Recent Publications
Publications
Conscious Community embodies a profound engagement with the architectural thought of the director of studio: indigenous, Chris Cornelius of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, assisted by Aaron Tobey; New York- based architect Rodney Leon, assisted by Doriane Meyer; and Jordanian-Palestinian architect and designer and designer Abeer Seikaly, assisted by Gabrielle Printz. With each studio having its own focus, collectively they represent a disciplinary shift toward responsive architectural discourses focused on the space and program of often voiceless communities.
Chris Cornelius’s studio, “Decolonizing Indigenous Housing,” explores Indigenous housing paradigms in the face of a looming crisis of shelter in the United States and Canada. Rodney Leon’s studio, “National Slavery Memorial,” reevaluates the space of collective memory in the context of historical injustices. Abeer Seikaly’s studio, “Conscious Skins,” takes on an integrative view of traditional weaving crafts and modern design principles. Together they exemplify a commitment to redefining the role of architecture in addressing societal and cultural complexities while redefining the architectural subject.
These projects go beyond their proposed physical constructs; they are manifestation of a conversation about space, identity, and memory. This conversation challenges architectural norms, advocating for designs that view environmental, historical, and social aspects as interwoven elements of the architectural brief. The projects reflect a shared ethos between marginalized perspectives, bringing them to the forefront of architectural design in academia. They underscore the potential of architecture not just to create spaces but to craft environments.
From Chris Cornelius’s studio the students include Alicia Jones, Ruike Liu, Benjamin Thompson, Max Wirsing, Shelby Wright, Sasha Zwiebel, and Joon Yun. From Rodney Leon’s studio the students include April Liu, Michelle Qu, Shiqi Li, Jingyuan Qiu, Quincy Ding, Fan Yang, Rosa Congdon, Adam Rostek, Mingxi Li, and Janelle Schmidt. From Abeer Seikaly’s studio the students include Adare Brown, Stav Dror, Serge Saab, Elise Limon, Hao Tang, Jun Nam, Morgan Kerber, Sydney Maubert, Smaranda Rusinaru, and Taiga Taba.
