A Conversation on OMA and Places of Architecture
Over two weeks, students will investigate the fifty-year trajectory of OMA and Rem Koolhaas by exploring how their architecture has both shaped and been shaped by the shifting contexts—political, cultural, and geographical—in which it emerged. They will examine “place” in two senses: literally, through projects rooted in specific cities and regions, and figuratively, as the changing position that architecture occupies within contemporary society. Each session will focus on a different location, presented through projects, writings, films, and discussions with guest speakers, complemented by site visits to OMA buildings and archives. Student will design proposals for new ways to engage with OMA’s oeuvre—ranging from exhibitions and publications to films or digital initiatives—that reinterpret or activate Koolhaas’s work today. The master class will conclude on Friday, April 24 with a conversation on OMA’s transcontinental trajectory.