‘Spatial Breeds: A Peek Under the Hood’ will unpack a working background comprised of influences, hunches, shots in the dark and outcomes toward constructing a spatial practice. Using examples of his work, alongside key references and influences ‘Spatial Breeds’ will build thickets of relations targeted at developing spatial, representational, cultural and disciplinary participation. References and influences have helped shape his work and will be sprinkled across the talk. They include curiosity cabinets, Zen gardens, Robert Venturi’s ‘Complexity and Contradiction’, Jorge Luis Borges’ ‘Celestial Emporium of Celestial Knowledge’, Surrealism, the Baroque period, Dutch Golden Age painting, Robert Rauschenburg’s Combines and indeterminacy. Thoughts about relational assemblies, language prompts, analogous thinking, the naming problem, tailored visualizations, typological rebooting and inventive programmatic formulations will populate the margins. ‘Spatial Breeds’ games with influences and a cross-section of work, tracing a process of constructing a practice where an architect might need to be many architects—elaborating possible practices while getting under their metaphorical hood.

Perry Kulper is an architect and Associate Professor at the University of Michigan. He previously taught at SCI-Arc for 17 years. After graduate studies at Columbia University he worked with Eisenman/ Robertson, Robert A.M. Stern and Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown before constructing his own practice. His primary interests include: the generative spatial potential of drawing; the varied affordances of diverse design methods in design; broadening the conceptual range by which architecture contributes to our cultural imagination. In 2013 he published Pamphlet Architecture 34, ‘Fathoming the Unfathomable: Archival Ghosts and Paradoxical Shadows’ with friend and collaborator Nat Chard. They are at work on a new book to be published by UCL Press. Recently he optimistically ventured into the world of the digital, attempting to get a handle on Photoshop operations—as a result he encountered one of his steeper learning curves. Fantastic beasts have also been on his mind.

This event is open to current Cooper Union students, faculty, and staff. 

View the full Fall 2018 Lectures and Events List.