News

Introducing The Wall

02. 27. 2024
  • Four B. Arch students admire architectural projects beneath the grand staircase at the premium Spitzer School of Architecture.

    The Wall Spring 2024 Final Exhibition. Image credit: Albert Vecerka - ESTO.

  • Photograph of a bench in front of a translucent wall in front of a sign that reads

    The existing space before.

  • composite image: image of Battleship boardgame, examples of corkboard.

    Inspiration precedent images.

  • a diptych composite photograph. left: a construction site underneath a stairwell. right: an instructor and students working in front of the construction site underneath the stairwell.

    Progress images. Image Credit: Shiva Abbaszadeh.

  • An architectural elevation drawing of the proposed Wall concept.

    The Wall Elevation.

  • diptych photograph composite: left image of two students carrying construction materials. right image is the stairwell wall in progress.

    Panel installation progress. Image credit: Shiva Abbaszadeh.

  • architectural drawing of under the stairwell with student projects as hanging artwork.

    Final curation elevation.

  • photograph of Under the Stairwell project with red ribbon in foreground.

    Unveiling Day. Image credit: Shiva Abbaszadeh.

  • composite diptych image: left photograph is student cutting the red ribbon in front of the Under the Stairwell project. right image is a photograph of a group of students, front row is seated, back row is standing.

    The Wall Team.

For more than 10 years, the grand staircase from the Spitzer School lobby had a dark underside that was used for storage or nothing at all. Fast forward to December 19, 2023, and the school now has a beautiful, student-designed and -built exhibition space in its main lobby to display an ever-changing array of student drawings and models.⁠
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The dream for this beautiful new space dates to Spring 2022, when the Student Advisory Board and the Dean’s Office convened the “Under the Stairs” competition. Mateo Penafiel B Arch ’24 and Rodrigo Montano B Arch ’22 submitted the winning design, proposing an exhibition space to showcase student work. ⁠
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To bring the design to life, the school committed funds for materials and offered an elective in Fall 2023, “Under the Stairs: Design Build.” Students enrolled from B Ach and M Arch programs and worked with Prof. Christian Volkmann and Fabrication Director Ali Askarinejad throughout the semester. Construction unfolded in four stages. From reinforcing partitions to crafting modular shelves and boards, every detail was meticulously planned. Faculty and alumni, including Ilva Dodja B Arch ’11, contributed insights on fabrication and lighting.⁠
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Please find the list of all participants below. For more information about the process and how to submit work for the wall, please visit @thewall.ssa.

Design and Project Management:
Mateo Penafiel

Secondary Designers:
Florjan Plepi
Rodrigo Montano

Curation and Social Engagement:
Shiva Abbaszadeh
Ashley Gordon
Mouhamadou M Dieng
Grace Lombardo

General Assembly:
Leora Santoriello
Nilly Baratian
Enna Sezaire
Juan E Jimenez

Panel Fabrication and Installation:
Gema Cabrera
Maria Manukovskaya
Mateo Penafiel

Lighting Design and Installation:
Fabrizio Chamorro
Loui Apostol
Lolita Bogdanova
Mateo Penafiel

Shelves Fabrication:
Miriam Perel
Evelyn Krutoy
Juan E Jimenez

Lighting Consultant:
Ilva Dodja (Faculty)

Construction Advisor & Class Lead:
Christian Volkmann (Faculty)

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