia Catholic University of America North Carolina North Carolina State University Invited Universities Florida Florida A&M University Florida International University University of Florida University of Miami University of South Florida Georgia Georgia Institute of Technology Savannah College of Art & Design Indiana Ball State University Kentucky University of Kentucky Louisiana University of Louisiana at Lafayette Louisiana State University Tulane University Maryland University of Maryland Michigan University of Michigan Ohio University of Cincinnati Kent State University Ohio State University Pennsylvania Carnegie Mellon University Pennsylvania State University University of Pennsylvania South Carolina Clemson University Tennessee University of Tennessee - Knoxville Texas Rice University Texas A&M University Texas Tech University University of Texas at Arlington University of Texas at Austin University of Texas at San Antonio Virginia Virgina Polytechnic Institute & State University University of Virginia Mississippi Mississippi State University
Joshua Prince-Ramus Joshua Prince-Ramus is Principal of REX, an internationally acclaimed architecture and design firm based in New York City. Recently completed projects include the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre in Dallas, Texas and the Vakko Fashion Center in Istanbul, Turkey, both opened to critical acclaim. Prince-Ramus was the founding partner of OMA New York the American affiliate of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)/Rem Koolhaas in the Netherlands and served as its Principal until he renamed the firm REX in 2006. While REX was still known as OMA New York, Prince-Ramus was Partner in Charge of the Guggenheim-Hermitage Museum in Las Vegas and the Seattle Central Library, hailed as Time magazine s 2004 Building of the Year and by Herbert Muschamp in the New York Times as the most exciting new building it has been my honor to review in more than 30 years of writing about architecture. Prince-Ramus was recently described as the savior of American architecture by Esquire magazine and credited as one of the five greatest architects under 50 by The Huffington Post. Additionally, he was identified as one of The 20 Essential Young Architects by ICON magazine, as one of the world s most influential young architects by Wallpaper*, and as one of the twenty most influential players in design by Fast Company. Prince-Ramus is a member of the TED Brain Trust along with thinkers such as Bill Gates, Craig Venter, Dean Kamen, Jeff Bezos, Larry Page, and Sergey Brin and was a speaker at the TED2006 and TEDxSMU conferences.
Wyly Theater By adapting proven technologies for new uses, the Wyly Theatre - - tions with only a small crew in a few hours. Seattle Central Library Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Ramus (Partner-in-Charge) Central library for Seattle s 28-branch library system, including 33,700 m² of hq, reading room, book spiral, mixing chamber, meeting platform,
Guggenheim Las Vegas Museum Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Ramus (Partner-in-Charge) Masterpiece gallery and temporary exhibition space. Vakko Fashion Center - rooms, conference rooms, auditorium, museum, and dining hall as well as the television studios, radio production facilities, and screening rooms of its media sister-company
2013 Johnsen Schmaling Architects The work of Johnsen Schmaling Architects represents a unique synthesis of conceptual rigor, technical know-how, and an unsurpassed attention to detail. Specializing in high-end residential and commercial design, Johnsen Schmaling Architects offers a full range of architectural and design services, from master planning and schematic design to construction administration, furniture design, and graphics. 2012 Brigitte Shim of Shim-Sutcliffe Architects Co-founder of Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, Brigitte Shim is not only an architect but also a professor at the University of Toronto. Brigitte has been a member of the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Urban Design since 1988. 2011 David Yocum and James Dallman David Yocum in 2006 founded bldgs, a full service architectural firm dedicated to the creation of inventive and enduring works of architecture and urban design. Jame Dallman, co-founder of La Dallman, whose work engages the transformation of the site through spatial and material transformations. 2010 Bryan Bell + Marlon Blackwell + Coleman Coker Bryan Bell founded Design Corps in 1991 to provide the benefits of architecture to those traditionally un-served by the profession. Marlon Blackwell focuses on design strategies that celebrate vernaculars that seek to transgress conventional boundaries for architecture. Coleman Coker emphasizes the phenomenological quality of presence through made objects as one part of an interconnected whole. 2009 Office da + Kieran Timberlake Kieran Timberlake Associates investigates site integration in relation to program and people. Nadar Tehrani focuses on digital fabrication with a focus on materiality and methods of aggregation.
2008 LTL - Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis Paul Lewis and Marc Tsurumaki, together with David J. Lewis are the founding partners of Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis, an internationally published and exhibited architecture practice in New York City. 2007 SHoP - Sharpless Holden Pasque SHoP Architects expand architecture through development and theory. 2006 Jose Rafael Moneo Architecture Jose Rafael Moneo seeks, through both his theoretical and architectural practices, to address the historic role of architecture within contemporary contexts. 2005 Glenn Murcutt Glenn Murcutt explores cultural, environmental, and material strategies that seek both innovation and place-specific architectural responses. 2004 Rick Joy + Brian MacKay - Lyons Rick Joy / Brian Mackay-Lyons both explore the materiality, environment, and phenomenological conditions in specific places through their architectural practices. 2003 Pugh + Scarpa Architecture Pugh + Scarpa architecture employs a design strategy that stresses the search for fundamental principles, but also attempts to reveal extraordinary beauty within ordinary ideas and materials. 2002 Anderson + Anderson Architecture Anderson + Anderson Architecture focuses upon the design and construction of research prototypes and prefabrication systems that creatively explore new construction technologies.