Landscapes of Extraction

In early 2011, the Cooper Union Institute for Sustainable Design and the Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture along with J. Henry Fair created the Landscapes of Extraction Exhibition. Illustrated primarily with photographs taken by J Henry Fair, the exhibit not only highlighted the altered landscapes caused by extraction, but also detailed the waste, destruction and resources lost to industrial processing and the generation of energy.

CUISD recognizes that energy is the foundation of our society, and that a shift toward a sustainable society must be built upon a clear-eyed assessment and understanding of our energy system. To that end, the Institute has made information on key energy sources available for public scrutiny. We welcome visitors to learn more about the following topics:

  • Natural Gas

    Natural Gas is a colorless, odorless mixture of hydrocarbon gases, primarily methane (CH4). The content of natural gas depends on the specific geology and composition of the site from which the gas was extracted.

  • Coal

    Coal is a combustible sedimentary rock primarily composed of carbon and variable quantities of other elements; chiefly sulfur, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. Coal is the largest source of fossil fuel energy for electricity generation worldwide.

  • Petroleum

    Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring mixture of liquid hydrocarbons that contains variable amounts of sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, metals and other elements. Its physical composition can vary from a black and viscous to a very light brown or translucent liquid, dependent upon the constituents and proportions of the mixture in its crude state.

 

  • 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.