106 _ Catherine Ingraham _ 'Architecture's Theory'

106 _ Catherine Ingraham _ 'Architecture's Theory'

Author: Sean Lally March 12, 2024 Duration: 55:49

Today's conversation is with Catherine Ingraham and we're discussing her latest book, 'Architecture's Theory'.  

We each had our own experience in school when first introduced to architectural theory. Those classes were probably somewhat opaque for all of us. Even today you might read new articles and books related to theory and find yourself trying to hold onto ideas like dry sand in your hands. Over time, I've come to recognize that important concepts are often intrinsically unstable. Unlike the rest of your education up to that point which placed value on collecting and memorizing information, theory's strength really only comes into focus when it can be applied to a circumstance you're carrying with you. Theory isn't there to give you answers, but as Catherine Ingraham discusses in our conversation, theory provides us with 'methodological instruments' to question our assumptions of the governance and systems we're working within. Catherine Ingraham's book helped me to better understand this point and it was great speaking with her for the program. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! 

Catherine Ingraham is a Professor of Architecture in the Masters of Architecture Program at Pratt Institute, which she started and chaired for six years. Dr. Ingraham has periodically been a visiting faculty member at the GSD, Harvard University, and GSAPP, Columbia University.  A former editor of Assemblage, she is the author of Architecture's Theory (2023), Architecture, Animal, Human (2006), and Architecture and the Burdens of Linearity (1998). She has received numerous fellowships and has lectured at conferences and universities worldwide. 

Other episodes linked to the topic include Ep 043 Graham Harman, OOO  090 Emanuele Coccia, 'The Life of Plants' and many others. Try the websites 'search' function to find more related episodes. 

You can find all episodes at www.NightWhiteSkies.com 

Thoughts or suggestions, email me at NWS@seanlally.net 

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In a world where the very ground we stand on and the bodies we inhabit are becoming malleable territories for design, Night White Skies offers a necessary space for conversation. Host Sean Lally guides these discussions, which venture far beyond traditional architectural discourse to ask what kind of future we are actually building. This podcast thrives on the friction and insight generated by bringing together an unexpected mix of voices-from philosophers and scientists to policy makers and science fiction authors. You’ll hear how a cultural anthropologist’s research on ritual intersects with a material scientist’s work on smart environments, or how a novelist’s vision of tomorrow clarifies the ethical dilemmas faced by urban planners today. Each episode is a deep, meandering exploration, avoiding easy answers in favor of nuanced, often surprising connections. The aim is to piece together a broader, more complex picture of the transformations currently unfolding around and within us. By engaging with such a diverse range of thinkers, the Night White Skies podcast doesn't just report on change; it actively participates in the difficult, essential work of imagining what comes next.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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