The Cooper Union’s Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture is delighted to announce the appointment of Irene Cheng as an Associate Professor with a focus in History, Theory and Criticism in Architecture starting in spring 2026.

"I am excited to welcome Irene to our faculty,” stated Acting Dean Hayley Eber. “Her expertise as a brilliant scholar and intellectual leader will bring a unique and vital perspective to our curriculum and studio culture."

An established and celebrated architectural historian, critic, and educator, Cheng has had a significant impact on the field by exploring the entanglements of architecture, culture, politics, and the environment in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Her most recent book is The Shape of Utopia: The Architecture of Radical Reform in Nineteenth-Century America (University of Minnesota Press, 2023). She is a co-editor, with Charles L. Davis III and Mabel O. Wilson, of Race and Modern Architecture: A Critical History from the Enlightenment to the Present (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2020) and co-editor, with Bernard Tschumi of The State of Architecture at the Beginning of the 21st Century (The Monacelli Press, 2004). Cheng is also engaged in contemporary design as an architecture critic and as a founding principal of the multidisciplinary design practice Cheng+Snyder. She is a recipient of many awards and recognitions, including the ACSA Diversity Achievement Award and the AIA San Francisco Community Alliance Education Award.

Cheng will join The Cooper Union from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco, where she is Associate Professor and Chair of the Graduate Program in Architecture. Cheng has also taught at University of California, Los Angeles and at Columbia University; she received a BA in Social Studies from Harvard University, and a Master of Architecture and PhD in Architecture (History and Theory) from Columbia University.  

The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture mourns the loss of Ricardo Scofidio, Cooper Union alumnus and beloved member of our community, who passed away on March 6, 2025, at the age of 89. His departure leaves an extraordinary legacy of architectural ingenuity, educational dedication, and profound generosity.
 
Ric, as he was known, was a visionary architect, an influential thinker, and a transformative educator. His tenure at The Cooper Union, from 1965 to 2007, spanned every facet of the curriculum, shaping generations of architects. He began his teaching career with "Graphics, Working Drawings and Specifications," and for two decades his impact was most deeply felt in Design II, where his insightful guidance fostered critical thinking and innovative design approaches. With studio prompts ranging from the analysis of architecture and domestic objects to the reimagination of the Levittown House and the design of instruments of measurement, he taught students how to see, draw, interrogate conventions, and push the boundaries of the discipline.
 
At The Cooper Union, he met Elizabeth Diller, initially as her professor, and together they forged a life and work partnership that redefined art and architecture. For many years, their work blurred the lines between disciplines. They lived as artists, fixtures in the East Village, working and residing in a loft in the Village Voice building on Cooper Square. During this time, they both taught at Cooper and undertook a few small building commissions.

For the first two decades of their collaboration, Diller + Scofidio operated on the avant-garde fringe, interrogating the field's fundamental parameters by producing art installations and designing sets for dance performances, pushing the boundaries of creative expression. Their intertwined practice and identities were evident in Flesh, the 1990 monograph detailing their inseparable creative practice.
 
Renamed Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) in 2004, the firm expanded its portfolio to include celebrated cultural, institutional, and urban spaces, reflecting a radical transformation in both their practice and the field. Their work activates the spatial and experiential potentials of buildings and cities, blending architecture, visual arts, and performing arts while embracing new technologies.
 
The studio became renowned for installations, exhibitions, and some of the most celebrated architectural projects in recent history. As New Yorkers, Ric and Liz have profoundly impacted the city through projects like Lincoln Center (2007–2012), the High Line (2009–2019), MoMA’s renovation and expansion (2019), The Shed at Hudson Yards (2019), and Columbia’s Business School (2022).
 
Acting Dean Hayley Eber worked at Diller Scofidio + Renfro for six years and recalls Scofidio as “a true original, combining a brilliant mind with a gentle spirit. Known for his distinctive soul patch, love of jazz, and racing vintage sports cars, he was a creative force in design and architecture. With his calm wisdom, he was the person everyone turned to for solving complex design challenges; he had a remarkable ability to home in on the critical issues and was always willing to share invaluable Photoshop tips. At Cooper, he redefined pedagogical boundaries, mentored generations of architects, and continued to generously support our programs long after his retirement.”

Ric's tall, quiet presence, coupled with his soft-spoken wisdom, resonated deeply. His thoughtful insights and gentle demeanor left an indelible impression on the architectural community. He will be remembered not only for his groundbreaking work, but also for his generosity and profound impact as a mentor and dear colleague.

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE FACULTY REMEMBRANCES 
Nader Tehrani—A graduate, a professor, and a friend of the Cooper Union, Ric returned again and again long after his retirement from teaching, and his visual literacy continued to amaze students as they advanced their work. I only came to know Ric after I joined the Cooper community some ten years ago, and his willingness to share his experiences and wisdom helped pave a path for my deanship—for that, I am eternally grateful. Both he and Liz reached out to me annually, giving—with their time, intelligence, and significant support of our programs—something that persists today. Inconspicuous in his demeanor, Ric was nonetheless a presence when he stood in the room, and his silence spoke volumes. But his gentle manner served as an apt veil for the contained intelligence and wit he would unleash every so often, reminding us constantly that we do not need to overstep to allow our voices to speak with power. When he spoke, without exception it was with thoughtful words and an empathy that communicated as deeply to the students as it did to the discipline.

Sue Ferguson Gussow—Ricardo Scofidio AR’55, was one year ahead of me. To my freshman eyes, tall, handsome Ric was unbelievably cool. In those early to mid-fifties days Cooper was rigidly scheduled. Mid-morning and mid-afternoon a bell would ring to announce a fifteen-minute break, ringing again at its close. Out to the sixth-floor lobby we would troop, lighting up cigarettes. Somehow, Ric and two classmates, Tom Aidala and Nat Silver, were already there, standing on benches that lined the walls of the room. They stood in three corners of the room, their backs to us, making weird electronic sounds, signaling to one another, moving in odd, robotic ways. Their theater was surreal and wickedly funny, their “language” signaling sounds that our devices would be filling our ears with, decades later. These pop-up happenings were only minutes long, but memorable and predictive of the wit, daring, and genius that the practice of Diller, Scofidio + Renfro has embodied.

Guido Zuliani—In my early years at Cooper I had the opportunity to teach a design studio with Ricardo Scofidio and Liz Diller—a profound, formative experience that changed many things in my understanding of the field of architecture and of the function of an educational institution.
 
Ric was an exceptional and generous educator, a sophisticated intellect, an innovative designer, and a very kind human being. All these qualities were obvious to everyone who met him, whether as a student, a colleague, or a friend. 
 
There is, however, one thing, one trait in Ric’s personality, whether innate or carefully cultivated, that in my view connected these qualities and made them so evident: a form of sincere empathy that had a great influence on me and that has left, I believe, a lasting mark on our school’s philosophy.
 
It is this empathic attitude that has sustained, for Ric and his partner Liz, a desire for understanding the material world and the objects that populate it as potential territories for prolific visual and conceptual explorations, for the eye of the architect to discover not only elements of raw vocabularies, but also layers of social and political significance. It is on the basis of this empathy that the practice of architectural representation—for Ric, for Liz, and for their students—was understood, exceptionally refined as a powerful cognitive and projective tool, and practiced at the intersection of other disciplines.
 
This same empathy made Ric an exceptional educator, one able to practice his subtle version of the maieutic method by engaging in a true dialogue with his students and in this way empowering their voices.
 
And it has been this particular trait, and the unforgettable experience of his presence as a colleague, that made for me every encounter with Ric profoundly pleasurable, and his memory a lasting one.

Michael Young—I remember Ric’s last lecture before he retired. It was in the small lecture hall, just for the school. He began by saying that the most difficult talks are those you present to your family. It was deeply heartfelt and touching, capturing all that he meant to the school and what the school meant for him.

OTHER REMEMBRANCES
A long time ago back in 1973, as I entered my second year of studies at The Cooper Union, Ric Scofidio was one of our professors who led the design studio that year. As we began to hang our work after a seemingly eternal charrette to the end of year crits, the professors filed in. When it was my turn to present, I slowly turned towards the critics with complete and total terror. I was now facing the dean John Hejduk, Peter Eisenman, Raimund Abraham, Bob Slutzky, Richard Henderson, and Ric Scofidio. As I completed a tour of my drawings and models, the group pounced, as they did with all of us, verbally shredding our work in the name of making architects out of us. They all loudly argued back and forth about everything, important buildings, fantastic cinema, exceptional paintings, music, politics ... everything except my scheme on the wall. Ric hadn't said a word in all this time. Finally, Hejduk turned to Ric and asked what he thought. Ric looked at my drawings, thought for a moment, then offered one sentence, no more, with laser precision. Hejduk jumped out of his seat and exclaimed to the group, "That's it. Ric is exactly right. That's all that needs to be said about this scheme, Forman." I slumped into my seat as the crit ended.

Fast forward many years later: as a principal and the director of operations running the Studio at DS+R for some time now, it is like being back at Cooper with Ric and his clarity of thought. Together with Liz Diller, Charles Renfro, Ben Gilmartin, our talented directors, principals, and staff, we still have much more work to do."

Steven Forman, AIA, Principal, Director of Operations
Diller Scofidio + Renfro
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Elizabeth Diller + Ricardo Scofidio and John Hejduk, all of The Cooper Union, have convinced me to be an architect. I thank you very much.

Hiram Duyvestijn, Architect 
TU Delft graduate now working in France
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The Arthur Thomson AR’64 Post-Graduation Fellowship
Arthur Thomson AR’64 has been a steadfast supporter of The Cooper Union for over four decades. In recent years, he has focused on providing students in The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture with the resources to pursue opportunities not otherwise available to them during their time at Cooper.
 
The Art Thomson Post-Graduation Fellowship supports young architects who are dedicated to using their knowledge and skills to advocate for local social justice and equity. Successful proposals may involve collaborating or volunteering with non-profits focused on socially impactful work, using architectural skills to benefit society or a specific community, or engaging in advocacy with a public-facing component. Recipients, who apply during their Thesis year, are awarded $20,000 to complete a year-long project.
 
The inaugural 2024 fellowship was awarded to Yuan (Alice) Meng AR'24 for Sidewalks and Storefronts: Equity for NYC Chinatown’s Small Businesses. The project, which begins in September 2024, will consist of three phases—research and documentation, representation and analysis, and design—resulting in an exhibition and publication designed to strengthen small business owners in Manhattan’s Chinatown.
 
Sidewalk & Storefronts 
Street vendors, though often overlooked, are integral to New York City’s fabric, representing its smallest businesses and contributing significantly to its cultural and economic landscape. Nearly 20,000 entrepreneurs, primarily immigrants, people of color, and women, provide access to fresh, affordable food and merchandise, enriching the urban landscape with diversity. Yet, these ven­dors and small businesses face numerous challenges, including regulatory hurdles, economic shifts, and gentrification, jeopardizing their livelihoods and the cultural fabric of neighborhoods. Manhattan’s Chinatown, one of the oldest Chinese ethnic enclaves in the United States, stands as a vibrant small business hub and cultural destination with a history dating back to the 1870s. However, the aftermath of the pandemic has led to decay and displacement among Chinatown’s small businesses, a trend exacerbated by the insidious effects of inflation that threatens the area’s eco­nomic vitality and its historic and cultural identity.

To address these challenges, this project uses the visualization tools of architecture to empower small business entrepreneurs in Chinatown and East Broadway.

By engaging local communities and volunteering with non-profit organiza­tions focusing on supporting small businesses, advocating for social justice, and promoting equity in New York City, Alice will delve into both the history and the present condition of immigrant entrepreneurs to hear their voices and understand their needs. She will explore potential collaborations with organizations such as the NYC Street Vendor Justice Coalition, the Center for Urban Pedagogy, the Chinatown Partnership, and Welcome to Chinatown.

Working together with artists, printmakers, and bookmakers, Alice intends to produce detailed visualizations and analyses of current retail spaces, streetscapes, and roadside vendors in her studied area. By mapping the flow of goods and waste, as well as pedestrian and vehicular traffic, she intends to provide an encompassing view of the challenges and opportunities faced by these communities.
 
Her final project will take the form of an exhibition and printed publication, allowing her to engage with the community, raise awareness of the general public about this overlooked social group, and stimulate interdisciplinary conversations and dialogues. Exhibition mate­rials may include diagrams, detailed site analyses, representation drawing sets, large-scale wall installations for detailed drawings, architectural models of the existing urban landscape, animated films depicting vending scenes, and visualizations of proposed design solutions.

Vendors, Markets, Streets, Cities (Thesis film, Alice Meng, 2023)

The School of Architecture mourns the loss of our dear friend Jeffrey Brown, a man who never tired of being a student, finding joy and true excitement in listening deeply to architects, artists, and thinkers speak about their work, their discipline, their intentions, and motivations. He and Elise Jaffe, his wife and constant companion, valued and encouraged and generously supported the work of learning and teaching in all its forms at many institutions: public lectures, exhibitions, installations, catalogs, books, and films. Our school has been the beneficiary of their generosity and their friendship since 2004; for many years they directed their contributions to the Dean’s Circle discretionary fund—a measure of their trust in the School and their warm regard for our deans. One year, with Elise and Jeffrey’s support, the School installed a scaled reconstruction of Massimo Scolari’s 1991 Glider on the roof of the Foundation Building portico as part of an exhibition of Scolari’s drawings and models in Houghton Gallery. Perched on the outside of the historic structure as if ready for flight, the wings, which remained on the portico long after the run of the exhibition, reminded all who entered the building of the power, beauty, and mystery of architecture and art during a time of deep financial turmoil at the school. 
 
In 2022, Elise and Jeffrey fully endowed the School of Architecture’s Student Lecture Series, which is curated and hosted by a small committee of students. Jeffrey was especially interested in learning from the students at Cooper, wanting to know whose work challenged them or inspired them, what work was important to deepening their understanding of architecture’s role at this time, and how they imagined an architecture of their future. Elise and Jeffrey attended many of the lectures; they took pleasure in the intensity of the students’ questions and would often join the students following the event for informal conversation with the speaker over a shared meal. Their interest in the students’ point of view was a measure of their own commitment not just to architecture, but to the education of architects, to the future of architecture, and to the School’s community.
 
We will forever miss Jeffrey’s belief in the importance of architecture, and we mourn the loss of his quiet presence, his warmth and kindness, and the joy that he shared with Elise.  
 
Elizabeth O’Donnell
Distinguished Professor Adjunct

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To the unknowing eye, Elise and Jeffrey might have appeared as curious bystanders or parents: seemingly anonymous audience members on reviews and in lectures. In fact, they have been anything but! And that has been a secret of their inconspicuous and longstanding presence within the discipline of architecture. They have served as guardian angels for a field in consistent need of support, encouragement, and infrastructure.  Inspired by an endless and insatiable enthusiasm for architecture as a discourse, these two travelers have been seen commuting between many schools of architecture, including Cooper Union, strategically supporting experiments, explorations, and events over decades. Their uncanny anonymity has been their main arsenal, but their generosity eventually propelled them to an inescapable presence. Still, it has been their unswerving passion for granular intellectual developments that led them to participate in every significant evolution of the field.

Jeffrey Brown’s untimely passing has left us with a deep void—he and Elise have become our family, cheering us on as they would their own offspring, with endless support. It is no accident that my deanship at Cooper Union was so easy: it was with Elise and Jeffrey’s support that we navigated the financial crisis some eight years ago. But in the process of giving, they offered a friendship more enduring than any individual or institution could ask for. I think I speak for everyone at Cooper Union when I offer these words of condolence to Elise. You and Jeffrey have been and will remain an essential part of our community.
 
Nader Tehrani

Professor

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With the passing of Jeffrey Brown, the School of Architecture has lost a beloved member of our community, but his profound legacy of support and generosity remains. Over the years, Jeffrey’s steadfast commitment to the learning and teaching of architecture has enriched the lives of countless students and faculty members. Always alongside his wife, Elise, Jeffrey tirelessly championed the importance of architecture, contributing to the growth and development of every facet of the discipline through patronage and encouragement. During my time as acting dean, Elise and Jeffrey have displayed incredible generosity, most notably in supporting our Student Lecture Series, which they actively engaged with enthusiasm. Jeffrey’s gentle demeanor and warmth will be deeply missed. Yet, his lasting impact on our Cooper community will serve as a tribute to his kind, unwavering spirit and his dedication to architecture.
 
Hayley Eber
Acting Dean