Saturday, March 21, 2020

Juhani Pallasmaa, Short Bio of the Finnish Architect

Juhani Pallasmaa, Short Bio of the Finnish Architect During his wildly prolific career, Juhani Pallasmaa has designed more than buildings. Through books, essays, and lectures, Pallasmaa has created an empire of ideas. How many young architects have been inspired by Pallasmaas teaching and his classic text, The Eyes of the Skin, about architecture and the senses? Architecture is a craft and an art to Pallasmaa. It has to be both, which makes architecture an impure or messy discipline. The soft-spoken  Juhani Pallasmaa has formulated and described the essence of architecture all of his life. Background Born: September 14, 1936 in Hmeenlinna, FinlandFull Name: Juhani Uolevi PallasmaaEducation: 1966: Helsinki University of Technology, Master of Science in Architecture Selected Projects In Finland, Juhani Pallasmaa is known as a Constructivist. His work has been inspired by the simplicity of Japanese architecture and the abstraction of modern Deconstructivism. His only work in the US is the arrival plaza at Cranbrook Academy of Art (1994). 2003 to 2006: Kamppi Centre, Helsinki.2004: Snow Show (with Rachel Whiteread), Lapland2002 to 2003: Bank of Finland Museum, Helsinki2002: Pedestrian and cycle bridge, Viikki Eco-village, Helsinki1989 to 1991 Major extensions to Itkeskus Shopping Centre, Helsinki1990 to 1991: Outdoor spaces for Ruoholahti Residential Area, Helsinki1986 to 1991: Institut Finlandais (with Roland Schweitzer), Paris1987: Phone Booth Design for Helsinki Telephone Association1986: Renovation of Helsinki Old Market Hall, Helsinki1984 to 1986: Renovation of the Art Museum in Rovaniemi1970: Summer atelier of artist Tor Arne, Vnà ¶ Island About Juhani Pallasmaa He promotes a back-to-basics, evolutionary approach to architecture that has become revolutionary in the 21st century. He told interviewer Rachel Hurst that computers have been misused to replace human thought and imagination: The computer has no capacity for empathy, for compassion. The computer cannot imagine the use of space. But the most important thing is that the computer cannot hesitate. Working between the mind and the hand we often hesitate, and we reveal our own answers in our hesitations. Pallasmaa also suggests that architects and designers read novels and poetry to better understand architecture.  Juhani Pallasmaa’s Book List is an eclectic mix of unexpected titles: In my view, literature and the arts provide deep lessons on the essences of the world and life. Because architecture is fundamentally about life, I find the literary classics, or any fine novels and poems, to be essential books on architecture. Writings and Teaching In spite of the many architecture projects he has completed, Pallasmaa may be best-known as a theorist and educator. He has taught at universities all over the world, including Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He has written and lectured extensively on cultural philosophy, environmental psychology, and architectural theory. His works are read in many architecture classrooms around the world: Questions of Perception: Phenomenology of Architecture by Steven Holl, Juhani Pallasmaa, and Alberto Perez-GomezThe Embodied Image: Imagination and Imagery in Architecture by Juhani Pallasmaa, Wiley, 2011The Thinking Hand by Juhani Pallasmaa, Wiley, 2009The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses (1996) by Juhani Pallasmaa, Wiley, 2012Encounters: Architectural Essays by Juhani Pallasmaa, Peter MacKeith, editor, 2006Encounters 2 - Architectural Essays by Juhani Pallasmaa,  Peter MacKeith, editor, 2012Archipelago: Essays on Architecture by Juhani Pallasmaa, Peter MacKeith, editorUnderstanding Architecture by Robert McCarter and Juhani Pallasmaa, Phaidon, 2012

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

How Graduate School Is Different From College

How Graduate School Is Different From College The first days of graduate school go by in a blur for most new students. Even if you attend the same university as you did as an undergraduate, the graduate school experience is very different from being an undergrad. Is grad school harder than college? Definitely. Coursework Is Just the Beginning Classes are a big part of masters programs and the first couple of years of doctoral programs. But grad school entails more than completing a series of classes. You will take courses during the first couple of years of your Ph.D. program, but your later years will emphasize research (and you probably wont take any courses during those later years). The purpose of grad school is to develop a professional understanding of your discipline through independent reading and study. The Apprenticeship Model Most of what you learn in grad school will not come from classes, but from other activities such as  conducting research and attending conferences. Youll choose  and work closely with a faculty member on his or her research. As an apprentice of sorts, youll learn how to define research problems, design and carry out research projects to test your hypotheses and disseminate your results. The end goal is to become an independent scholar and devise your own research program.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Graduate School Is a Job Approach grad school as a full-time job; its not school in the undergraduate sense. If you soared through college with little studying, youre in for a big culture shock as a grad student  The reading lists will be longer and more extensive than youve encountered in college. More importantly, youll be expected to read and be prepared to critically evaluate and discuss it all. Most grad programs require that you take initiative for your learning and demonstrate a commitment to your career.   Graduate School Is a Socializing Agent Why is graduate school so different from undergrad? Graduate training teaches you the information and skills that you need to be a professional. However, being a professional requires more than coursework and experiences. In graduate school, you will be socialized into your profession. In other words, you will learn the norms and values of your field. Relationships with faculty members  and other students are important to your career, and youll make them in grad school. Most importantly, you will learn to think like a professional in your field. Graduate school shapes the mind and leads students to think in new ways. You will learn to think like a professional in your field, whether a scientist, historian, educator, philosopher or practitioner. It truly prepares you to immerse yourself in a specific field - especially if you choose to become an academic professional in the long run.