David Pearson
February 19, 2006 at 11:34 pm
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Sites never exist in isolation; they are part of a larger complex system. The ecological fabric that links us to each other and to the earth is constantly transforming, adapting, evolving, decaying and reproducing. Ft. McClellan represents this transformation. The focus of the MLA II studio (the McClellan Design Lab) is to envision alternative futures for this site that originally was a forest, then a military base and now vacant.

We had preliminary reviews on Friday with Professors Dümpelmann, LaBleu, Pitarri and Williams. This was the first review of the semester and represented an important time in the design process. Over five hours of discussion, debate and inquiry, fifteen students presented their work. The complexities of this site and this project became increasingly clear as the presentations unfolded; and, as usual the discussions were equally complex. Discussions varied from the distinctive ecological processes of the longleaf pine forest to the migratory habits and patterns of waterfowl, to the ideas of cultural and ecological performance. Most importantly, the questions of re-inhabiting the warehouse district at McClellan with an emphasis on the arts and the environment were a common thread of inquiry. The confluence of these ideas requires students to engage and force negotiations of complex human occupation within dynamic and emergent ecological systems. This seems to be the overall theme of the studio and a critical endeavor for Ft McClellan as demands for real estate increase.

Sites are made and remade…

David Pearson
February 10, 2006 at 3:36 pm
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After reviewing almost 200 portfolios and watching presentations, Rusty and I finally met one-on-one with 11 students interested in the Lusìada / Auburn Exchange Program in Landscape Architecture. The students all had beautiful work, were energetic and thoughtful in their interviews. This made our job of selecting two extremely difficult, as any one of the students would make a great addition to our Master of Landscape Architecture Program. Ana Souza and João Xavier were selected to come to Auburn next year as graduate research assistants and Rute Ribeiro and Shelley Barradas were selected as alternates.

Thanks again to all the fifth year architecture students for great presentations and most importantly, for being patient with our dreadful Portuguese enunciation. Thanks also to Antonio, Alexandre, Orlando and Josè Marie, the fifth year faculty, for their hospitality and critical insight of local culture, food and design.

We’ll see you in Auburn soon!