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Foundation

MISSION
Foundation is a student-led publication that documents the intellectual and cultural life of The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture. As a platform for critiques of ongoing public programming, student work, local events, and New York City’s built environment, Foundation expands dialogue beyond the classroom, recording the school’s institutional memory and its evolving urban context.
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Back (center left) and front (center right) covers, folded to a 4.25"x11" format, Issue 00 


ISSUE 00 | April, 2026
Editors: Violet Caleca, Lee Caulfield, Kyle Ku, Abe Marx, Jayne Miller, Ilea Wunder, 
Eric Honghao Zhao
Designers: Giseok Ryan Jang, Jinseo Lee

Editor's Note:
Issue 0 is a first attempt by a group of students at The Cooper Union to create a publication documenting ongoing critiques and dialogue within The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture. In the fall of 2024, Acting Dean Hayley Eber introduced a new class, taught by Joanna Joseph and Nora Akawi, that focused on cultivating proposals for a student-led architecture publication. In the fall of 2025, Acting Dean Ben Aranda sustained the class—taught by Matt Shaw and advised by Chris Dierks and Steven Hillyer—as it continued to bring the idea of a student publication to fruition. Now, in the spring of 2026, the class is producing Issue 00 and Issue 01 of Foundation.  

Foundation is integrated into the School's curriculum but aims to create dialogue beyond the classroom. This publication is interested in what students have to say about what's going on inside the school and outside its walls. The editorial board, composed of Cooper Union students from both the School of Architecture and the School of Art, aims to create a structure that will ensure the project’s longevity. The goal is for Foundation to become an integral part of The Cooper Union’s student voice.

In Issue 0, commissioned pieces examine the current state of thesis in the school of architecture, modifications to the Foundation Building, past and present, and a broad range of other topics such as Adrian Phiffer’s Third Floor Hallway exhibition Urbanism, After All, A83’s exhibition Architectural Drawing 4, and the newest film adaptation of Wuthering Heights. Contributions take the form of interviews, reviews, studio critiques, and event coverage.

Foundation’s future issues will be open to submissions from Cooper Union’s broader community. Issue 01 will be released in May. The aim is to provide space for all students and faculty to voice their opinions and explore their interests. Keep an eye out around the school for more information.

A PDF of Issue 00 is available for download here. 

Note: this issue was printed at 8.5"x11" and folded to 4.25"x11", resulting in what appear to be non-sequential page numbers before folding.
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Issue 01
Sample spread, Issue 01


Issue 01 | May, 2026
Editors: Violet Caleca, Lee Caulfield, Kyle Ku, Abe Marx, Jayne Miller, Ilea Wunder, 
Eric Honghao Zhao
Designers: Giseok Ryan Jang, Jinseo Lee

Editor's Note:
With the support of our new dean, Michael Young, the inaugural issue of Foundation was released during the School of Architecture’s spring 2026 community dinner. Issue 00 proved that a student-led architecture publication at The Cooper Union was achievable, and Foundation’s advisors and editorial board are excited to present Issue 01.

Amplifying the voices, interests, and opinions of students at Cooper is central to the mission of Foundation. As we work to find a structure for the publication that ensures its longevity and enduring legacy at The Cooper Union, we have learned much from Issue 00. Balancing a structured approach with free-form work has been central to the project’s development. In issue 01 we are excited to include more content from more writers, across a broader range of topics.

Issue 01 is composed of student submissions and commissioned pieces that delve into undergraduate thesis projects, one of which examines New York City’s architectural staple: the fire escape; an interview with Steven Hillyer about recent renovations to the Arthur A. Houghton Jr. Gallery; the near-bankruptcy of New York City in the 1970s; commentary on experiences of homelessness that are not always evident; a new show at the Cooper Hewitt, and more.  

Foundation’s future issues will continue to be open to submissions. Issue 02 will be released at the beginning of the 2026–2027 school year. 

A PDF of Issue 01 is available for download here.

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.