Dr. Sammy Mahmoud, Dean of Engineering and Design at Carleton University is pleased to announce the appointment of Marco Frascari, G. Truman Ward Professor of Architecture at Virginia Tech State University, as the new Director of Carleton University’s School of Architecture. Frascari takes up his post in the summer of 2005. He will replace present Director Stephen Fai who agreed to act as Director on an interim basis.
Frascari said he chose to come to Carleton because of its renowned reputation. "What I believe is the role of the architect is to make visible what is invisible, and what particularly fascinates me about the Carleton University School of Architecture is that I discovered the students there are already involved in this magic act."
"It’s a great fit," says Dean Mahmoud, "as both Frascari and the Carleton School are both visionary in their approach. Frascari is recognized internationally for his innovative teaching and research in the areas of architectural representation and imagination, theory and design while our School boasts a progressive track record in its programs, facilities, faculty, and alumni which continue to grow its reputation worldwide."
Frascari has taught and lectured at leading architecture institutions, including the Architectural Assocation, Columbia University, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Georgia Tech, and the Instituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia. His work spans the globe, from his hometown of Mantua, Italy, to Paris, Philadelphia and Atlanta. His projects have won several awards and honours.
Frascari has written on topics of architectural representation and tectonics published in Casabella, AA Files, Terrazzo, Nordic Journal of Architectural Research and many other journals and magazines. He is also the author of "The Tell-Tale Detail," a seminal essay published in 1981 which continues to stimulate discussion as one of the most influential pieces of its kind in the past two decades. It has been translated in Spanish, Japanese and Chinese. He is presently working on a book entitled The Grimoire of Architecture."
Present Director Stephen Fai notes: "Every architectural school in Canada has a different fort. Carleton is recognized for its experimental, imaginative and design-focused approach. We recently hired Thomas Mical, who has published a book about surrealism and architecture; Yvan Cazabon is researching alternative building methods; while Michael Jemtrud just won the 2004 Petro-Canada Young Innovators Award for his inspired research in the field of 3D imaging." Fai notes that alumni are making their mark as well. Gregory Henriquez (B.Arch. 1987) won one of this year’s Governor General’s Architectural Awards while 1983 graduate Hani Rashid has received international recognition for his cutting-edge interactive digital design work.
The Carleton School boasts many programs including design/build studios in which students construct a building or full-scale details of their designs; a mentor program that places students in architectural offices for credit; a summer design clinic where students run their own architectural practice; a wide array of international programs and exchanges; an excellent lecture series; and a visiting critics studio taught by architects from around the world.