March 31, 2010

This Spring Westphal hosted numerous arts professionals who shared their knowledge and work alongside students on a handful of exciting charrettes. Charrettes are workshops that provide an artistic or design challenge, offering students the chance to create exciting interdisciplinary work in collaborative settings. 

Rankin Scholar-in-Residence Tejo Remy, a Dutch artist-designer, gave a lecture on impromolding, a means of creating molds made of and combining existing products and forms, on Thursday, April 1st at 7:30 PM in Stein Auditorium (Nesbitt 111). The lecture concluded a four-day workshop during which Remy led teams of students and faculty who explored object design using mold making and cement casting of reclaimed objects.  The work students created at the Charrette was on display in Nesbitt Hall’s Chapman court.

Clyde Evans, hip-hop dancer, choreographer and founder of CHOSEN Dance Company showcased his talents and challenged students during a three-day performance Charrette from April 9th through the 11th. Together, students and Evans, another Rankin Scholar-in-Residence, explored the use of new media and technology as a means to create and teach hip-hop dance.  The Charrette culminated in a performance on Sunday, April 11th at 4 PM in the Mandell Theater.

The Department of Architecture and Interiors held the 3rd annual interdisciplinary design Charrette, Urban Connection, from April 9th -12th. This charrette began with a panel presentation on urban transportation and street furniture by prominent civic leaders including Andrew Stober, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities; Rachel Vassar, Outreach Coordinator, Penn Future; Byron Comati, Director of Strategic Planning and Analysis, SEPTA and Paul Curci, Publisher, Philadelphia City Paper on Friday, April 9th at 6 PM in Stein Auditorium. Over the weekend, students from across our University worked in teams to develop design solutions for public transportation shelters in Philadelphia.  Final presentations were given by the student teams Monday, April 12th in the Main Building (4th floor architecture studios).