Non-Professional Practice
In a rapidly changing world facing that is facing unprecedented challenges, the hyper-specialization of professional roles can backfire. It is limiting one’s ability to truly make use of knowledge, while also becoming a handy tool of discrimination. To challenge the professional, this lecture will study unconventional modes of creative practices and their underlying implications. It will consider alternative modes of architectural practice such as the client-less architect and the architect without architecture, while also learning from other fields—music, film, fashion, arts, graphic design—in order to uncover different perspectives, with their pains and joys.This is the seventh in a seven-part lecture series entitled “The Architect as Generalist.” Scholars and practitioners will explore how architecture practice is inherently expansive and cross-disciplinary, from the Renaissance to the present. Lectures will examine how architects are not only comfortable designing buildings and cities but also furniture, exhibitions, books, films, fashion, amongst other things. Topics in the series include the architect as the Renaissance Man, Carlo Mollino’s Conceptual Mannerism, the intersections between architecture and fashion in the work of Prada and OMA/AMO, the designs of Luigi Caccia Dominioni’s from the spoon to the city, the architecture of book design, architectural practice as a field of research, and new forms of professional practice.
Oana Stănescu runs her eponymous design studio from New York. Her projects include the collaborative+POOL, a floating, water filtering swimming pool, as well as a wide range of collaborations with Nike, Virgil Abloh, The Office of PlayLab, 2×4, Arup, New Museum, the Storefront for Art and Architecture, Need Supply, Fool’s Gold, and many more. Oana’s work has been celebrated in publications such as the New York Times, Forbes, Madame Figaro, Architect Magazine, New York Magazine, Mark, Time magazine or Cultured, to name a few. Prior to establishing her own studio she was a co founder of the NY based practice Family. Oana has previously taught at MIT in Cambridge, GSAPP Columbia University, Cooper Union and the Architectural Association in London, in addition to lecturing in places like Princeton University, Sciarc, The University of Memphis, University of South Florida, University of Arizona, Women in Design Denver, Neocon and AIA Chicago or Design Miami in collaboration with the UN. Her current projects are in New York, Romania, South East Asia, and Canada.